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Mr. Midshipman Easy
A timelesss tale of a midshipman's rise in Nelson's navy.
Widely regarded as Marryat's best work, Mr. Midshipman Easy is based on the author's adventures sailing with Lord Thomas Cochrane. This classic seafaring tale is a fascinating account of naval life and warfare, of French prisons and love affairs, and of the midshipman's berth. Marryat's ready wit, unforgettable characters, and true-to-life details have earned him praise from Conrad, Hemingway, and Ford Madox Ford, who called him "the greatest of English novelists."
Widely regarded as Marryat's best work, Mr. Midshipman Easy is based on the author's adventures sailing with Lord Thomas Cochrane. This classic seafaring tale is a fascinating account of naval life and warfare, of French prisons and love affairs, and of the midshipman's berth. Marryat's ready wit, unforgettable characters, and true-to-life details have earned him praise from Conrad, Hemingway, and Ford Madox Ford, who called him "the greatest of English novelists."
360 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1836
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About the author
Frederick Marryat
907 books89 followersCaptain Frederick Marryat was a British Royal Navy officer and novelist, an early pioneer of the sea story.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic...
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
December 2, 2022
On opening Captain Marryat's Mr. Midshipman Easy I expected a straightforward historical novel typical of the era. Instead I discovered the picaresque story of a coddled and naive young man, Jack Easy, who considers himself a philosopher. Jack, the fruit of an unconventional upbringing, joined the Royal Navy anticipating life at sea to conform to his firm beliefs on social equality and the fundamental rights of man. He was soon disabused of such notions.
Jack embarked on a series of madcap adventures featuring: sea battles, Sicilian nobles, duels, storms, cutting out expeditions, North African houris, shipwreck, romance, an Ashanti prince, murder, and the discovery of his own destiny. In the end he returned home a wiser man converted to a orthodox view of life within an established social system based on the superior qualities of the better classes. Tim Fulford, in his introduction to the 2001 Signet Classic edition, wrote:
A notable feature of Mr. Midshipman Easy was the inclusion of a black man as a prominent and admirable character. Mephistopheles Faust, known to all as Mesty, was dubbed such due to his diabolical appearance. He was an Ashanti prince and warrior enslaved in America and escaped to the Royal Navy. Mesty, like Jack, learned how to adapt to the broader world. He was not depicted as a stereotypical savage, but as a figure more intelligent and responsible than most of Jack's white shipmates. He, again like Jack, developed as a character in the course of the novel. Tim Fulford pointed out “Mesty is one of the most interesting portraits of a black man by a white writer in all nineteenth-century literature.”
Mr. Midshipman Easy was funny and perceptive. It provided an agreeable window into life and literature in 1836. The novel was acclaimed by authors as diverse as Joseph Conrad and Mark Twain and earned Four Stars from me.
Jack embarked on a series of madcap adventures featuring: sea battles, Sicilian nobles, duels, storms, cutting out expeditions, North African houris, shipwreck, romance, an Ashanti prince, murder, and the discovery of his own destiny. In the end he returned home a wiser man converted to a orthodox view of life within an established social system based on the superior qualities of the better classes. Tim Fulford, in his introduction to the 2001 Signet Classic edition, wrote:
Essentially a bildungsroman, the book draws on Marryat's memories of his callow and idealistic fourteen-year-old self, confronted with the strange, complex, and romantic world of a fighting ship... Marryat's endorsement of social hierarchy is less than the whole story. While he is conservative on land, at sea he embraces adventure. And it was for the sea, and the life of liberty and transformation that the sea represents, that he is always read. And it is for the sea, and the human variety and difference that it let him explore, that we should read him again.
A notable feature of Mr. Midshipman Easy was the inclusion of a black man as a prominent and admirable character. Mephistopheles Faust, known to all as Mesty, was dubbed such due to his diabolical appearance. He was an Ashanti prince and warrior enslaved in America and escaped to the Royal Navy. Mesty, like Jack, learned how to adapt to the broader world. He was not depicted as a stereotypical savage, but as a figure more intelligent and responsible than most of Jack's white shipmates. He, again like Jack, developed as a character in the course of the novel. Tim Fulford pointed out “Mesty is one of the most interesting portraits of a black man by a white writer in all nineteenth-century literature.”
Mr. Midshipman Easy was funny and perceptive. It provided an agreeable window into life and literature in 1836. The novel was acclaimed by authors as diverse as Joseph Conrad and Mark Twain and earned Four Stars from me.
August 21, 2024
Given that Mr. Midshipman Easy was originally published in 1836, I was surprised at how modern the writing felt while reading it. If I had to generalize early 19th century writing, I would say that novels from that era possess long-winded passages filled with an overabundance of details and a minimal amount of dialogue. It's the lack of these characteristics that sets Mr. Midshipman Easy apart from the norm and results in this 19th century novel moving forward at a refreshingly quick pace.
Another positive point is that Marryat is something of a dry humorous. His writing is filled with cleaver witticisms and humorful content. For instance, many of the last names of his characters attest to his tongue-in-cheek style of writing. "Easy" is just one such example. Marryat writes his humor with a subtle English boldness which makes this story entertaining.
The story is loosely founded on a philosophical premise of equality for all humanity. Young Midshipman Easy is indoctrinated by his father into zealously champion this idea, and it is through his adventures that Easy discovers how impossible true equality is to achieve.
The philosophical component of the novel comes across as royalist propaganda put forth by a former captain of the Royal Navy. Marryat fought in wars against both America and France following their respective revolutions for "equality and the rights of man." His arguments for equality are based on an ultra-pure form of the idea and Marryat holds its proponents to that level of purity. In this way, Marryat is able to battle a faulty position of his own creation to show that the English Monarchy and English Society in general are the best form of societal organization ever devised by man.
While the story focuses on Midshipman Easy's teenage life, the chapters break the story up into a number of episodic adventures that sacrifice continuity for action. On the whole, however, this is still an engaging and amusing sea story, and I would certainly read another Frederick Marryat novel at some point in the future.
Another positive point is that Marryat is something of a dry humorous. His writing is filled with cleaver witticisms and humorful content. For instance, many of the last names of his characters attest to his tongue-in-cheek style of writing. "Easy" is just one such example. Marryat writes his humor with a subtle English boldness which makes this story entertaining.
The story is loosely founded on a philosophical premise of equality for all humanity. Young Midshipman Easy is indoctrinated by his father into zealously champion this idea, and it is through his adventures that Easy discovers how impossible true equality is to achieve.
The philosophical component of the novel comes across as royalist propaganda put forth by a former captain of the Royal Navy. Marryat fought in wars against both America and France following their respective revolutions for "equality and the rights of man." His arguments for equality are based on an ultra-pure form of the idea and Marryat holds its proponents to that level of purity. In this way, Marryat is able to battle a faulty position of his own creation to show that the English Monarchy and English Society in general are the best form of societal organization ever devised by man.
While the story focuses on Midshipman Easy's teenage life, the chapters break the story up into a number of episodic adventures that sacrifice continuity for action. On the whole, however, this is still an engaging and amusing sea story, and I would certainly read another Frederick Marryat novel at some point in the future.
