Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester is a riveting coming-of-age episodic novel set on the high seas off the coast of Europe during the Napoleonic Wars about the exploits of Horatio Hornblower, a midshipman, a junior officer, in the English navy. C.S Forester conveys the theme of self-worth through Hornblower’s growth in the novel from a shy, inexperienced, and depressed seventeen-year-old young man being bullied by his crew mates to an able and fearless commander in his early twenties who navigates his crew through the most treacherous of situations ranging from fighting the French and Spanish to escaping the plague in the Middle East. Forester is a masterful storyteller who vividly describes naval combat, weaving in nuanced characters while sometimes using the devices of exaggeration for drama and impact, and foreshadowing to keep readers interested. Forester uses allusions to real historical events and figures to anchor his naval story in the past. I highly recommend this novel for someone who loves historical fiction with captivating adventure tales, nuanced characters, and a protagonist who has a convincing arc of development throughout the novel.
In the beginning of the novel, Hornblower has incredibly low self-esteem when he first arrives on the Justinian. Forester describes him as a shy, lonely, and unhappy boy who is “delighted to shrink into his shell and attract no notice to himself.” Hornblower is highly inexperienced and suffers from seasickness in a ship called Spithead, so his crewmates constantly harass him. Hornblower does not stand up to them and avoids confrontation, which indicates that he has very low self-esteem. Furthermore, he is tormented by an obnoxious failed midshipman, Simpson, “a man with a blistering tongue and a morbid sense of mischief.” Hornblower becomes depressed and suicidal to such an extent that he suffers from a lack of judgment and challenges Simpson to a duel to end his misery. Hornblower’s suicidal tendencies demonstrated in the duel emphasize his lack of self-worth because he would rather kill himself than report the bullying to the captain.
Hornblower’s self-esteem issues worsen after he is transferred to the Indefatigable by the captain. This phase in Hornblower’s life is significant because it was his first assignment in command of a ship, the Marie Galante, which he loses when the ship is hit by a cannonball and the rice expands in the hold where water seeps in, causing the ship to break. Hornblower is devastated emotionally and reaches his lowest point. Forester notes: “…the Marie Galante had been entrusted to him to bring into port, and he had failed, failed on his first independent mission.” Hornblower blames himself for not plugging in the shot-hole and not foreseeing that the rice would expand. Hornblower had come a long way from being highly inexperienced in seamanship, however he focuses on the negative and his constant self-blame causes his self-worth to plummet. This aspect of his personality is further reflected in a later adventure when Hornblower was captured on the Pique, a French ship. Hornblower is resourceful and demonstrates decisive action by starting a fire to distract the men who captured him. However, he does not take credit for his presence of mind and smart seamanship. It was his way of punishing himself, even though Captain Pellew of the Indefatigable doesn’t care much for the loss of the Marie Galante. Hornblower’s habit of being too hard on himself erodes his confidence in himself, leading to continued loss in self-worth.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, Hornblower’s arc of self-esteem starts to go up in his later adventures. He starts to gain more skills as a commander, which further aids him in his other escapades. While on an encounter with the Papillon, another French ship, Hornblower loosens the main topsail on his ship to pick up wind even though he has a tremendous fear of heights. This experience demonstrates to Hornblower that, in fact, he does possess courage, which increases his self-worth. However, Hornblower still regrets a previous action when he kills his fellow crewmate named Hales who is having a seizure that can risk breaking the silence of the ship much needed for a surprise attack. Despite this regret, unlike in the past, Hornblower’s self-esteem is higher than before. He continues to gain more experience as a seaman through many more adventures.
Hornblower’s growth into a fearless leader with high self-esteem is finally evident in a series of events in his early twenties. He demonstrates tremendous courage when he risks his life in order to save the Indefatigable from a fire ship that is dangerously close to the ship by steering the vessel to a deserted strip of beach. He is recognized for his achievement, which builds his confidence. He holds his head up high being proud of his work. Soon after, he displays excellent judgement by quarantining his crew from bubonic plague. The pinnacle of his arc is achieved when Hornblower rescues several Spanish men amid the wreckage of their ship on the cliffs despite Hornblower being captured by the Spanish. The Commandant recognizes Hornblower’s achievement in this quote: “I am to restore you under flag of truce to your fellow countrymen, in recognition of your courage and self-sacrifice in saving life at the peril of your own.” Hornblower’s courage is on full display as he goes out of his way to save the lives of others. Courage builds one’s self-worth. Hornblower’s evolution as a character from a timid teenager with no confidence to a young commander with a high level of self-worth is now complete.
I enjoyed the novel very much because of the author’s writing style. Forester’s use of foreshadowing in the first chapter builds a lot of intrigue: “…notwithstanding either seasickness or shyness…Mr. Masters surmised in his far-fetched fashion that this boy had a vein of caution or foresight in his temperament.” Furthermore, Forester makes a biblical allusion comparing Hornblower to Daniel: “So might Daniel have looked about him at the lions when he first entered their den.” Throughout the novel, I wondered whether Hornblower will indeed survive the adventures and grow out of his shyness to become a fearless seaman, similar to Horatio Nelson, the real fearless British general in the Napoleonic Wars whom Hornblower’s character was based on. Combining his depth of knowledge in historical Europe and naval combat, Forester employs vivid imagery and allusions to events such as the Reign of Terror when many French were guillotined, and figures like Maximillian Robespierre to ground his story in the past. Forester also uses the device of exaggeration to enhance the drama to the novel. For example, Simpson is described as an “ingenious tyrant” who would cause misery to anyone lower than him in rank in order to give a more of a threat to Hornblower. Forester’s literary techniques bring Hornblower’s exploits and world to life.
In Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, the protagonist, Horatio Hornblower, grows from a shy and depressed teenager with suicidal thoughts and low self-esteem to a capable and respected commander with high self-esteem who can grapple with even the toughest of situations. The arc of the protagonist makes it a novel one can learn life lessons of self-worth from. I learnt that one must consider life to be a journey of constant learning, and must not give up despite hardships they may face. I also learnt that being too hard on oneself leads to deeper negativity. It is better to be rational, accept the mistakes, and vow to learn from them. If one perseveres long enough, eventually through experience and reflection, they will gain confidence and mastery. Confidence helps one surmount adversity and builds character. I recommend Mr. Midshipman Hornblower to anyone who likes maritime adventure novels with a dynamic protagonist gaining life lessons through swashbuckling action.
Makes me want to read the series!
Very well written! Good job.