The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad
"The Secret Sharer" by Joseph Conrad is a compelling narrative that explores themes of identity, responsibility, and the complexity of human relationships. The story features a young captain who, newly appointed to command his ship, grapples with feelings of isolation and self-doubt. His life takes a dramatic turn when he discovers Leggatt, a fugitive who has killed a sailor in a moment of anger and has escaped from another ship, the Sephora. The captain feels an immediate connection with Leggatt, identifying with his struggles and ideals, leading him to hide Leggatt on his ship. As tensions rise, the captain faces moral dilemmas regarding loyalty and deception when confronted by the captain of the Sephora. The narrative culminates in a risky decision to help Leggatt escape, which ultimately tests the young captain’s resolve and ability to navigate the perils of leadership. Through this journey, the captain emerges with a deeper understanding of his own identity and the weight of command. The story invites readers to reflect on the nature of duality within oneself and the choices one makes in the face of moral ambiguity.
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The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad
First published: 1912
Type of plot: Coming of age
Time of work: 1880
Locale: The Gulf of Siam
Principal Characters:
The captain , the narrator and protagonist, a young man in his first command of a shipThe chief mate , an elderly, simple manThe second mate , a slothful, insolent young manLeggatt , the first mate of theSephora , a neighboring ship, who has committed a murderArchbold , the captain of theSephora , an obstinate man who always goes by the rules
The Story
As the story opens, the young protagonist, having suddenly been given his first command of a ship, feels a stranger to the ship, to the crew, and to himself. Untested by the rigors and responsibilities of command, he wonders to himself "how far I should turn out faithful to that ideal conception of one's own personality every man sets up for himself secretly." He has not long to learn, for no sooner does he assume his duties as captain than he spies, one night while on watch, a young swimmer hanging onto the ship's rope ladder. He hauls the swimmer on board, only to learn that the young man is Leggatt, the former first mate of the Sephora, who has escaped after killing a sailor in an angry outburst at the sailor's ineptitude. His rescuer feels an immediate affinity with Leggatt, so much so that he hides him in his own cabin, at great personal risk. During his infrequent, whispered conversations with Leggatt, he learns that they both come from similar homes, have been graduated from the same naval school, and share the same values and outlook on life. Often the captain feels so great a kinship with his stowaway that he believes that they are doubles or even two halves of the same person.
In the second half of the story, the captain's complicity in Leggatt's escape deepens when the captain of the Sephora visits him to question him about the escaped man. In response to these questions, the young captain goes to great lengths to protect, hide, and lie about Leggatt. All this while, his officers and men are becoming distrustful of his odd, erratic, and agitated behavior, while Leggatt remains remarkably cool and self-possessed.
Finally, Leggatt suggests a plan to the young captain: He asks the captain to drop him off in the dead of night on one of the small nearby islands. The captain does so, at great risk to his ship and crew. This expedition is so hazardous that the ship nearly founders on the land. Desperately seeking an object by which to steer the ship, he spots in the water a white hat, the very hat he had given his secret visitor to protect him from the elements in his place of refuge. Satisfied that Leggatt has escaped and sure of his bearings, the captain successfully guides the ship away from land, certain of his ability to make the lonely decisions and to fulfill the individual responsibilities of command. He is satisfied as well that he has helped Leggatt to make a free decision about his own fate.