Journey to the Center of the Earth · Chapter
XXXVII: The Liedenbrock Museum of Geology explained
Professor Liedenbrock, furious at discovering they have traveled backwards, insists on continuing their journey despite Axel's protests.
What happens
Professor Liedenbrock, furious at discovering they have traveled backwards, insists on continuing their journey despite Axel's protests. Hans repairs the raft, and the Professor delays departure to explore the coast. They discover a vast plain of prehistoric bones, including a human skull, which astonishes the Professor.
Themes in this chapter
Scientific Curiosity and Ambition
Professor Liedenbrock's relentless drive to explore and his ecstatic reaction to the fossil field exemplify his unyielding scientific ambition.
Human Endurance and Survival
Axel's arguments highlight the physical and mental toll of their journey, contrasting with the Professor's determination to endure.
The Limits of Human Knowledge
Axel's reflections on the geological and hydrological phenomena suggest that even vast discoveries are bound by physical laws, hinting at the limits of human understanding.
Characters to notice
- Professor Otto Liedenbrock
Enraged by the setback, he resolves to continue forward and explores the bone field, discovering a human skull.
- Axel Liedenbrock
Attempts to reason with his uncle about the impossibility of another sea voyage, but ultimately resigns to follow.
- Hans Bjelke
Silently repairs the raft and prepares for departure, showing feudal loyalty to the Professor.
Key passages
“Aha! will fate play tricks upon me? Will the elements lay plots against me? Shall fire, air, and water make a combined attack against me? Well, they shall know what a determined man can do. I will not yield. I will not stir a single foot backwards, and it will be seen whether man or nature is to have the upper hand!”
The Professor defiantly declares that he will not be defeated by the elements and will continue forward despite the setback.
Shows Liedenbrock's stubbornness and his view of the journey as a battle against nature.
“We cannot steer; we shall be buffeted by the tempests, and we should be fools and madmen to attempt to cross a second time.”
Axel argues that attempting another sea voyage with their damaged raft would be reckless and dangerous.
Highlights Axel's practical concerns and the physical dangers they face.
“A thousand Cuviers could never have reconstructed the organic remains deposited in this magnificent and unparalleled collection.”
The fossil field is so vast that even the greatest paleontologist could not fully catalog it.
Emphasizes the immense scale of the discovery and the awe it inspires.