January 16, 2013
Although he's mostly forgotten today, Marryat was a tremendously popular author of naval yarns who actually was a captain in the Royal Navy during the Golden Age of Sail. This book is the story of Jack Easy, a wealthy young man raised up to believe in a ridiculous version of equality - no one has to work, all property is held in common, the thief is equal to the philanthropist, etc.. I think the author was taking aim at republicanism with his satiric representation of Jack's philosophy. Of course this brand of 'equalism' is inherently ill-suited to the Royal Navy in which rank is everything and disobeying orders subject to harsh punishments. This doesn't prevent Jack from yearning to go to sea, and with the influence of one of his relations, he succeeds in gaining a place as a midshipman. Middies have a peculiar fascination for fans of naval fiction. Sometimes as young as 12, they were expected to behave like officers, but did not have the true benefit of rank. Nevertheless they had duties and responsibilities, including overseeing the hands who were considerably older and more experienced. It was not unheard-of for a teenage mid to be given command of a prize vessel. Like all officers they were of the gentlemanly class, required to be able to read and write, to learn complex navigational mathematics, and to have considerable personal income to outfit their sea-trunks, buy uniforms, and sustain themselves while at sea.
Jack does not especially excel at his shipboard duties, and often tries to "argue the point" and fall back on his equalist philosophy instead of obeying orders. He is so likeable that he manages to stay in the captain's good graces. Although initiially unpopular, he stands up to a bully and gains the goodwill of all the "young gentlemen." His defense of equalism wins him the affection of Mephistopheles or "Mesty,", formerly an African prince who was sold into slavery and eventually gains a kind of freedom aboard the English vessel. It is thanks to Jack that Mesty is upgraded from "boiling the kettle" or serving as cook and steward, to a corporal aboard the ship. Mesty's dialect and depiction may offend some readers; ironically, while trying to demonstrate that Africans are not inferior to Europeans, Marryat may end up giving offense to those who would judge 18th-century people by today's standards.
Although not particularly diligent about his daily tasks, Jack is courageous in battle, and Marryat's naval experience really shines in these exciting passages. All the horror, the valour, the fear and battle-lust is brilliantly described and the action passages are real page-turners. At one point, Jack even jumps ship for a rather long time in Spain, initially to fight a duel, and yet somehow returns and manages to avoid being hung as a deserter. At times the goodwill of the captain towards his upstart mid defies all reasonable belief, even given Jack's wealthy, influential father. During his hiatus, Jack falls for a girl and promises to return to marry her. Eventually he decides he must leave the service, and his father's death hastens this decision, which surprises no one, as his inheritance leaves him much too absurdly wealthy to be a midshipman. After setting his father's estate in order, banishing the shiftless servants who have been told they are "equal" to their master, he purchases his own ship and sails back to Spain to collect his inamorata, all notions of equalism entirely forgotten.
Jack does not especially excel at his shipboard duties, and often tries to "argue the point" and fall back on his equalist philosophy instead of obeying orders. He is so likeable that he manages to stay in the captain's good graces. Although initiially unpopular, he stands up to a bully and gains the goodwill of all the "young gentlemen." His defense of equalism wins him the affection of Mephistopheles or "Mesty,", formerly an African prince who was sold into slavery and eventually gains a kind of freedom aboard the English vessel. It is thanks to Jack that Mesty is upgraded from "boiling the kettle" or serving as cook and steward, to a corporal aboard the ship. Mesty's dialect and depiction may offend some readers; ironically, while trying to demonstrate that Africans are not inferior to Europeans, Marryat may end up giving offense to those who would judge 18th-century people by today's standards.
Although not particularly diligent about his daily tasks, Jack is courageous in battle, and Marryat's naval experience really shines in these exciting passages. All the horror, the valour, the fear and battle-lust is brilliantly described and the action passages are real page-turners. At one point, Jack even jumps ship for a rather long time in Spain, initially to fight a duel, and yet somehow returns and manages to avoid being hung as a deserter. At times the goodwill of the captain towards his upstart mid defies all reasonable belief, even given Jack's wealthy, influential father. During his hiatus, Jack falls for a girl and promises to return to marry her. Eventually he decides he must leave the service, and his father's death hastens this decision, which surprises no one, as his inheritance leaves him much too absurdly wealthy to be a midshipman. After setting his father's estate in order, banishing the shiftless servants who have been told they are "equal" to their master, he purchases his own ship and sails back to Spain to collect his inamorata, all notions of equalism entirely forgotten.
March 12, 2019
I had the pleasure of reading "Mr. Midshipman Easy" several years ago. It lives up to its billing as a novel full of exciting seafaring adventures on the high seas during the Napoleonic Wars. The human interest elements in the novel are also compelling and true-to-life.
December 7, 2014
I'm a little surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Not that I expected reading it to be a chore, but I read it more just to have a book on the go than out of any particular enthusiasm. However, I was very quickly won over by its satirical tone and wry humour--not to mention Marryat's fondness for puns. Many of these are amdittedly strained (he has more fun than he should with Easy's name, for instance), but I quite like bad puns, as a rule, as part of the punning humour, I think, is an arch self-consciousness about their awfulness. Anyway, I laughed out loud several times reading this book, especially in its satirical treatment of philosophy, and of the difference between theory and practice. Our hero (as he is consistently called throughout the book) has a foolish gentleman-philosopher for a father--foolish because he believes in the equality of all men, a perspective which Marryat is at some pains ultimately to discredit--and absorbs his lessons, until going to sea beats silly philosophy out of him.
The book is highly episodic (early on, indeed, I wondered whether Marryat had any real idea of where he was going), as Jack Easy gets into innumerable scrapes, and then out of each one, as often as not by sheer luck, but at times through wit or cunning. Marryat does occasionally address some of the more serious implications of life in the British navy in the early nineteenth century, but overall one gets the impression that it's mostly larks, apart from the occasional combat at sea, leading to a few unnamed supernumeraries getting reduced to fragments which are thrown overboard, their blood then scrubbed away. (As this might suggest, this is not a children's book, though it is often seen to be one--my edition is published by Puffin, for instance). Even murder tends to be treated with humorous sang-froid, as in one scene where Jack and his buddy debate whether throwing the still-living body of a guy they've shot overboard would be murder or not; they debate whether they should just shoot him dead first, then debate over whether the fact that he's half-dead already mitigates any guilt that might accrue to them for finishing the job. So, if you're reading this expecting realism, or trenchant political commentary on the abuses of power, you will be disappointed, if not repelled. (There is, however, a remarkably sympathetic depiction of a black character--sympathetic for 1836, anwyay--in the figure of Mesty, a prince in his own land who was enslaved, then escaped, joined the navy, and ends up one of Jack's trusted crew). Indeed, at times, Marryat's endorsement of monarchical power and the less than humane practices of the navy grate somewhat. Fortunately, however, he devotes most of his energy to humour, satire, and adventure.
I'm more likely to quibble about this edition's lack of explanatory notes, as the nautical jargon gets pretty thick at times, than I am about Marryat's conservative politics. and though he is conservative, that doesn't stop himm having some good runs at other topics worthy of satire, such as religion and love.
