Azores

The Azores are a Portuguese archipelago in the North Atlantic, appearing in Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea as a geographical reference point and a symbolic marker of the boundary between the known and the unknown. The islands are mentioned in the context of the Gulf Stream's circulation, the lost continent of Atlantis, and the final, catastrophic events of the voyage, serving as a point of reference for the Nautilus's northward course and the narrator's reflections on the limits of human exploration.

Geographical and Oceanographic Context

The Azores are situated in the North Atlantic, and their position is integral to the description of the Gulf Stream's path. Captain Nemo explains that the Gulf Stream, after emerging from the Gulf of Mexico, divides into two arms; one of these arms flexes southward at the level of the Azores, then hits the coast of Africa, sweeps in a long oval, and returns to the Caribbean Sea. This description establishes the Azores as a key node in the ocean's circulatory system, a point where the great current's trajectory is altered. The islands are also identified as the highest peaks of the submerged continent of Atlantis, which, according to the narrative, still emerge above the waves. This geological connection links the Azores to the ancient, lost world that Professor Aronnax and Captain Nemo explore on the ocean floor, making them the visible remnants of a cataclysmic past.

Narrative and Symbolic Role

The Azores function as a geographical marker during the Nautilus's northward journey. After the traumatic sinking of the warship, the Nautilus flees northward at tremendous speed, and the narrator loses track of time and position. The Azores, along with other landmarks like Cape Clear and Fastnet Rock, are part of the mental map that Aronnax uses to orient himself as the ship approaches European waters. The islands also appear in the context of Captain Nemo's final, desperate actions. In the aftermath of the mass execution, the Nautilus is driven north, and the narrator speculates that it may have called at the Azores, among other northern locations, during its frantic flight. This reference underscores the ship's erratic and desperate course, as it seeks refuge in the vastness of the ocean. The Azores, therefore, are not merely a location but a symbol of the threshold between the open sea and the civilized world, a point of reference in a voyage that is rapidly spiraling toward its catastrophic conclusion.

Connection to the Final Catastrophe

The Azores are also linked to the final, chaotic events of the voyage. After the sinking of the warship, the Nautilus is driven northward, and the narrator, in his confused state, wonders if the ship has visited the Azores. This uncertainty reflects the breakdown of order and the loss of any clear sense of direction. The islands are part of the mental geography that Aronnax uses to try to make sense of the Nautilus's flight, but they ultimately serve to emphasize the ship's isolation and the narrator's helplessness. The Azores, as the peaks of Atlantis, also connect to the theme of lost worlds and forgotten histories, a motif that runs throughout the novel and culminates in the Nautilus's final disappearance into the Maelstrom.