I have vivid memories of this one. I remember getting hold of an Illustrated Classic book that was a rather summarized adaptation of this tale. Even in its summarized avatar, the story owned me. I was intrigued.
That intrigue made me put in some effort to grab this three volume novel (a few years later) based on the Tahiti bound ship - HMS Bounty - and its ill fated journey. The effort was rewarding.
While three volumes might seem tedious... the narrative is smooth and more than makes up for the massive volume of text that you have to wade through.
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What the novel portrays
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The Mutiny of the Bounty is based on an infamous event that took place way back in the 18th century.
The Bounty was a merchant ship, assigned the task of sailing to the beautiful island paradise called Otahite or Tahiti and bringing back a plant that grew on the island. This plant - the breadfruit - was a valuable and nutritious source of sustenance for the natives. The Bounty was equipped to cart several breadfruit plants back to Brittain.
Under the guidance of Captain William Bligh, the ship sets forth. Bligh is ruthless in his ways and does not hesitate to use the whip in order to maintain order and assert his command. The novel paints Bligh as a weak, selfish captain who puts his personal agenda ahead of the welfare of his crew.
The Bounty reaches Tahiti and the authors give us a comprehensive description of the island, its natives and their lifestyle.
Since its departure from its port, the Bounty had been a breeding ground for a lot of unsavoury incidents that involved the captain and the crew. The ruthlessness of Bligh eventually causes the Bounty’s crew, led by Bligh’s next in command, the capable Fletcher Christian, to MUTINY. They turn against Bligh and along with some of Bligh’s closest associates, they leave them at sea to the mercies of the elements.
Perhaps the lure of the exotic paradise island and its wonderful offerings lured the sailors to commit - one of the most heinous crimes at that time - one punishable by death - Mutiny.
Perhaps Bligh’s sadistic methods and his harsh treatment was more than what the sailors could tolerate.
Intrigued? What about these questions then?
The fate of the Bounty?
The fate of Captain William Bligh?
The fate of the mutineers?
The novel provides all the answers!
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Footnotes
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The novel is in the style of a first person narrative and we get to visualize the sequence of events through the words of a fictional sailor Roger Byam - who was one of the sailors on the Bounty. This is a character that Nordhoff and Hall introduced.
The Bounty has been made into two movies one of which starred the handsome Mel Gibson playing the role of Fletcher Christian - the man who lead the mutiny.
One last word - even if it isnt this novel that you read, the tale of the Bounty is one that you should not miss. So if you are short on time, look for an abridged version.
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