The book is highly episodic (early on, indeed, I wondered whether Marryat had any real idea of where he was going), as Jack Easy gets into innumerable scrapes, and then out of each one, as often as not by sheer luck, but at times through wit or cunning. Marryat does occasionally address some of the more serious implications of life in the British navy in the early nineteenth century, but overall one gets the impression that it's mostly larks, apart from the occasional combat at sea, leading to a few unnamed supernumeraries getting reduced to fragments which are thrown overboard, their blood then scrubbed away. (As this might suggest, this is not a children's book, though it is often seen to be one--my edition is published by Puffin, for instance). Even murder tends to be treated with humorous sang-froid, as in one scene where Jack and his buddy debate whether throwing the still-living body of a guy they've shot overboard would be murder or not; they debate whether they should just shoot him dead first, then debate over whether the fact that he's half-dead already mitigates any guilt that might accrue to them for finishing the job. So, if you're reading this expecting realism, or trenchant political commentary on the abuses of power, you will be disappointed, if not repelled. (There is, however, a remarkably sympathetic depiction of a black character--sympathetic for 1836, anwyay--in the figure of Mesty, a prince in his own land who was enslaved, then escaped, joined the navy, and ends up one of Jack's trusted crew). Indeed, at times, Marryat's endorsement of monarchical power and the less than humane practices of the navy grate somewhat. Fortunately, however, he devotes most of his energy to humour, satire, and adventure.
I'm more likely to quibble about this edition's lack of explanatory notes, as the nautical jargon gets pretty thick at times, than I am about Marryat's conservative politics. and though he is conservative, that doesn't stop himm having some good runs at other topics worthy of satire, such as religion and love.
January 15, 2011
This nautical novel focuses on the adventures of "our hero," Jack Easy. The story begins thus:
"CHAPTER I - Which the reader will find very easy to read."
I burst out laughing when I read this, and I was similarly amused by the whole novel. It is written in a whimsical style that includes references to the reader (e.g. "the reader will remember that..."), humorous understatements/overstatements, ridiculous circumstances and a large quantity of blunt puns. For instance, after Jack Easy has literally fallen into a well, he thinks: "...all's well that ends well; but how the devil am I to get out of the well?" (Chapter 6). This may be a brand of humor that many people find stupid, but I still giggled and chuckled a lot.
The basic essence of the story is that Easy gets into a ton of scrapes, gets out of them and has a bunch of arguments about morals with almost everyone he meets. In short, Easy can out-wit anyone he meets and is loved by most. He's a rascal that can get away with anything because he commands peoples' favor, including his commanding officers'.
There is a heavy-handed theme of "equality" throughout the entire novel, and I say "heavy-handed" because the author is obvious about it. In Chapter XXI, Marryat breaks the narrative to say: "And now we must be serious. We do not write these novels merely to amuse,--we have always had it in our view to instruct, and it must not be supposed that we have no other end in view than to make the reader laugh." He describes novel-writing "...as a channel through which we may convey wholesome advice in a palatable shape." The problem is, I am not sure what Marryat intended to teach. The literary criticism I've read posits that Marryat is promoting imperialism by arguing against equality and human rights. However, because the whole story is so farcical, I have a hard time taking it at face value.
"Equality Jack's" father taught him all he could about equality and the rights of man. In the beginning, Jack spends his time asserting his rights by stealing and trespassing, and arguing the point with anyone who would confront him. He goes into the service teaching people around him about equality, but he comes out of the service almost four years later arguing the opposite side.
So, Jack seems to be converted from one who believes in equality to one who believes that each man is awarded his share according to his own abilities (citing the story of the ten talents in the Bible). The question is, is the reader supposed to agree with him at the beginning or the end?
As you can tell, I find this novel very thought-provoking even though I spent most of the time laughing while reading it. I only wish that the theme wasn't so heavy-handed: it became tiring after Jack's umpteenth confrontation about equality. The ending in particular was unsatisfactory in terms of the theme, but still entertaining.
"CHAPTER I - Which the reader will find very easy to read."
I burst out laughing when I read this, and I was similarly amused by the whole novel. It is written in a whimsical style that includes references to the reader (e.g. "the reader will remember that..."), humorous understatements/overstatements, ridiculous circumstances and a large quantity of blunt puns. For instance, after Jack Easy has literally fallen into a well, he thinks: "...all's well that ends well; but how the devil am I to get out of the well?" (Chapter 6). This may be a brand of humor that many people find stupid, but I still giggled and chuckled a lot.
The basic essence of the story is that Easy gets into a ton of scrapes, gets out of them and has a bunch of arguments about morals with almost everyone he meets. In short, Easy can out-wit anyone he meets and is loved by most. He's a rascal that can get away with anything because he commands peoples' favor, including his commanding officers'.
There is a heavy-handed theme of "equality" throughout the entire novel, and I say "heavy-handed" because the author is obvious about it. In Chapter XXI, Marryat breaks the narrative to say: "And now we must be serious. We do not write these novels merely to amuse,--we have always had it in our view to instruct, and it must not be supposed that we have no other end in view than to make the reader laugh." He describes novel-writing "...as a channel through which we may convey wholesome advice in a palatable shape." The problem is, I am not sure what Marryat intended to teach. The literary criticism I've read posits that Marryat is promoting imperialism by arguing against equality and human rights. However, because the whole story is so farcical, I have a hard time taking it at face value.
"Equality Jack's" father taught him all he could about equality and the rights of man. In the beginning, Jack spends his time asserting his rights by stealing and trespassing, and arguing the point with anyone who would confront him. He goes into the service teaching people around him about equality, but he comes out of the service almost four years later arguing the opposite side.
So, Jack seems to be converted from one who believes in equality to one who believes that each man is awarded his share according to his own abilities (citing the story of the ten talents in the Bible). The question is, is the reader supposed to agree with him at the beginning or the end?
As you can tell, I find this novel very thought-provoking even though I spent most of the time laughing while reading it. I only wish that the theme wasn't so heavy-handed: it became tiring after Jack's umpteenth confrontation about equality. The ending in particular was unsatisfactory in terms of the theme, but still entertaining.
April 3, 2015
I was a little slowed down by the Tristram Shandy-esque origin story, but soon enough this picks up pace, and becomes delightful. I have to assume Marryat was inspired by Sterne, because the satirical aspect of this novel is by far the most entertaining part. At times, my jaw dropped, or I laughed out loud. I haven't enjoyed a book this much in quite awhile.
May 14, 2025
This was not quite what I was expecting. I was expecting more along the lines of Hornblower, as a man whose naval service included military engagements during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 wrote this.
This was much more of a comic novel more in the lines of "Tom Jones", a kind of a rebellious rogue with some wit to him. Pretty fun with some great comic scenes.
This was much more of a comic novel more in the lines of "Tom Jones", a kind of a rebellious rogue with some wit to him. Pretty fun with some great comic scenes.
January 8, 2014
I know this is supposed to be Marryat's best work, and I also realize that the problems I had with it were because of where and when it was wrtten, but I found large parts of this book regpugnant. The adventures are pretty well written, although they presuppose a far greater understanding of sailing than I have, so many passages now fail for lack of that knowledge. The writing in general is only okay, although there are glimpses of effective humor.
The part that I found most objectionable was that the main character's father was meant to be seen as (initially) a complete fool, and then as literally insane. Why? Because he believed in the equality of men! The sociological and political discussions that are dotted throughout the novel start with a vaguely sympathetic tone, a kind of amused tolerance of such a silly idea, but eventually, as I said, the idea becomes considered complete insanity. In addition, there is a black character, Mesty, an escaped slave, who is presented with something _close_ to sympathy, and as an early proponent of equality (for obvious reasons), but there too his sympathy lasts only until his own situation improves, at which point he decides equality is a mirage, in agreement with our hero. Then there are the political arguments that conclude that monarchy is the best of all systems, and asserts that the leader of a democracy must necessarily be almost a despot (although why is never explained; perhaps that is thought to be self-expanatory).
