History Literature / TwentyThousandLeaguesUndertheSea

** TechnologyIsEvil because HumansAreBastards: JustThinkOfThePotential to do good a CoolBoat like the ''Nautilus''! But before that, It will be used for SubmarinePirates as a WeaponOfMassDestruction.

* FoodPorn: Verne spares no detail in describing the food that the characters eat.

* LongList: Arronax goes into long descriptions of the sealife he encounters.

%%* MrExposition: [[TheProfessor Professor Aronnax]] and Captain Nemo take turns at it.%%ZCE

* {{Polyglot}}: Nemo is fluent in French, English, German, and Latin, and claims to speak many other languages. He also has a strange language of his own that he and his crew use.

* GiantSquid: The crew of ''Nautilus'' (and Ned Land) fight half a dozen giant squid, one having wrapped itself around the submarine. It is the most recognisable point after Nemo and the ''Nautilus'' themselves and is a standard fixture in any adaptation.

* MilkmanConspiracy: Deconstructed by the ''Nautilus'' crew, a [[StartMyOwn truly new society]] with NGOSuperpower status is composed of… [[OddlySmallOrganization less than sixty persons]]. Less than four years after its creation, their existence has been discovered by TheEmpire, [[TheWarOnTerror all the Western nations have organized against them and are chasing them implacably]], [[RealityEnsues their numbers dwindle because of this and because of normal accidents on the sea]], and their leader, [[TheCaptain charismatic Captain Nemo]], not only is bitterly conscious that their days are numbered (he plans to use a MessageInABottle so all his sea research could be found), [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity but is slowly breaking down due to using a]] WeaponOfMassDestruction to cross the MoralEventHorizon repeatedly.

* HiddenDepths: All of the main characters, from Ned Land (who is surprisingly knowledgeable about marine life despite his BookDumb personality) to Nemo (see WickedCultured) show this at times.

* WickedCultured: Nemo isn't quite a villain, but if he were he'd fit the trope. He has a library of 12000 books, ''of which he's read all'', a collection of marine curiosities that would put most museums to shame, an art collection, likewise, and a keen interest in good dining. He also plays a pipe organ.

* FoodPorn: Arronax really enjoys the food served onboard.

* MoralEventHorizon: InUniverse, the event that finally causes Arronax to agree that they need to bail is when they witness the Nautilus ramming an unidentified nation's ship. Nemo seems aware of it too, [[spoiler:seeing as he sets sail for the Maelstrom soon after.]]

--> ''"Good lord, Professor," Ned Land answered me, "don't mention it! [[ThinkNothingOfIt What did we do that's so praiseworthy? Not a thing.]] It was a question of simple arithmetic. Your life is worth more than ours. So we had to save it."''

--> "[[IAmTheNoun I am the law, and I am the judge! I am the oppressed, and there is the oppressor!]] Through him I have lost all that I loved, cherished, and venerated -- country, wife, children, father, and mother. I saw all perish! All that I hate is there! Say no more!"
* MrExposition: [[TheProfessor Professor Aronnax]] and Captain Nemo take turns at it.

* NGOSuperpower: Captain Nemo's organization, the crew of the ''Nautilus'': The ''[[CoolShip Nautilus]]'' lets him loot enough submarine treasures to put him in {{Fiction 500}}, [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters he can finance political insurrections like the Cretan rebellion]], [[{{Egopolis}} he claims the South Pole in his name]], he destroys the ships of an unnamed [[TheEmpire Imperialistic Nation]] with total impunity. His crew is composed of men who have no place in earth and [[ConLang they have invented their own language]].
* NoNameGiven: Nemo's real name is not revealed.
** ...until the sequel, that is: his name is [[spoiler: Prince Dakkar.]]

* OddlySmallOrganization: For an NGOSuperpower capable of helping the Cretan Insurrection, destroying [[TheEmpire The Empire's]] ships and with its own [[ConLang language]], the ''Nautilus'' crew is small: We only see Captain Nemo, his NumberTwo, and two unfortunate crewmen that die in the novel. And because they have severed all contact with inhabited continents, there will be no more crewmen. Aronnax made a calculation about less than sixty people:

** Originally, the idea of Verne was to make Nemo a polish noble, exiled by the Russian Empire. But at that time Russia was an ally of France, so due to the censorship the editor (Hetzel) rejected the idea. Verne, aggravated by this decision, resorted to not mention Nemo origins.

--> ''"Good lord, Professor," Ned Land answered me, "don't mention it! What did we do that's so praiseworthy? Not a thing. It was a question of simple arithmetic. Your life is worth more than ours. So we had to save it."''

This also allowed life-long fan and mini-submarines builder Pat Regan to publish a sequel (mostly inspired by Disney's movie), titled [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/Vulcanium ''Vulcanium'']]

* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Captain Nemo MajoredInWesternHypocrisy and wants revenge against TheEmpire. He creates an NGOSuperpower with a OddlySmallOrganization with her own ConLang, [[EgoPolis he claims a continent in his name,]] creates the ''Nautilus'' to conquer TheFinalFrontier (the sea) and to use it as a WeaponOfMassDestruction, [[FromMyOwnPersonalGarden insists in only using sea related products]], and the prisoners he considers valuable are placed in a GildedCage but those who not are [[KickTheDog mercilessly destroyed]]. Trying to destroy TheEmpire, he ends [[StartMyOwn creating a society]] [[MilkmanConspiracy very much like it]].

* TheFinalFrontier: Subverted: In this book it is not space, but the unknown sea, the only place on earth where man could be free (and it remains the same more than one hundred years later) as Nemo says:
-->''"...The sea is a vast pool of nature. Our globe began with the sea, so to speak, and who can say we won't end with it! Here lies supreme tranquility. The sea doesn't belong to tyrants. On its surface they can still exercise their iniquitous claims, battle each other, devour each other, haul every earthly horror. But thirty feet below sea level, their dominion ceases, their influence fades, their power vanishes! Ah, sir, live! Live in the heart of the seas! Here alone lies independence! Here I recognize no superiors! Here I'm free!"''

