Fidelity and Love of Ships

Where it surfaces

• Author's Note

  Conrad expresses a deep, lifelong devotion to the sea and ships, calling it a passion that survived disillusion and disenchantment.

• Epigraph

  The quoted lines emphasize the enduring yet fleeting presence of ships, suggesting a deep affection and respect for these vessels.

• Emblems of Hope

  The chapter explores the deep affection sailors hold for their ships, embodied in the figureheads and emblems that become objects of pride and hope.

• IV

  The author's passionate defense of accurate nautical language and his description of the anchor as 'forged and fashioned for faithfulness' demonstrate a deep reverence for ships and their equipment.

• V

  The bond between the narrator and Mr. B⸺ is centered on their shared love for the barque, with Mr. B⸺ showing a devoted, almost handmaiden-like pride in the ship.

• The Fine Art

  Emphasizes the sailor's loyal and affectionate bond with his ship, treating it as a living entity worthy of devotion.

• VII

  The narrator speaks of love for perfected skill, the bondage of art, and the service given to creations, reflecting deep fidelity to ships and seamanship.

• VIII

  The author emphasizes the loyalty and affection a seaman must have for his vessel, comparing it to a partnership and illustrating with an anecdote about a ship that seemed to have eyes.

• Cobwebs and Gossamer

  The narrator's reverence for the ship and its intangible hold on the crew underscores a profound loyalty and affection for the vessel itself.

• XIV

  The narrator's sacred fire for his craft and his care for the ship as a 'tender creature' that must be humored.

• XVI

  The narrator describes the deep intimacy and love sailors have for their ships, comparing it to love for a woman, and notes how crews defend their ships against criticism despite defects.

• XXXII

  Ships are described as 'faithful creatures,' and their restraint in dock is seen as a period of accomplished duty, highlighting the bond between ships and men.

• XXXIII

  The narrator expresses deep affection for ships as noble creatures, lamenting their mistreatment by dockworkers and celebrating their enduring beauty.

• XXXV

  The chapter emphasizes the deep, genuine love sailors have for their ships, contrasting it with the sea's heartlessness, and describes the ships as 'untiring servants of our hopes and our self-esteem.'

• XXXVI

  The narrator contrasts the disinterested love seamen have for ships with the pride of possession, emphasizing a bond of mutual fidelity against the sea's hostility.

• The Tremolino

  The narrator's deep attachment to the Tremolino and the loyalty of its crew.

• XL

  The narrator's deep emotional bond with the Tremolino is central, describing how the vessel gave him everything and awakened his love for the sea.

• XLII

  The narrator's bond with the Tremolino and Dominic's dedication to the vessel and the syndicate's cause reflect a deep loyalty to the ship.

• XLIII

  The Tremolino is the vessel at the heart of the chapter, and Dominic's dedication to the risky voyage reflects his fidelity to the ship and the enterprise.