Showing results for "The ShadowLine" in Literary History & Criticism

Written at the start of the Great War, when his son Borys was at the Western Front, The Shadow-Line is Conrad's supreme effort to open man's eyes to the meaning of war through the stimulus of art. In many ways an autobiographical narrative, this masterpiece of his final period relates the story of a young and inexperienced sea captain whose first command finds him with a ship becalmed in tropical seas and a crew smitten with fever.

In this captivating novella, an older man reflects on the complex interplay of personal desires and uncanny coincidences that shaped his challenging journey as a young ships officer. He navigates the elusive shadow line that divides the carefree days of youth from the weight of adult responsibilities. Join him as he unravels a profound transition that many can relate to. - Summary by Peter Dann