Toilers of the Sea
by Victor Hugo
Hugo's story reveals the life of Gilliath, a reclusive fisherman who lived on the island of Guernsey, where Hugo was exiled for much of his life. When Gilliath becomes a young man, she falls in love with DeRushett, the beautiful nephew of the wealthy shipowner Letierry. When the steamer Letierry mysteriously runs aground, DeRushette, who is in love with the island's new rector, proposes to marry a man who can restore Durand. Gilliath immediately goes to unleash the ship, and his ingenuity and powers create some of the most memorable descriptions that can be found in a romantic novel. Although it is the least well-known of Hugo's masterpieces, this deliberately glorious story is a compelling, richly detailed description of the hard work of navigation and thrilling action, as in a spectacular battle with an octopus. Written with Hugo's remarkable narrative prowess, this irresistible novel simultaneously fascinates and disturbs to its ironic conclusion.
