Le Nègre du Narcisse

Par Joseph Conrad

Le Nègre du Narcisse (titre original : The Nigger of the Narcissus) est le troisième roman et le premier récit maritime de Joseph Conrad. Bien que le récit relève de la fiction, il n’en est pas moins nourri par certaines expériences vécues par l'auteur.
Publié en 1897 en feuilleton et en volumes, le récit a suscité une réaction critique largement favorable et obtint un succès non négligeable. Aux États-Unis, le roman fut rebaptisé The Children of the sea.

Résumé
Le voilier Le Narcisse quitte le port de Bombay en direction de l’Angleterre, avec à son bord un équipage hétéroclite. Sous les ordres du capitaine Allistoun et de son second Baker, on retrouve notamment le vieux Singleton, l’impétueux Craik, surnommé Belfast, Donkin, marin au comportement douteux, et James Wait, le seul Noir de l’équipage.
Divers incidents viennent ponctuer la traversée : Wait tombe rapidement malade et reste confiné dans sa cabine. Au large du Cap, le navire essuie une violente tempête. L’équipage frôle la mutinerie à la suite d'une décision du capitaine...
|Wikipedia|

• Langue: Français
• Éditeur: Raanan Editeur
• Date de sortie: 27 janv. 2021
• ISBN: 9782714906540

Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad was born to Polish parents in the Ukraine on 3rd December 1857. He grew up surrounded by upheaval. His father was exiled to northern Russia for political activities and although they eventually returned to Poland, Conrad was orphaned by the age of 11. Subsequently he was taught by his uncle, a great influence and mentor. Leaving for Marseilles in 1874, Conrad began his training as a seaman. After an attempt at suicide, Conrad joined the British merchant navy and became a British subject in 1886. After his first novel, Almayer's Folly was published in 1895 he left the sea behind and settled down to a life of writing. Indeed, as his wife wrote in 1927, he would move only "from his table to his bed, for days and days on end". Troubled financially for many years, he faced uncomplimentary critics and an indifferent public. He finally became a popular success with Chance (1913). By the end of his life on 3rd August 1924 his status as one of the great writers of his time was assured.