The Shadow Line: A Confession

"The Shadow Line: A Confession" by Joseph Conrad is a short novel based at sea that is notable for its dual narrative structure. A young sea captain's first command brings with it a succession of crises. His sea is becalmed, the crew is laid low by fever, and his deranged first mate is convinced that the ship is haunted by the malignant spirit of a previous captain. This story is loosely based on Conrad's own experiences. The ironic construction follows the conflict between the 'young' protagonist and the 'old' drive much of the underlying points of the novella, namely the nature of wisdom, experience, and maturity.