Captain Nemo facts for kids

This page is about the character. For other uses, see Captain Nemo (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Captain Nemo
Voyages extraordinaires character
Captain Nemo taking noon observations.
First appearance	Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870)
Last appearance	The Mysterious Island (1875)
Created by	Jules Verne
Information
Aliases	Prince Dakkar
Gender	Male
Title	Captain; Prince
Origin	Bundelkhand, India

Captain Nemo (also known as Prince Dakkar) is a famous character. He was created by the French writer Jules Verne (1828–1905). Nemo appears in two of Verne's exciting science-fiction books. These are Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870) and The Mysterious Island (1875). He also had a small part in a play called Journey Through the Impossible (1882).

Captain Nemo is a very mysterious person. In the first book, his background is unknown. Later, we learn he is the son of an Indian prince. He is a brilliant scientist and inventor. He travels deep under the ocean in his amazing submarine, the Nautilus. This submarine was built from parts made in many different countries. Nemo is driven by a strong desire for justice. He dislikes when powerful countries take over weaker ones, a practice called imperialism. Verne's stories hint at real-life struggles against this, like the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Captain Nemo has been in many movies based on Verne's books. Actors like James Mason, Patrick Stewart, and Naseeruddin Shah have played him. Other writers have also used Captain Nemo in their own adventure stories.

Meet Captain Nemo: Master of the Seas
Images for kids
See also

Meet Captain Nemo: Master of the Seas

Captain Nemo is one of the most famous characters in adventure literature. He commands a super-advanced submarine called the Nautilus. He explores the ocean's hidden depths. His story is full of mystery, science, and a quest for freedom.

What's in a Name? The Meaning of "Nemo"

The name Nemo comes from the Latin word for 'no one' or 'nobody'. This name is a clever reference to an old Greek myth. In that story, the hero Odysseus tricked a giant Cyclops by calling himself 'Nobody'. Captain Nemo uses this name to hide his true identity. In The Mysterious Island, he even says, "I have no name!"

Captain Nemo's Incredible Life Story

Captain Nemo's past is a big secret for much of his first adventure. We learn he deeply dislikes imperialism. This is when one powerful country controls another. He also carries sadness from losing his family.

A Mysterious Past

Orchha Fort complex, a type of royal home in Orchha, Bundelkhand, like where Prince Dakkar might have lived.

In Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, Captain Nemo's home country is not revealed. This was because the author, Jules Verne, and his publisher disagreed. Verne first wanted Nemo to be from Poland. He would have been fighting against the Russian Empire. But the publisher worried this would upset Russia and get the book banned. So, Nemo's background was kept a secret at first.

Later, in The Mysterious Island, Captain Nemo reveals his true identity. He is Prince Dakkar. He was the son of a Hindu prince from Bundelkhand, India. His family also had ties to the Muslim Sultan Fateh Ali Khan Tipu. Tipu Sultan was famous for his battles and rocket technology. Prince Dakkar lost his family and kingdom during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. This was a major conflict in India. After this tragedy, he dedicated his life to science. He built the Nautilus and sailed the world's oceans. His loyal crew joined him. They collected valuable gold and silver from sunken ships.

Life on the Nautilus

Captain Nemo prefers to stay away from land. He only visits deserted islands or places like Antarctica. He uses very few things that don't come from the sea. This includes his food, clothes, and even his tobacco. He strongly believes in freedom. He hates oppression by powerful nations. He feels connected to all people who are treated unfairly. This includes Ceylonese pearl divers and Cretans fighting for their freedom.

When his submarine is attacked, Nemo believes he is acting in self-defense. He feels that laws on land no longer apply to him. He once said:

The sea doesn't belong to tyrants. On its surface they can still stake their evil claims, battle each other, devour each other, haul every earthly horror. But thirty feet below sea level, their power ceases, their influence fades, their domination vanishes! Ah, sir, live! Live in the heart of the seas! Here alone do I find independence! Here I recognize no superiors! Here I'm free!

A Secret Helper

Even though he avoids the world above, Nemo sometimes helps people in trouble. He gave treasure to those fighting for freedom in Crete. He saved a pearl diver from a shark attack. He rescued the shipwrecked people in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. He also secretly protected another group of castaways in The Mysterious Island.

