Hornblower’s self-esteem issues worsen after he is transferred to the Indefatigable by the captain. 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. 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 does not stand up to them and avoids confrontation, which indicates that he has very low self-esteem. 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. In the beginning of the novel, Hornblower has incredibly low self-esteem when he first arrives on the Justinian. 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. Forester uses allusions to real historical events and figures to anchor his naval story in the past. 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.

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 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.

Midshipman Hornblower, a story of self worth weaved in with swashbuckling naval action Tagged analysis, forester, Literature 2 Comments on Mr.

Midshipman hornblower