Journey to the Center of the Earth
Journey to the Center of the Earth ( Voyage au center de la terre ) is one of the most famous novels of the French writer Jules Verne. The book was first published in 1864 by the publisher Pierre -Jules Hetzel under the French title Voyage au center de la terre. The first German -language edition was published in 1873 under the title Journey to the Center of the Earth. The English title of the novel is A Journey to the Center of the Earth.
Action
Main character is the willful Professor Otto Lidenbrock ( about 58 years old ), who lives in Hamburg and taught there at Johanneum mineralogy and geology.
The story begins on May 24, 1863. In a manuscript of Snorri Sturluson just acquired (12th century), written in runes, Professor Lidenbrock finds a coded message of the ( fictional) Icelandic alchemist Arne Saknussemm (the name is an allusion to Árni Magnússon ), said to have lived in the 16th century. Since he assumes that Saknussemm wants to tell a scientific discovery, the professor forces his nephew and assistant Axel (19 years old), the first-person narrator of the novel, to help him in the deciphering of secret writing. To this end, he closes the housekeeper Martha, Axel and a self in his house.
By chance, Axel can decipher the document, but is silent at first. Only when the hunger has him worn down, he shall notify the professor with his discovery. Arne Saknussemm writes that a traveler when he "by the shadow of Skartaris before the first of July liebkoset " in exactly the crater of the Icelandic volcano " Sneffels Yocul / Snäfields Jöcul " ( Snæfellsjökul ) increases, reaches the center of the earth; he had made the journey itself. Professor Lidenbrock a real geologist decides also to travel to the Center of the Earth, Axel should accompany him.
The impatient Professor Lidenbrock and the anxious Axel leave Hamburg. After a stay in Copenhagen they get to Iceland. Reykjavík they engage the Eider duck hunter Hans Bjelke as leaders. The three of them climb the Snæfellsjökul, climb into the crater and see the crater floor the entrance of a cave.
You get deeper and deeper into the earth. When they reach a fork in the road, they first choose the wrong path. However, when the transition ends, they must return to the fork. Meanwhile, however, the water supply has run out and the expedition seems doomed to fail. Hans leaves during the night bearing the companions to look for water. When he finds a vein of water flowing past behind the cave wall, he brings his companions. You hit with the pickaxe a hole in the wall, so now a small stream flowing through the cave. In honor of their leader, he is called " Hans Brook". During the further descent Axel loses his companions. You will find, however, after a few days with the help of a sound phenomenon similar to the one in the dome of Saint Paul 's Cathedral again.
You get to the shore of an underground sea that cross it on a raft. You encounter giant mushrooms, which they identify as a monstrous mushrooms. You can find more primeval plants and discover a small island with a geyser. After they initially get only a few small fish to face, they are in the course of rafting witnesses a fight between an Ichthyosaurus and Plesiosaurus one. Shortly thereafter, the raft is caught in a storm. During the storm, a lightning ball rolls over the raft. The storm chases them across the sea until they suffer shipwreck on its shore. As they explore the unknown coast, encounter Axel and the professor to other now extinct animal and plant species, shells of the "first Earth Period " and the remains of early man.
You can find traces Saknussemms and another cave entrance. The cave ends after a few meters. As the travelers beyond the free way, the waters of the subterranean sea crashes into a chasm and tears them on their raft. You first arrive on the water, then on lava in the crater of the erupting volcano on the Italian island of Stromboli, north of Sicily. By the crater they are thrown back to the earth's surface.
Work history
The book edition was published on November 25, 1864 under the title Voyage au center de la Terre in the publishing house of Pierre -Jules Hetzel. On May 13, 1867 illustrated edition followed with 56 drawings by Edouard Riou. The German edition Journey to the Center of the Earth was published in 1873 in the publishing house of the Brothers Légrády in Pest.
Adaptations
Films
The book has been filmed several times; among other things in 1959 with James Mason as Professor and Pat Boone as his assistant, was created in 1999 a two-part TV movie with Treat Williams and Bryan Brown in the lead roles. 2008 novel Brendan Fraser was filmed again in the lead role.
Radio plays
- Europe 1978: Editing: H. G. Francis.
- Director: Heikedine Körting.
- Starring: Klaus Schwarzkopf ( Lidenbrock ), Stefan swath (Axel ).
- Editing: Peter Irion.
- Director: Werner Simon.
- Starring: Karl -Maria Schley ( Lidenbrock ), Frithjof Vierock (Axel ).
- Adapted and directed by: Leonhard Koppelmann.
- Music: Henrik Albrecht.
- Starring: Wolf -Dietrich Sprenger ( Lidenbrock ), Florian Lukas (Axel ).
As well as
Musical settings
The British keyboardist Rick Wakeman composed in 1974 with "Journey to the Center of the Earth " a successful concept album. The LP with the London Symphony Orchestra, The English Chamber Choir and the English Rock Ensemble has sold over 14 million copies. In 1999, Wakeman even a sequel Return to the Center of the Earth out.
Games
In the spring of 2008 appeared in Franckh - Kosmos a game of Rüdiger Dorn entitled " Journey to the Center of the Earth".