The Shadow-Line; Typhoon

Joseph Conrad (1857—1924) is one of the most famous English prose-writers who was born not far from the Ukrainian town Berdychiv and walked his way up from an ordinary sailor to captainship. That is why it was no mere chance that the main heroes of his tales “The Shadow-Line” and “Typhoon” were exactly captains. The author purposefully places them into the extreme conditions trying to investigate the depths of human psychology in the light of universal values. The main questions which the writer is interested in are as follows: will an ordinary man remain the same one under the unfavourable circumstances, is he able to tower over his own needs and instincts?

Filled with ambitions and romantic impulses, a youth who has just been advanced to the rank of captain from the tale “The Shadow-Line” and an experienced and always placid Captain MacWhirr from the tale “Typhoon" navigate their ships in the emergency natural situations balancing on the verge between life and death. None of them not for a single moment forget about their responsibility for the fate of the ship, and, what is most important, for the people who entrusted them their lives. Joseph Conrad creates masterly psychological portraits of the strong personalities joined by one profession and the call of the soul which is longing for the blue distance of the sea despite all its dangers.

Джозеф Конрад (1857—1924) — один із найславетніших англійських прозаїків, що народився неподалік Бердичева та пройшов шлях від простого моряка до капітана. Тому зовсім невипадково головними героями його повістей “Межа тіні” й “Тайфун” стали саме капітани. Автор цілеспрямовано поміщає своїх героїв у екстремальні умови, намагаючись дослідити глибини людської психології крізь призму універсальних цінностей. Головні питання, які цікавлять письменника: чи залишиться людина людиною за складних обставин, чи здатна вона піднестися над своїми потребами й інстинктами?