Nemo had a Western education, like many Indian princes of his time. He traveled and studied across Europe. He speaks many languages, including French, English, Latin, and German. He understands Indian languages like Hindi and Tamil, and also Greek. He even created a new language for his crew. His library and art collection show he knows a lot about European culture. He is also a talented organ player.

The Final Voyage

Captain Nemo eventually dies of natural causes. This happens aboard the Nautilus. The submarine is docked inside a cave called Dakkar Grotto on Lincoln Island. This island is in the South Pacific. Cyrus Harding, one of the castaways Nemo protected, was with him at the end. After Nemo's death, the Nautilus was submerged in the grotto's waters. Soon after, the volcanic island exploded. This destroyed the island and the Nautilus forever.

Captain Nemo's Character and Skills

Captain Nemo is a talented organ player.

Professor Pierre Aronnax, who tells the story in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, describes Nemo. He says Nemo was a tall, calm man with a straight nose and wide-set eyes. He was a truly remarkable person. In The Mysterious Island, Nemo is older, in his late sixties, with a long white beard.

His Appearance and Personality

Nemo is very dedicated to his crew. He feels deep sadness when any of them are lost. He is also kind to the castaways in The Mysterious Island. He never forgets his deceased wife and children. Despite his losses, he rarely shows anger. He is incredibly brave. He always takes charge in emergencies. This includes fighting sharks and giant squids. He also freed the Nautilus from thick Antarctic ice.

His Strong Beliefs

Nemo is an amazing engineer. He designed and built the Nautilus himself. This included its electric engines and navigation systems. He was incredibly skilled at steering it through difficult underwater paths. He even navigated under the Antarctic ice and through a made-up tunnel under the Isthmus of Suez.

His Many Talents

He knows a huge amount about marine biology. This respect for Professor Aronnax's knowledge is why they became friends. Nemo is also a polyglot, meaning he speaks many languages. He can read all the books in the Nautilus's huge library, no matter the language.

Captain Nemo also loves art. He owns many famous paintings and sculptures. These are kept in the main lounge of the Nautilus. He also has a collection of pearls, corals, and seashells. He gathered all these himself. Professor Aronnax said no museum in Europe had such a collection. Even with all this luxury, Nemo's own room was simple. It had just a bed, a worktable, and navigation tools. He claimed to be incredibly rich. He once boasted he could pay off France's national debt!

Nemo planned to put his scientific discoveries and life story into a special container. He wanted the last crew member to throw it into the sea. This container would then drift wherever the waves took it. In The Mysterious Island, a similar container washes ashore. It holds tools, weapons, maps, books, and clothes. This shows Nemo's careful planning and generosity.

The Nautilus's Special Emblem

The motto of the Nautilus

Captain Nemo's special symbol is a large golden N on a black flag. He raised this flag when he claimed the South Pole. The motto of the Nautilus was Mobilis in mobili. This Latin phrase means "Moving within a moving element." It can also mean "Changing with change."

Captain Nemo in Other Stories

Captain Nemo has been a popular character for many years. He has appeared in other books and comics. These include The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill. He also appears in The Other Log of Phileas Fogg by Philip José Farmer. These stories imagine new adventures for the mysterious captain.

Actors Who Played Captain Nemo

Many actors have brought Captain Nemo to life on screen. Here are some of them:

Allen Holubar in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916)
Lionel Barrymore (as Count Andre Dakkar) in The Mysterious Island (1929)
James Mason in the Walt Disney film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
Herbert Lom in Mysterious Island (1961)
Robert Ryan in Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969)
Omar Sharif in La isla misteriosa y el capitán Nemo (1973)
Vladislav Dvorzhetsky in the Soviet television miniseries Captain Nemo (1975)
José Ferrer in the TV movie and short-lived TV series The Return of Captain Nemo (1978)
Akio Otsuka in the anime series Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water (1990–1991)
Michael Caine in the ABC-TV miniseries 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997)
Ben Cross in the NBC TV movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997)
Naseeruddin Shah in the film The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
Patrick Stewart in the TV movie Mysterious Island (2005)
Faran Tahir in the TV series Once Upon a Time (2016–2017)
Shazad Latif in the TV series Nautilus (2024)