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Toilers of the sea

by Victor Hugo (1802–1885)

  • Free to read
  • 10 hours to read
  • 107 chapters
  • Reading level: 7th grade

"Toilers of the Sea" by Victor Hugo is a novel published in 1866. Set on Guernsey after the Napoleonic Wars, it follows Gilliatt, a social outcast who loves Deruchette, a shipowner's niece. When a steamship wrecks on a dangerous reef, Deruchette promises to marry whoever salvages its engine. Gilliatt volunteers for this perilous mission, facing extreme physical challenges including a deadly battle with an octopus, while enduring the scorn of his community in pursuit of an uncertain reward.

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  • Fishers
  • Sailors
  • French fiction · Translations into English
  • Guernsey (Channel Islands)
  • Channel Islands

Read the opening

Book I. — The History of a Bad Reputation

SIEUR CLUBIN

CHAP. PAGE

I. A Word written on a White Page 1

II. The Bû de la Rue 3

III. For your Wife: when you Marry 7

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Contents

Show all 107 chapters
  1. Introduction
  2. Preface
  3. Book I. — The History of a Bad Reputation
  4. Book III. — Durande and DÉRuchette: I. Prattle and Smoke 37
  5. Book IV. — The Bagpipe: I. Streaks of Fire on the Horizon 67
  6. Book V. — The Revolver: I. Conversations at the Jean Auberge 80
  7. Book VI. — The Drunken Steersman and the Sober Captain: I. The Douvres 130
  8. Book I. — The Rock
  9. Book II. — The Labour: I. The Resources of one who has nothing 225
  10. Book III. — The Struggle: I. Extremes meet 258
  11. Book IV. — Pitfalls in the Way: I. He who is Hungry is not Alone 280
  12. Book III. — The Departure of the "Cashmere": I. The Havelet near the Church 346
  13. Book III. — The Departure of the "Cashmere": I. The Havelet near the Church 346
  14. Chapter II: The BÛ De La Rue
  15. Chapter III
  16. Chapter IV
  17. Chapter V
  18. Chapter VI
  19. Chapter VII
  20. Chapter VIII
  21. Book II
  22. Chapter I
  23. Chapter II
  24. Chapter III
  25. Chapter IV
  26. Book III: Durande and DÉRuchette
  27. Chapter I
  28. Chapter II
  29. Chapter III
  30. Chapter IV
  31. Chapter V
  32. Chapter VI
  33. Chapter VII
  34. Chapter VIII: "Bonnie Dundee"
  35. Chapter IX
  36. Chapter X
  37. Chapter XI
  38. Chapter XII
  39. Chapter XIII
  40. Book IV
  41. Chapter I
  42. Chapter II
  43. Chapter III: The Air "Bonnie Dundee" Finds an Echo on the Hill
  44. Chapter IV
  45. Chapter V
  46. Chapter VI: The Sloop "Cashmere" Saves a Shipwrecked Crew
  47. Chapter VII
  48. Book V
  49. Chapter I
  50. Chapter II
  51. Chapter III
  52. Chapter IV
  53. Chapter V
  54. Chapter VI
  55. Chapter VII
  56. Chapter VIII: A "Cannon" Off the Red Ball and the Black
  57. Chapter IX
  58. Book VI
  59. Chapter I
  60. Chapter II
  61. Chapter III
  62. Chapter IV
  63. Chapter V
  64. Chapter VI
  65. Chapter VII
  66. Book VII
  67. Chapter I
  68. Chapter II
  69. Chapter III
  70. Chapter II
  71. Chapter III
  72. Chapter IV
  73. Chapter V
  74. Chapter VI
  75. Chapter VII
  76. Chapter VIII: ImportunÆQue Volucres
  77. Chapter IX
  78. Chapter X
  79. Chapter XI
  80. Chapter XII
  81. Chapter XIII
  82. Book II
  83. Chapter I
  84. Chapter II: Wherein Shakespeare and ÆSchylus Meet
  85. Chapter III: Gilliatt's Masterpiece Comes to the Rescue of That of Lethierry
  86. Chapter IV
  87. Chapter V
  88. Chapter VI
  89. Chapter VII
  90. Chapter VIII
  91. Chapter IX
  92. Chapter X
  93. Chapter XI
  94. Book III
  95. Chapter I
  96. Chapter II
  97. Chapter III
  98. Chapter IV
  99. Chapter V
  100. Chapter VI
  101. Book IV
  102. Chapter I
  103. Chapter II
  104. Chapter III
  105. Chapter IV
  106. Chapter V
  107. Chapter VI
  108. Chapter VII
  109. Book I
  110. Chapter I
  111. Chapter II
  112. Book II
  113. Chapter I
  114. Chapter II
  115. Book III: The Departure of the Cashmere
  116. Chapter I
  117. Chapter II
  118. Chapter III
  119. Chapter IV
  120. Chapter V

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About this edition

This free edition of Toilers of the sea by Victor Hugo comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #32338, released 2010-05-12. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Novels, French Literature.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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