Summaries and Characters: Joseph Conrad Novels

Lord Jim

Captain Marlow, a professional sailor and amateur narrator, decides to tell the public all about the tragic story of Jim. Back in the day, Jim left his sinking ship, the Patna, along with other crew members. Although publicly disgraced, Jim found a sympathetic partner in Marlow.

After hearing Jim's whole, sad story, Marlow tried to help him over the coming years. Marlow found Jim jobs, but Jim always gave up and ran back in an effort to escape the humiliation and shame.

After Jim makes his way to the island of Patusán, he becomes a leader among local residents and even finds a girlfriend. Good times do not last, because a man named Gentleman Brown appears and wreaks havoc on the island, and Jim makes some bad judgment calls that result in death. Again, Jim is delivered to the authorities. The father of a man killed by Jim shoots and kills Jim. Marlow refers to this incident in a letter to an unknown recipient.

Lord Jim Characters

• Jim: A British sailor with romantic aspirations. Jim is neat, often wears white, has blue eyes, and is generally popular. He is a part of the notorious Patna crew.
• German Captain: Captain of the steamship Patna and one of the men with Jim in the lifeboat.
• Marlow: A British sea captain who attends the official Inquiry and becomes interested in Jim's fate.
• Jewel: Daughter of the Dutch-Malay woman who died in Patusan, Jewel is Jim's love interest.
• Cornelius: A Malacca Portuguese who assumes charge of Stein's trade post in Patusan.
• Stein: A wealthy and well-respected inter-island merchant of produce.
• Captain Brierly: The thirty-two-year-old commander of the Ossa, the crack ship of the Blue Star line. Brierly is a success.
• Doramin: Of the merchant class, he is chief of the second power.
• Dain Waris: Doramin's and his wife's only son.
• George: One of the Patna crew.
• Chester: A Western Australian jack-of-all-trades.
• Jones: Brierly's chief mate.

The Secret Agent

The Secret Agent Characters

• Adolf Verloc: The proprietor of a stationery shop and a secret agent.
• Winnie: Mr. Verloc’s much-younger wife.
• Stevie: Winnie’s younger and mentally deficient brother.
• Mr. Vladimir: First Secretary of the Embassy of an unnamed European country.
• Karl Yundt: The oldest member of the F.P. and he refers to himself as the terrorist.
• Ossipon: A former medical student.
• The Professor: A bomb-maker who is always ready to commit suicide.
• Chief Inspector Heat: The police officer in charge of keeping track of the anarchists.
• The Assistant Commissioner: Inspector Heat’s superior.
• Sir Ethelred: The aged Secretary of State and a great Personage.
• Toodles: Sir Ethelred’s secretary.