20,000 Leagues Under the Seas characters

First appears in chapter 2

A French professor and specialist in marine life who narrates the voyage. While visiting the United States, Aronnax is invited to join an international expedition seeking the unknown creature blamed for attacks on ships. His scientific curiosity makes the danger difficult for him to resist.

First appears in chapter 3

Aronnax's devoted Flemish servant and assistant. Conseil is calm, formally polite, and gifted at classifying animals, though his knowledge is more systematic than practical. He accompanies his employer without hesitation.

First appears in chapter 3

The commander of the United States frigate Abraham Lincoln, charged with finding and destroying the supposed sea monster. Farragut is an experienced officer who pursues the mission with determination while relying on the expertise of the specialists aboard.

First appears in chapter 4

A famous Canadian harpooner serving aboard the Abraham Lincoln. Ned is physically powerful, direct, skeptical of unproven theories, and intensely protective of his freedom. His skill and practical judgment make him essential when the expedition meets its quarry.

First appears in chapter 10

The secretive designer and commander of the Nautilus, an advanced submarine independent of every nation. Nemo has withdrawn from land-based society and built a self-sufficient life beneath the sea. Cultivated and scientifically brilliant, he offers Aronnax access to wonders while refusing to release any witness who could expose him.