During a visit to America, Professor Aronnax, a famous French marine biologist, is invited to join a [[YanksWithTanks US Navy]] expedition in the hunt for a mysterious sea monster (believed to be a giant narwhal) that has attacked and damaged two ships. Once they find the narwhal, it attacks, causing Aronnax, his trusty manservant [[TheStoic Conseil]] and Ned Land, the ship's [[CanadaEh Canadian]] harpoonist, to fall overboard (well, Conseil ''jumped'', to rescue the Professor). They clamber onto the only dry spot in the sea, namely the narwhal's back, expecting to drown as soon as it dives. Then a hatch opens...

* TheButcher: Ned Land accuses Nemo of this when Nemo [[KickTheDog Kicks The Cachalots]] in a massacre. (See TheHunter).

* TheHunter: Ned Land accuses Nemo of being TheButcher after observing [[KickTheDog him massacring the cachalots]]. Captain Nemo claims to be hunting dangerous plagues.
-->''"Well, sir," replied the Canadian, whose enthusiasm had somewhat calmed; "it is a terrible spectacle, certainly. [[TheHunter But I am not a butcher. I am a hunter,]] [[TheButcher and I call this a butchery]]."''
-->''"[[TheHunter It is a massacre of mischievous creatures,"]] replied the Captain; "and the ''Nautilus'' is not a butcher's knife."''

* BadAss: Pretty much everyone, considering the fact that they beat off multiple 50-foot ''giant squid'' armed only with axes and harpoons. Yes, that includes ''Arronax and Conseil.''
** Make that a ''dozen'' giant squid. Never mind that squid of any size are completely helpless out of water, of course...

* IdiotHero: Verne's writing constantly informs us (and Conseil and Aronnax repeatedly lampshade) that Ned Land is a HotBlooded, GreatWhiteHunter, BigEater RealMenEatMeat BookDumb BadAss [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking who is from ]] [[CanadaEh Canada]]. [[spoiler: Ned Land's personality also makes him the OnlySaneMan capable of resisting Captain Nemo's charisma]].

* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: A subtle example: Captain Nemo knows the PowerTrio will attempt a GreatEscape because he desn't want to impose ThePromise on them to keep the ''Nautilus'' safe. So he only allows the PowerTrio to explore islands without any connection to civilization, and navigates on the surfaces of the seas that are either not frequented by ships or are actually affected by a natural event that could cause the death of the escapees (like a submarine eruption or the Maelstrom).

* CanadaEh: Although the narration constantly reminds us that Ned Land is Canadian, he actually doesn't fit the modern stereotype in that he's loud, arrogant, and rather meatheaded (and whistles "''Yankee Doodle''"). It's entirely possible that he's a transplanted American who ended up living in Canada one way or another.

* AwesomeButImpractical: Discussed. When Nemo is telling Aronnax about his vast riches, extracting gold from seawater is mentioned, but it would cost so much as to turn little, if any, profit.
* BadAss: Pretty much everyone, considering the fact that they beat off a 50-foot ''giant squid'' armed only with axes and harpoons. Yes, that includes ''Arronax and Conseil.''

* CanadaEh: Although the narration constantly reminds us that Ned Land is Canadian, he actually doesn't fit the stereotype in that he's loud, arrogant, and rather meatheaded (and whistles "''Yankee Doodle''"). It's entirely possible that he's a transplanted American who ended up living in Canada one way or another.

* CompletelyUnnecessaryTranslator: A variation occurs when [[TheProfessor Professor Aronnax]], [[BattleButler Conseil]] and [[IdiotHero Ned Land]] failing to understand the language used by their captors, try to talk to them in their respective native languages (French, German (Conseil is Dutch, but presumably uses German because Dutch is a very rare language outside of The Netherlands) and English, respectively). When their captors didn’t react, Aronnax atttempted to speak Latin without success. In a second interview, the man that later presented himself as Captain Nemo told them:

* GiantSquid: The crew of ''Nautilus'' (and Ned Land) fight a giant squid that has wrapped itself around the submarine. It is the most recognisable point after Nemo and the ''Nautilus'' themselves and is a standard fixture in any adaptation.

* HandshakeRefusal: [[TheProfessor Professor Aronnax]] gets this treatment with Captain Nemo. Nemo doesn't distrust [[WideEyedIdealist Aronnax]], its' just to show how far Nemo has been subject to MaddenIntoMisanthropy:

-->''”I admit that the nationality of the two strangers is hard to determine. Neither English, French, nor German, that is quite certain. However, I am inclined to think that the commander and his companion were born in low latitudes. There is southern blood in them. But I cannot decide by their appearance whether they are Spaniards, [[InterchangeableAsianCultures Turks, Arabians, or Indians]]"''

* NotThatKindOfDoctor: Arronax is asked to treat a crewman with a massive head wound, but all he can do is confirm that he'll be dead in the hour.

* PetTheDog: Nemo has several such moments, including sending assistance to Cretan rebels, saving the life and giving some pearls to a poor fisherman and [[spoiler:weeping over the memory of his dead wife.]] See AntiVillain.

* WhamLine: [[spoiler: "But by this point observing, studying, and classifying were out of the question."]]

* GreaterScopeVillain: TheEmpire that slaughtered Nemo's family, the hunting of whom is a large part of what drove Nemo to become the dangerous man he is. The prequel confirms them to be the British Empire, whom Verne's predominantly French audience would have largely thought of as a GreaterScopeVillain in much of RealLife, too.