Anyway, for a novel written in the early 1800's, in England, where the American and French revolutions were not all that far in the past, the novel's attitudes make complete sense. Unfortunately, knowing that does not make the reading experience any less aggravating when those attitudes intrude.
So, plus points for the naval adventure, which is passably written. But more points off for the preachifying, which ruined the experience for me.
I think I'll try Hornblower next, and see how that stands up to the passage of time.
The part that I found most objectionable was that the main character's father was meant to be seen as (initially) a complete fool, and then as literally insane. Why? Because he believed in the equality of men! The sociological and political discussions that are dotted throughout the novel start with a vaguely sympathetic tone, a kind of amused tolerance of such a silly idea, but eventually, as I said, the idea becomes considered complete insanity. In addition, there is a black character, Mesty, an escaped slave, who is presented with something _close_ to sympathy, and as an early proponent of equality (for obvious reasons), but there too his sympathy lasts only until his own situation improves, at which point he decides equality is a mirage, in agreement with our hero. Then there are the political arguments that conclude that monarchy is the best of all systems, and asserts that the leader of a democracy must necessarily be almost a despot (although why is never explained; perhaps that is thought to be self-expanatory).
Anyway, for a novel written in the early 1800's, in England, where the American and French revolutions were not all that far in the past, the novel's attitudes make complete sense. Unfortunately, knowing that does not make the reading experience any less aggravating when those attitudes intrude.
So, plus points for the naval adventure, which is passably written. But more points off for the preachifying, which ruined the experience for me.
I think I'll try Hornblower next, and see how that stands up to the passage of time.
May 16, 2016
I wanted to hold off, but I couldn't help myself. I loved Jacob Faithful so much that I didn't want it to end. Well! I liked J.F. better, as it happens, but this book was great too, just a different dolphin. If J.F. reminded me of Dickens, Midshipman Easy reminded me of Henry Fielding (Tom Jones) and wasn't like Jacob Faithful at all. (I didn't mind. I love Tom. I'm trying to think how it was like him - just in that Jack gets in all manner of messes, but all with a heart of gold. Like Tom, he isn't about following the rules, goodness isn't about rules. Thank goodness. -Har har har. ) And Jack - Equality Jack, as the crew calls him, has a philosophy of life (drilled into him by his father) that makes him lovable and funny - he believes in equality and the rights of man. He gets to test it out in the real world, and its funny and sad all at once. His biggest ally turns out to be a former slave, Mesty, who loves him for his ideals, and happens to be 100 x more ship-smart and life-smart than Jack, and guides him through, well, you'll have to read to find out what. And friendship - between Mesty and Gascoigne, Jack manages to survive and thrive - in a world with neither equality nor the rights of man. Lots of humour and satire and fun in this book. I highly recommend to anyone who likes sea tales.
January 26, 2014
Unless you are a dedicated fan of fiction from the age of fighting sail and are moved to research the origins of this genre there is no reason to read this book. I hated this book. While it is true that the author was a friend of Dickens and is credited with either inventing or at least being an early contributor to Age of Sail fiction he is in no way in Dickens' class and his book hasn't aged as well as Dickens' work. Written in 1836 this book really showed its age. I found the hero to be utterly annoying and the plot to be juvenile. In fact knowing that this author went on to write books for children has me wondering if this wasn't meant for juvenile readers. This book has no value beyond its historic position as an early work in the genre of Age of Sail fiction. Thank God for Forester and O'Brian.
June 23, 2011
This is a fictionalized story of Marryat’s own experience in the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic era. Obviously, this is right up my alley. Regrettably, though, I did not enjoy Marryat’s work nearly so much as the Horatio Hornblower books by C.S. Forester. Marryat actually lived during the time period, while Forester lived about a hundred years later; perhaps that has something to do with it. Or possibly it was the social satire axe that Marryat had a penchant for grinding. Either way, while the book was enjoyable, it was not at all enthralling.
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December 24, 2010Marryat, during his height, was at least as popular as Dickens. Socially, more popular. He began writing while still a captain, but when his books became successful, took to London literary life with gusto.
Eminently readable, there are portions of this novel that will make modern sensibilities wince with the easy cruelty. An excellent evocation of life on a tall ship, and full of early nineteenth century adventure mores, this is a fun read.
Eminently readable, there are portions of this novel that will make modern sensibilities wince with the easy cruelty. An excellent evocation of life on a tall ship, and full of early nineteenth century adventure mores, this is a fun read.
May 3, 2017
It starts off very slow, but the book picks up speed and you realize it's a commentary on the failings of philosophers whose philosophy works behind closed doors but is untenable in the real world.
November 27, 2025
Jack Easy has been brought up by his philosopher father to believe in equality, and to argue the point. But it is the Napoleonic wars and he goes to sea in a frigate headed off to the Mediterranean. He has decided to serve in the Royal Navy as a midshipman, a service not best known for its philosophy. Fortunately Easy leads quite the charmed life both in his relationships, and in his actions, and as a result has innumerable adventures and scrapes while usually coming out of them with little more than bruises.
Pros
Fun and funny
Satire on the navy and wealth
Cons
No plot
An odd break in the middle
This is a novel very much about the titular Midshipman Easy, John Easy, but almost never called John in the book and instead Jack - indeed there are several pages all about his naming as his father is a little odd. I digress, Easy is intelligent, but often somewhat lacking in common sense. He is a fun character to get to know and clearly grows through the novel.There are secondary characters, Midshipman Gascoine, Captain Wilson, and Mesty but they are very secondary and while nice enough are not particularly memorable, with the exception of Mesty. Mesty is a Black sailor who acts a bit like the grizzled veteran to Easy’s young blood. He is experienced, courageous and has rather more common sense than Jack. Made particularly memorable for being written as talking in a patois “look Massa Easy; you wish to take a cruise, and I wish the same ting: now because mutiny you want to go back - but by all de powers…”.
There are quite a lot of elements of satire here. There is a collision between Easy’s philosophical, proto-communist, idea of the world being free for everyone, and the Royal Navy which is let us say a little bit more hierarchical. This creates a satire on the ability of the wealthy upper class to indulge in such views and their eccentricity. The resulting dialogues and situations can be hilarious. But it also enables satire on the RN. Normally Easy’s ideas would be crushed by Navy discipline. However Captain Wilson is both an uncle (nepotism in appointments was common), and was only able to put to sea because Easy’s father gave him a very favourable loan to cover the expenses of equipping the ship (failure, or corruption, in administration impacting ships also being common). The downside is that satire does not age well, it is still funny, but it loses its bite. And there are times when Jack’s luck is perhaps pushed further in the book than is believable, thus he absconds from his ship, has a fight with a captain of another frigate and kills him in a duel but essentially gets off scott free (p198).
Plot… who needs plot? The character and motivations of Jack mean there is no real central aim we are driving towards; he is not aiming for the next steps in his career in the way you might expect of a midshipman - so unlike most books following a midshipman he is not thinking about the steps up to get to Captain. Neither is there a certain objective that Captain Wilson has to carry out that is central to the book. Instead there is slow character development of Jack largely owing to the meeting of his philosophy and the navy. Despite the lack of plot the narrative moves quickly from one action to the next, events are rapidly thrown at us with Easy rapidly learning how to resolve things and becoming more and more independent and less idealistic.
