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Who Was Jules Verne?
Jules Verne emerged as a prominent writer following his encounter with publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel, who played a crucial role in nurturing many of the works that would later constitute Verne’s acclaimed Voyages Extraordinaires series. Renowned as the “Father of Science Fiction,” Verne authored novels that explored numerous innovations and technological advancements well before they became feasible. Despite his passing in 1905, Verne’s works have continued to be published extensively, and he has become the second most translated author globally.
Early Years and Career
Jules Verne was born on February 8, 1828, in Nantes, France, a prominent maritime port. The bustling activity of ships arriving and departing from the port kindled his imagination for exploration and adventure. During his time at boarding school, Verne began to nurture his literary interests by writing short stories and poetry. Upon completion of his education, his father, a lawyer, sent him to Paris to study law.
In Paris, while pursuing his legal studies, Verne’s interest shifted towards literature and theater. He frequented the city’s renowned literary salons and established connections with notable figures such as Alexandre Dumas and his son. After obtaining his law degree in 1849, Verne chose to remain in Paris to explore his artistic passions. In 1850, his one-act play Broken Straws (Les Pailles rompues) was performed.
Despite his father’s insistence on resuming his legal career, Verne remained committed to writing. The conflict between Verne and his father reached a peak in 1852 when he declined an offer to open a law practice in Nantes. Instead, he accepted a modestly remunerative position as secretary of the Théâtre-Lyrique, which provided him with a platform to produce works such as Blind Man’s Bluff (Le Colin-maillard) and The Companions of the Marjolaine (Les Compagnons de la Marjolaine).
In 1856, Verne met and married Honorine de Viane, a widow with two daughters, in 1857. Recognizing the need for financial stability, he took up a position as a stockbroker. Despite these new responsibilities, Verne continued his literary pursuits and published his first book, The 1857 Salon (Le Salon de 1857), the same year.
Marriage and Child
In 1859, Jules Verne and his wife began their first of approximately twenty journeys to the British Isles. This experience left a profound impact on Verne and inspired him to write Backwards to Britain (Voyage en Angleterre et en Écosse), though the novel would not be published until after his death. In 1861, the couple welcomed their only child, Michel Jean Pierre Verne.
Meeting Pierre-Jules Hetzel
Jules Verne’s literary career had previously struggled to gain significant recognition, but a pivotal change occurred with his introduction to the editor and publisher Pierre-Jules Hetzel in 1862. At that time, Verne was crafting a novel that seamlessly blended scientific research with an adventurous narrative. Hetzel became a crucial advocate for Verne’s innovative style. In 1863, Hetzel published Five Weeks in a Balloon (Cinq semaines en ballon), marking the beginning of Verne’s influential series of adventure novels known as Voyages Extraordinaires. Following this success, Verne entered into a contract with Hetzel, committing to submit new works annually. Most of these works were serialized in Hetzel’s periodical, Magasin d’Éducation et de Récréation.
Literary Career
In 1864, Hetzel published Jules Verne’s seminal works, The Adventures of Captain Hatteras (Voyages et aventures du capitaine Hatteras) and Journey to the Center of the Earth (Voyage au centre de la Terre). Although Paris in the Twentieth Century (Paris au XXe siècle) was rejected for publication that same year, Verne’s literary success continued in 1865 with the release of From the Earth to the Moon (De la Terre à la Lune) and In Search of the Castaways (Les Enfants du capitaine Grant).
Driven by his passion for travel and exploration, Verne acquired a ship and, alongside his wife, embarked on numerous maritime journeys. His extensive travels to various destinations, from the British Isles to the Mediterranean, greatly enriched his writing, providing inspiration for numerous short stories and novels. In 1867, Hetzel published Verne’s Illustrated Geography of France and Her Colonies (Géographie illustrée de la France et de ses colonies). That same year, Verne, accompanied by his brother, visited the United States, where a brief stay—including an excursion up the Hudson River to Albany and a visit to Niagara Falls—left a lasting impression on his work.
By 1869 and 1870, Hetzel had published Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Vingt mille lieues sous les mers), Around the Moon (Autour de la Lune), and Discovery of the Earth (Découverte de la Terre). At this point, Verne’s works were being translated into English, allowing him to sustain a comfortable livelihood from his writing.
In late 1872, the serialized version of Verne’s acclaimed novel Around the World in Eighty Days (Le Tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours) began appearing in print. The tale of Phileas Fogg and Jean Passepartout’s global adventure captured the imagination of readers during an era when travel was becoming increasingly accessible and enticing. Since its debut, the novel has been adapted for various media, including theater, radio, television, and film, with a notable adaptation in 1956 starring David Niven. Throughout the remainder of the decade, Verne remained highly prolific, producing works such as The Mysterious Island (L’Île mystérieuse), The Survivors of the Chancellor (Le Chancellor), Michael Strogoff (Michel Strogoff), and Dick Sand: A Captain at Fifteen (Un Capitaine de quinze ans), among others.
Later Years, Death, and Posthumous Works
Despite enjoying considerable professional success in the 1870s, Jules Verne faced significant personal challenges. In 1876, he sent his rebellious son to a reformatory, and Michel’s subsequent legal issues with a minor further troubled the family. In 1886, Verne suffered a gunshot wound to the leg inflicted by his nephew, Gaston, resulting in a permanent limp. The following week, his longtime publisher and collaborator, Hetzel, passed away, and the year after, Verne’s mother also died.
Nonetheless, Verne continued to write and travel, producing notable works such as Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon (La Jangada) and Robur the Conqueror (Robur-le-conquérant). During this period, his writing took on a darker tone, reflecting concerns about technological advancement in books like The Purchase of the North Pole (Sans dessus dessous), Propeller Island (L’Île à hélice), and Master of the World (Maître du monde).
In 1888, Verne settled in Amiens, France, where he became a member of the city council. He struggled with diabetes and passed away at his home on March 24, 1905.
Verne’s literary legacy continued posthumously. His son Michel took responsibility for his father’s unfinished manuscripts, leading to the publication of The Lighthouse at the End of the World (Le Phare du bout du monde), The Golden Volcano (Le Volcan d’or), and The Chase of the Golden Meteor (La Chasse au météore), each extensively revised by Michel.
Further discoveries were made decades later: Backwards to Britain was published in 1989, 130 years after its completion, and Paris in the Twentieth Century, initially deemed too speculative, was released in 1994.
Legacy
Jules Verne authored over 60 books, including the acclaimed 54-novel series Voyages Extraordinaires. In addition to his novels, he wrote numerous plays, short stories, and librettos. Verne created a wealth of memorable characters and envisioned numerous innovations long before they became reality, such as the submarine, space travel, aerial flight, and deep-sea exploration.
His imaginative works and the groundbreaking inventions within them have been adapted into various media, including film, theater, and television. Often hailed as the “Father of Science Fiction,” Verne is the second most translated author in history, surpassed only by Agatha Christie. His visionary ideas have inspired writers, scientists, and inventors for over a century.