In Bricker’sFictional characters you could just slap the sh-t out of thread, GKW suggested Horatio Hornblower for a whooping. This got me thinking about the series again. I am reading them in historical chronological order. I think the one I’m reading now --Hornblower During the Crisis-- was the last one written. I keep picking that one up and putting it down to read something else, so I’m having a hard time finishing it, which is strange because it’s the shortest one.
But I’m rambling, aren’t I? The question is-- Did Hornblower push Crazy Capt. Sawyer and was later saved by a dying Bush? Did Bush really do it? Maybe Bush only thought Wellard whispered Horatio’s name but had actually said someone else’s name. Does the series ever come back to this question?
The Horatio in the excellent A&E mini-series would not have done it, but the book Hornblower may have made the cold-blooded calculation that it would be more prudent to push Sawyer than to continue to deal with him.
I’m thinking yes. Hornblower is an awfully bright fellow; he recognized that the only solution was for Sawyer to be put out of action. And he’s quick-thinking, so he would recognize and act on an opportunity. However, I don’t know if H intended that Sawyer be killed; I’d have to reread the novels again and contemplate his reaction when it becomes apparent that Sawyer is going to live. (Although if he didn’t intend Sawyer’s death, it’s tough to see how he expected the whole thing to end happily.)
I also agree that the more likeable Hornblower of the TV movies would not have.
I haven’t read this book, but the A&E HH episode titled “Retribution,” Horatio does push Capt. Sawyer, and poor Archie takes the blame for it to save his friend.
I haven’t read this book, but in the A&E HH episode titled “Retribution,” Horatio does push Capt. Sawyer, and poor Archie Kennedy takes the blame for it to save his friend.
In the mini-series, just as in the book, they never really answer the question at all. Horatio never gets the chance to answer the question “Did you push him?”. They never clearly show who did the pushing and 3 characters had the oppurtunity. The mini-series stays pretty faithful to the books. The major difference I see between the book and the TV show is that the TV show makes Horatio into a much nicer person.
I’m sure there are dopers who finished the books. Do they revisit this question?
There is a book out by, I think, a guy named Parkinson, called The Hornblower Companion, filled with all sorts of neat stuff, including what happened to Hornblower after the series ended and into his retirement and death. He snoozed away, full of years and honors, reading Gibbon’s Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. The analysis makes it clear that not only did Old Horatio shove Captain Queeg-Sawyer down the hatchway, but he come back and slit his throat when the man started to regain some rationality.
I don’t understand why anyone would take exception to Hornblower of the books, although the Hornblower of the TV movies is an insufferable prig. The Hornblower of the books is a decent man beset by self doubts with enough sense to keep his mouth shut about it. Like US Grant, in some situations he just lacks the moral courage to run away, persists in what appears to be a course to destruction and manages to pull it off. Forrester’s Hornblower is an Everyman dealing with his own devils in his own fallible way—but since it’s a story he comes out on top when you and I might come to disaster.
Another vote for Hornblower pushing Sawyer. When i began reading that book the first time many years ago I was a little confused by the fact that it was written from Bush’s perspective, but I came to understand that that was necessary to maintain the mystery surrounding Hornblower’s actions. I have to admit though that it never even crossed my mind that Hornblower might have been the one who cut Sawyer’s throat. It’s been quite a few years since I’ve read the book – did Hornblower really have the opportunity to finish off Sawyer?
Obligatory Patrick O’Brian reference: I don’t think Jack Aubrey would have it in him to shove Sawyer down the hatch, but I think Stephen would do it.
Forester never said so, but C. Northcote Parkinson (he of Parkinson’s Law – Google it if you haven’t heard of it) wrote a biography of Hornblower. You might think such thing unnecessary, but Parkinson covers Hornblower’s childhood and youth and his old age, as well as filling in many of the gaps in th Hornblower saga. (He has an interesting speculation about the way Hornblower During the Crisis was reall going to end, if Forester hadn’t died while writing it).
As a appendix, Parkinson’s book contains a confession written by Hornblower himself, explaining exactly why he had to get Sawyer pushed down the hatch, and how he arranged it all. Oh, yes – Hornblower was also responsible for slicing up Sawyer during the mutiny later, not the escaped prisoners.
Once Parkinson wrote it out, it seems logical. I have to note that some of Foresters other naval characters have been known to act in just such ways when faced with the choice between ruin and shady deeds. It’s just a lttle hard seeing hs straight-arrow hero in such a light.