Oddities. There is a rather odd break in the narrative to provide a discourse on the state of discipline in the navy and Marryat’s proposals for improvements as well as some self congratulation for the Admiralty taking up a previous suggestion. Very peculiar. But it is only a couple of pages so not much of a disruption. While I found Maryat’s writing reasonably easy to read and it flowed well it is almost 200 years old so there are times when the meaning is not quite the same or the language would now be considered a bit odd.
Not something I usually think of as a consideration for a novel but it is worth noting that Maryat was himself a navy Captain, he fought in the Napoleonic wars as a boy including under Lord Cochrane, one of the most famous and successful captains of those wars. As a result the novel, despite not following history at all, has quite a lot of historical interest in the setting, the language, and how naval officers of the time thought.
Would be of interest to anyone who likes naval novels such as those of Patrick O’brien, but likely given the satire element also those who have an interest in society and literature of the first half of the 19th century.
Pros
Fun and funny
Satire on the navy and wealth
Cons
No plot
An odd break in the middle
This is a novel very much about the titular Midshipman Easy, John Easy, but almost never called John in the book and instead Jack - indeed there are several pages all about his naming as his father is a little odd. I digress, Easy is intelligent, but often somewhat lacking in common sense. He is a fun character to get to know and clearly grows through the novel.There are secondary characters, Midshipman Gascoine, Captain Wilson, and Mesty but they are very secondary and while nice enough are not particularly memorable, with the exception of Mesty. Mesty is a Black sailor who acts a bit like the grizzled veteran to Easy’s young blood. He is experienced, courageous and has rather more common sense than Jack. Made particularly memorable for being written as talking in a patois “look Massa Easy; you wish to take a cruise, and I wish the same ting: now because mutiny you want to go back - but by all de powers…”.
There are quite a lot of elements of satire here. There is a collision between Easy’s philosophical, proto-communist, idea of the world being free for everyone, and the Royal Navy which is let us say a little bit more hierarchical. This creates a satire on the ability of the wealthy upper class to indulge in such views and their eccentricity. The resulting dialogues and situations can be hilarious. But it also enables satire on the RN. Normally Easy’s ideas would be crushed by Navy discipline. However Captain Wilson is both an uncle (nepotism in appointments was common), and was only able to put to sea because Easy’s father gave him a very favourable loan to cover the expenses of equipping the ship (failure, or corruption, in administration impacting ships also being common). The downside is that satire does not age well, it is still funny, but it loses its bite. And there are times when Jack’s luck is perhaps pushed further in the book than is believable, thus he absconds from his ship, has a fight with a captain of another frigate and kills him in a duel but essentially gets off scott free (p198).
Plot… who needs plot? The character and motivations of Jack mean there is no real central aim we are driving towards; he is not aiming for the next steps in his career in the way you might expect of a midshipman - so unlike most books following a midshipman he is not thinking about the steps up to get to Captain. Neither is there a certain objective that Captain Wilson has to carry out that is central to the book. Instead there is slow character development of Jack largely owing to the meeting of his philosophy and the navy. Despite the lack of plot the narrative moves quickly from one action to the next, events are rapidly thrown at us with Easy rapidly learning how to resolve things and becoming more and more independent and less idealistic.
Oddities. There is a rather odd break in the narrative to provide a discourse on the state of discipline in the navy and Marryat’s proposals for improvements as well as some self congratulation for the Admiralty taking up a previous suggestion. Very peculiar. But it is only a couple of pages so not much of a disruption. While I found Maryat’s writing reasonably easy to read and it flowed well it is almost 200 years old so there are times when the meaning is not quite the same or the language would now be considered a bit odd.
Not something I usually think of as a consideration for a novel but it is worth noting that Maryat was himself a navy Captain, he fought in the Napoleonic wars as a boy including under Lord Cochrane, one of the most famous and successful captains of those wars. As a result the novel, despite not following history at all, has quite a lot of historical interest in the setting, the language, and how naval officers of the time thought.
Would be of interest to anyone who likes naval novels such as those of Patrick O’brien, but likely given the satire element also those who have an interest in society and literature of the first half of the 19th century.
June 24, 2017
Mr Midshipman Easy was written 1836 about the Napoleonic wars, in which Marryat himself had served with some distinction, attaining the rank of captain before he retired. When Marryat first joined the Navy he had served as a midshipman under the famous Captain Thomas Cochrane; one of the inspirations for characters like C S Forester’s Hornblower and Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey. Add to that the fact that he was much admired as a novelist by the likes of Mark Twain, Joseph Conrad and Earnest Hemingway and it’s hard to imagine anyone being better suited to writing exciting nautical adventures set in the Napoleonic Wars. However it is a mistake to approach this book as simply a more authentic version of Hornblower or Aubrey, rather, characteristic of his time, family and social issues tend to overshadow the naval actions. In fact around the middle of the book Marryat even interrupts the narrative for several pages to address the reader directly and justify the death of a character in a duel based upon a social transgression and continuing with a defence against the criticism of his writings being too critical of the Navy of the time. He even describes with, no little hubris, how a humanitarian approach to punishment described in one of his books came to be adopted by the navy as formal procedure. The end result is a slightly strange mix of social commentary and Boys’ Own style adventure written with a heavy dose of wry humour and a slightly trying love of puns.
Jack Easy is the only son of a wealthy landowner with somewhat unusual beliefs in the equality of all men, especially when laid against the then current fear of the spread of revolution from France. These beliefs are firmly instilled in Jack’s developing teenage mind and then taken with him into the navy. The reader gets no prizes for guessing that this will not make a harmonious mix. These beliefs are constantly challenged throughout the book and highlighted by Easy’s strong friendship for Mesty, who, so he tells us, used to be a ‘prince’ in his land before being taken as a slave and eventually ending up a lowly cook. Jack considers that everyone is born equal, including Mesty, for which he duly receives Mesty’s love. Throughout the book the social distance between Jack and Mesty is constantly used to highlight both the strengths and flaws of Jacks egalitarian beliefs. However late in the book we get the following:
" Now I tink a good deal lately, and by all de power, I tink equality all stuff."
"All stuff, Mesty, why? You used to think otherwise."
"Yes, Massa Easy, but den I boil de kettle for all young gentleman. Now dat I ship's corporal and hab cane, I tink so no longer."
A rather nice summary of the parallel change in Jack’s thinking.
However the book is my no means just a social commentary. It is also a coming-of-age adventure but even here much of Jack’s adventures take place on land rather than at sea. And a fairly unlikely set of adventures they are, especially in the largely absent consequences experienced by Jack. These aspects of the book would definitely put it in the young adult category today; not surprising considering much of Marryat’s later output was books for children. But they do make for an enjoyable piece of adventurous hokum.
It’s a fun romp, an interesting social commentary and age-of-sail writing straight from the pen of a man who experienced it himself. A slightly odd mix but one that did somehow work for me. I thoroughly enjoyed Mr Midshipman Easy and will probably read more from Marryat.
Jack Easy is the only son of a wealthy landowner with somewhat unusual beliefs in the equality of all men, especially when laid against the then current fear of the spread of revolution from France. These beliefs are firmly instilled in Jack’s developing teenage mind and then taken with him into the navy. The reader gets no prizes for guessing that this will not make a harmonious mix. These beliefs are constantly challenged throughout the book and highlighted by Easy’s strong friendship for Mesty, who, so he tells us, used to be a ‘prince’ in his land before being taken as a slave and eventually ending up a lowly cook. Jack considers that everyone is born equal, including Mesty, for which he duly receives Mesty’s love. Throughout the book the social distance between Jack and Mesty is constantly used to highlight both the strengths and flaws of Jacks egalitarian beliefs. However late in the book we get the following:
" Now I tink a good deal lately, and by all de power, I tink equality all stuff."
"All stuff, Mesty, why? You used to think otherwise."
"Yes, Massa Easy, but den I boil de kettle for all young gentleman. Now dat I ship's corporal and hab cane, I tink so no longer."
A rather nice summary of the parallel change in Jack’s thinking.
However the book is my no means just a social commentary. It is also a coming-of-age adventure but even here much of Jack’s adventures take place on land rather than at sea. And a fairly unlikely set of adventures they are, especially in the largely absent consequences experienced by Jack. These aspects of the book would definitely put it in the young adult category today; not surprising considering much of Marryat’s later output was books for children. But they do make for an enjoyable piece of adventurous hokum.
It’s a fun romp, an interesting social commentary and age-of-sail writing straight from the pen of a man who experienced it himself. A slightly odd mix but one that did somehow work for me. I thoroughly enjoyed Mr Midshipman Easy and will probably read more from Marryat.
November 3, 2024
Mr. Midshipman Easy is a systematic take down of what was an emerging philosophy, The Rights of Man. How emerging? In one of several forms it was a discussion topic and a philosophical bases to be found in both The American and French Revolution. Author Captain Frederick Marryat RN Ret., had close experience with the war that grew out of the French revolution. As a distinguished fighting officer of the Royal Navy he would have been well acquainted with the real problems a so called sea layer could cause aboard the close quarters and highly class based discipline of a Royal Navy warship.
For too many pages he gives us a well-funded member of the landed gentry, Mr. Easy. A philosopher and extreme advocate of the universal rights of man and especially the natural equality of all. including the shared right to access all that nature provides. Marryat has a grand time puncturing and lampooning Mr. Easy, his overly protective wife and their thoroughly spoiled son.
Convinced, through his ignorance that the life of a midshipman is the best way to spread this philosophy, Mr. Easy lavishly underwrites an otherwise impecunious newly made commanding officer of a warship and with this influence has his son posted to this new command as a midshipman.
In other circumstances the young man would have been broken, beaten and most likely abandoned in some faraway port; left to his no longer Navy self to get home. However, much of life will come easy to Midshipman Easy. Instead he is accomplished enough as a fighter to out bully the bullies of the Midshipman’s mess and his kindly commanding officer is sufficiently aware of his debt to the fool of a father, and aware that there may be the makings of an officer in the young man to allow him favors and deferment not to be had by any other midshipman.
What follows is a near rollicking set of adventures. Our hero is at once bright enough to find ways into and out of scraps and fights across a broad expanse of plot. Nothing about the book, other than its open disdain for philosophers and philosophies can be read as more than classic high seas adventure. Perhaps unintended, our hero finds valuable friends among the high and the low, especially a former salve, former African Prince, who routinely talks him into high risk and higher reward escapades that are routinely counter his orders, but too entertaining and remunerating to be entirely suppressed. Something of the author’s sense of humor can be summed up by the name assumed by the escaped slave, Mephistopheles Faust.
For me, the opening several chapters focused on the foolishness of philosophers and the stupidity of what will read to a modern reader as communism goes on for too long. Ignore any notion of serious intent, and this is a seaside beach read that may have set the mold for such like high seas Nelson’s Navy stories. About 100 years later, C.S. Forester would tweak the formula into the Hornblower saga, and almost another 50 years later the Patrick O'Brian, Aubrey–Maturin series would make for the best of what this format can offer. Not a bad range of influence for what is a book about foolishness.
For too many pages he gives us a well-funded member of the landed gentry, Mr. Easy. A philosopher and extreme advocate of the universal rights of man and especially the natural equality of all. including the shared right to access all that nature provides. Marryat has a grand time puncturing and lampooning Mr. Easy, his overly protective wife and their thoroughly spoiled son.
Convinced, through his ignorance that the life of a midshipman is the best way to spread this philosophy, Mr. Easy lavishly underwrites an otherwise impecunious newly made commanding officer of a warship and with this influence has his son posted to this new command as a midshipman.
In other circumstances the young man would have been broken, beaten and most likely abandoned in some faraway port; left to his no longer Navy self to get home. However, much of life will come easy to Midshipman Easy. Instead he is accomplished enough as a fighter to out bully the bullies of the Midshipman’s mess and his kindly commanding officer is sufficiently aware of his debt to the fool of a father, and aware that there may be the makings of an officer in the young man to allow him favors and deferment not to be had by any other midshipman.
What follows is a near rollicking set of adventures. Our hero is at once bright enough to find ways into and out of scraps and fights across a broad expanse of plot. Nothing about the book, other than its open disdain for philosophers and philosophies can be read as more than classic high seas adventure. Perhaps unintended, our hero finds valuable friends among the high and the low, especially a former salve, former African Prince, who routinely talks him into high risk and higher reward escapades that are routinely counter his orders, but too entertaining and remunerating to be entirely suppressed. Something of the author’s sense of humor can be summed up by the name assumed by the escaped slave, Mephistopheles Faust.
For me, the opening several chapters focused on the foolishness of philosophers and the stupidity of what will read to a modern reader as communism goes on for too long. Ignore any notion of serious intent, and this is a seaside beach read that may have set the mold for such like high seas Nelson’s Navy stories. About 100 years later, C.S. Forester would tweak the formula into the Hornblower saga, and almost another 50 years later the Patrick O'Brian, Aubrey–Maturin series would make for the best of what this format can offer. Not a bad range of influence for what is a book about foolishness.
August 4, 2021
I am a fan of the nautical novels of Patrick O’Brian, so when I read that his inspiration was the fiction of Captain Frederick Marryat, an actual British commander of the fleet during the Napoleonic wars, I was very curious. This novel did not disappoint! The first chapters began on land, with John Easy’s parents, who are just as eccentric as the Bennetts in Pride and Prejudice and provide a great comic foundation, with dialogue reminiscent of some comic characters of Dickens.
John, nicknamed Jack at school, decides to enter the navy, mainly to subject himself to a better adult mentor, whom he finds in a naval captain who comes to borrow funds to outfit his ship from Mr. Easy (love the name!). Captain Wilson takes on Jack Easy as a midshipman, and does mentor him, gradually and as gently as possible, with extraordinary patience and forbearance. And Jack proves himself worthy of that patience, adapting over time to naval customs, even while attempting audacious adventures, always getting in and out of trouble. Unlike most midshipmen (often pointed out by the narrator) Jack has the wealth to win friends and influence beyond his years or experience.
I had so much fun recognizing the references O’Brian made to Jack Easy and his adventures, for example the importance Jack gave to the naval Articles of War. Sometimes I felt like I was reading a prequel, Jack Aubrey’s life as a midshipman, and that is because both fictional Jacks are based on the same real naval captain, Lord John Cochrane.
One totally unexpected delight was the character Mephistopheles “Mesty.” He and Jack become friends in much the same way as Jim and Huck Finn— no doubt Mark Twain took inspiration from this novel, which was well known by mid century. Mesty began life as an Ashanti prince, and has survived slavery in America, escaped to England, and joined the British navy. He is consistently smart, strong, and opportunistic, and gets Jack out of most of his scrapes. Jack immediately sees his worth, keeps him close, and promotes his interests, as he can because he is rich.
John, nicknamed Jack at school, decides to enter the navy, mainly to subject himself to a better adult mentor, whom he finds in a naval captain who comes to borrow funds to outfit his ship from Mr. Easy (love the name!). Captain Wilson takes on Jack Easy as a midshipman, and does mentor him, gradually and as gently as possible, with extraordinary patience and forbearance. And Jack proves himself worthy of that patience, adapting over time to naval customs, even while attempting audacious adventures, always getting in and out of trouble. Unlike most midshipmen (often pointed out by the narrator) Jack has the wealth to win friends and influence beyond his years or experience.
I had so much fun recognizing the references O’Brian made to Jack Easy and his adventures, for example the importance Jack gave to the naval Articles of War. Sometimes I felt like I was reading a prequel, Jack Aubrey’s life as a midshipman, and that is because both fictional Jacks are based on the same real naval captain, Lord John Cochrane.
One totally unexpected delight was the character Mephistopheles “Mesty.” He and Jack become friends in much the same way as Jim and Huck Finn— no doubt Mark Twain took inspiration from this novel, which was well known by mid century. Mesty began life as an Ashanti prince, and has survived slavery in America, escaped to England, and joined the British navy. He is consistently smart, strong, and opportunistic, and gets Jack out of most of his scrapes. Jack immediately sees his worth, keeps him close, and promotes his interests, as he can because he is rich.
February 21, 2018
This is one of the first Napoleonic sea novels ever written, a tradition followed up by later authors such as CS Forester and Patrick O'Brian. Written by a Midshipman under Nelson who later became a Captain himself, this book tells the story of a radical midshipman whose leveling ideas and democratizing inclinations gets him into all manner of mischief and adventures.
The book is written more or less as a comedy, and while I was looking forward to tales of sailing as seen through the eyes of a boy who grew to a man under Nelson's guidance, instead its a bit of a farce, and a strangely jarring one from modern eyes.
In the middle of the generally humorous storytelling, Marryat includes a plea for better treatment of Midshipmen, particularly by the warrant officers, but not anything for the lower ranks of seamen. The protagonist Mr Easy is more or less democratic, but presumes superiority over any men he's with, particularly the one black sailor aboard the ship. His ideas of leveling are always tempered by his time, so he ends up being rather inconsistent and sometimes contradictory.
I wanted a great sea adventure and instead got a series of misadventures and humorous stories about a guy who lives largely on luck and the unrealistically kind treatment of his superior officers. As such it was a bit of a disappointment, although still entertaining at one level.
The book is written more or less as a comedy, and while I was looking forward to tales of sailing as seen through the eyes of a boy who grew to a man under Nelson's guidance, instead its a bit of a farce, and a strangely jarring one from modern eyes.
In the middle of the generally humorous storytelling, Marryat includes a plea for better treatment of Midshipmen, particularly by the warrant officers, but not anything for the lower ranks of seamen. The protagonist Mr Easy is more or less democratic, but presumes superiority over any men he's with, particularly the one black sailor aboard the ship. His ideas of leveling are always tempered by his time, so he ends up being rather inconsistent and sometimes contradictory.
I wanted a great sea adventure and instead got a series of misadventures and humorous stories about a guy who lives largely on luck and the unrealistically kind treatment of his superior officers. As such it was a bit of a disappointment, although still entertaining at one level.
November 10, 2024
Mr midshipman easy
What a hysterical book.
The book being written by a royal navy captain, it being a commentary on the ‘current’ state of the navy only improves it. It’s interesting to see the same complaints in the current military.
It’s actually a story of a captain SOMEHOW escaping Toulon blockade duty
“Report to Toulon” oh whoops something happened
Nestie is hilarious, and the best second anyone could ask for. He has acute intuition and always knows what to do. Now he boils the kettle for the young gentleman and takes his skulls down!
The dueling scene is truly hilarious, the gunner who professes to be a man of mathematics and creates a triangular duel!
The commentary on how midshipman have infinite lives is really funny as well, the junior officers always get up to strange activities and somehow come out smiling.
“Stop a minute lads! I’ve got a bite, pause the attack!”
It’s a great example of those who manage to cruise through life through a good attitude, which really is a timeless idea
“Not exactly pleased that he was floored by parson”
“Do your padre always head your boarding operations?! Yes sir, it’s their duty to show the men the way to heaven”
I’d recommend reading the more serious Hornblower first to acquaint yourself with the terminology and methodology of how the royal navy works then read this comedy.
What a hysterical book.
The book being written by a royal navy captain, it being a commentary on the ‘current’ state of the navy only improves it. It’s interesting to see the same complaints in the current military.
It’s actually a story of a captain SOMEHOW escaping Toulon blockade duty
“Report to Toulon” oh whoops something happened
Nestie is hilarious, and the best second anyone could ask for. He has acute intuition and always knows what to do. Now he boils the kettle for the young gentleman and takes his skulls down!
The dueling scene is truly hilarious, the gunner who professes to be a man of mathematics and creates a triangular duel!
The commentary on how midshipman have infinite lives is really funny as well, the junior officers always get up to strange activities and somehow come out smiling.
“Stop a minute lads! I’ve got a bite, pause the attack!”
It’s a great example of those who manage to cruise through life through a good attitude, which really is a timeless idea
“Not exactly pleased that he was floored by parson”
“Do your padre always head your boarding operations?! Yes sir, it’s their duty to show the men the way to heaven”
I’d recommend reading the more serious Hornblower first to acquaint yourself with the terminology and methodology of how the royal navy works then read this comedy.
October 3, 2019
I expected a dramatic seafaring adventure to compare with Horatio Hornblower, and was surprised to find the most appropriate comparison might instead be Candide. The hero is brought up by his father to dogmatically and vigorously defend principles which the author wishes to prove are actually foolhardy and dangerous, in this case, “equality and the rights of man” (seriously). A series of bite-sized adventures serve to gradually win over the hero to the opposite opinion. Also as in Candide, the names of several characters reflect some salient attribute of theirs, e.g. Jack Easy who navigates his way out of every scrape with great facility, or Lt. Oxbelly who is prodigiously fat.
The persistent sophistry is easy enough to overlook if you’re only interested in the adventure elements. High drama isn’t Marryat’s strong suit, so he doesn’t draw the reader in quite like C.S. Forester, but the action moves along swiftly and is never dull.
The persistent sophistry is easy enough to overlook if you’re only interested in the adventure elements. High drama isn’t Marryat’s strong suit, so he doesn’t draw the reader in quite like C.S. Forester, but the action moves along swiftly and is never dull.
August 14, 2018
John (Jack) Easy is a spoiled child who has adopted his father's philosophy that everyone is equal - which means Jack is entitled to take what isn't his, do what he wants, and justify his actions through debate and argument. He signs on as a midshipman in the Royal Navy, thinking he'll find perfect equality on the seas. Fortunately, the captain he signs under is a friend and doesn't have him court martialled, but instead is patient, helping wean him off his father's flawed philosophy.
In an era of sailing ships and state-sponsored piracy, we have a hero who cannot help but get into "scrapes". What results is an entertaining yarn. There's lots of gore (sharks, grape shot, and hand-to-hand combat will do that), but it's offset by lots of comedic situations. A fun story!
In an era of sailing ships and state-sponsored piracy, we have a hero who cannot help but get into "scrapes". What results is an entertaining yarn. There's lots of gore (sharks, grape shot, and hand-to-hand combat will do that), but it's offset by lots of comedic situations. A fun story!
June 7, 2020
Oh dear.
I read Marryat’s Three Cutters today, and thoroughly enjoyed it. What to try next of his work? This is rated his best book. Well ... I hope it isn’t, because it lost me within a couple of chapters. Even allowing for when it was written, I found Mr Easy’s hypocrisy repellent (equality for all ... except his wife) and a story about a spoiled brat is not something I want to read. I was appalled by Marryat describing the hero squeezing a kitten to death while still a child, but even without that, I was fast losing interest. There was nothing appealing at all about the smug boy, and I didn’t care what happened to him. I skipped the chapters on his schooling, but there was no improvement when he went to sea. Sorry, Captain Marryat, this one just isn’t for me.
I read Marryat’s Three Cutters today, and thoroughly enjoyed it. What to try next of his work? This is rated his best book. Well ... I hope it isn’t, because it lost me within a couple of chapters. Even allowing for when it was written, I found Mr Easy’s hypocrisy repellent (equality for all ... except his wife) and a story about a spoiled brat is not something I want to read. I was appalled by Marryat describing the hero squeezing a kitten to death while still a child, but even without that, I was fast losing interest. There was nothing appealing at all about the smug boy, and I didn’t care what happened to him. I skipped the chapters on his schooling, but there was no improvement when he went to sea. Sorry, Captain Marryat, this one just isn’t for me.
July 27, 2020
THIS BOOK WAS MY CHILDHOOD
This is one of the funniest books I've had the pleasure of reading. It's not necessarily 100% compatible with modern philosophy or anything like that (it rejects 'equality and the rights of man' for good old-fashioned monarchy), but for a book written in the 1800s, it's not too bad. The portrayal of Mesty, a black man, was surprisingly good for the time period? A lot of 19th century writers absolutely failed in their portrayals of black characters, so it's always nice to see a period novel say racism is bad! The female characters were...not great, but again, that's something you kind of expect considering the time period. It's not a book without flaws, but it is hilarious and has some good adventure, as well.
Also, equilateral triangle duels. That is all.
This is one of the funniest books I've had the pleasure of reading. It's not necessarily 100% compatible with modern philosophy or anything like that (it rejects 'equality and the rights of man' for good old-fashioned monarchy), but for a book written in the 1800s, it's not too bad. The portrayal of Mesty, a black man, was surprisingly good for the time period? A lot of 19th century writers absolutely failed in their portrayals of black characters, so it's always nice to see a period novel say racism is bad! The female characters were...not great, but again, that's something you kind of expect considering the time period. It's not a book without flaws, but it is hilarious and has some good adventure, as well.
Also, equilateral triangle duels. That is all.
May 18, 2022
Frederick Marryat was a noted captain and even sailed under Lord Cochran (the model for Aubrey and Hornblower). He is also the father of the nautical novel. He wrote from his personal experience a book of humor and whimsy. This is not intended to be a serious book, but a fun read with some serious issues scattered through its pages. Marryat does tackle serious reforms needed in his day for both the Royal Navy and English society in general, but he does so through humor and absurdity. He also reflects on the nature of writing fiction, showing his own concerns regarding his literary intentions and concerns.
As noted in the first chapter, this is an Easy read. At times, it is a little long, but overall it is a fun read, especially for those fans of Hornblower and Aubrey.
As noted in the first chapter, this is an Easy read. At times, it is a little long, but overall it is a fun read, especially for those fans of Hornblower and Aubrey.
August 10, 2019
Based in part on the author's own sea faring days, this is a novel about a young man improperly raised by his lenient and eccentric parents. Jack's early years are pretty hilarious (and accurately portray the apparently timeless spoiled and undisciplined child that we occasionally have the misfortune to observe usually at Walmart)
The rest of the story is composed of seafaring adventures taking place over a span of 4 years during which time Jack learns to be a better man though he gets in plenty of unusual and sometimes farfetched escapades. In spite of being published in 1836, I found my interest did not lag and it was a quite engaging British classic.
The rest of the story is composed of seafaring adventures taking place over a span of 4 years during which time Jack learns to be a better man though he gets in plenty of unusual and sometimes farfetched escapades. In spite of being published in 1836, I found my interest did not lag and it was a quite engaging British classic.
March 18, 2019
The hero is brought up to believe in the equality of mankind, but harsh schooling and then naval service put his philosophy to the test. He is lucky to have a father who is a rich landowner, and again lucky to be big and strong. He even serves under a tolerant captain, thanks to his father's influence. Written in 1836 and set in the wars of 1803-1815, the story is probably accurate in terms of the sailing ships and warfare of the day. But I found the details puzzling, and the storytelling too sketchy at times. An interesting piece of our history.
May 27, 2019
I love naval fiction, in particular the Hornblower series by C. S. Forester. Marryat was supposedly the inventor of the genre and heavily influenced Forester, O'Brian, etc.
I found the book to be overly simplistic. There is barely any challenge in the fights at sea. Every problem is solved within a few paragraphs and Easy wins the day. The book was also short on details of life on board as well as the handling of ships, guns and fighting in general.
A substantial part of the book is dedicated to political ideology (are all men equal), which again is overly simplistic and very dated.
I found the book to be overly simplistic. There is barely any challenge in the fights at sea. Every problem is solved within a few paragraphs and Easy wins the day. The book was also short on details of life on board as well as the handling of ships, guns and fighting in general.
A substantial part of the book is dedicated to political ideology (are all men equal), which again is overly simplistic and very dated.
December 20, 2020
This book is wordy and pointless. There is practically no plot - the main character, often referred to as "our hero", meanders aimlessly from scene to scene with no real purpose. The one prevailing plotline, the romance, is so predictable that it wasn't really even worth writing about.
There are some very funny lines and genuinely humorous dialogue. In many instances I broke out in an enormous grin and even chuckled a few times. There are definitely some good one-liners in here. In some scenes it's almost as if it were written for Monty Python - I could hear the laugh track in my head.
There are some very funny lines and genuinely humorous dialogue. In many instances I broke out in an enormous grin and even chuckled a few times. There are definitely some good one-liners in here. In some scenes it's almost as if it were written for Monty Python - I could hear the laugh track in my head.
May 14, 2025
This witty, satirical naval tale is both entertaining and humorous. Jack Easy’s foolish ideas about equality lead to absurd and often laugh-out-loud situations, and the exaggerated characters offer sharp critiques of human pride and folly.
The book’s moral tone is weak. Lying, manipulation, and even murder are treated lightly, without accountability.
Enjoyable for its humour and insight, but best read with discernment.
(As all things tend to be ;) )
The book’s moral tone is weak. Lying, manipulation, and even murder are treated lightly, without accountability.
Enjoyable for its humour and insight, but best read with discernment.
(As all things tend to be ;) )
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