"Captain Daredevil": a short summary. "Captain of the Daredevil" by Louis Bussenard

Captain Daredevil - a character who has more than a century pleases the younger generation with his courage, ingenuity and leadership qualities. A millionaire who got rich in times of gold rush, Jean Grandier left his home and went to far Africa to free this land from the conquerors-Englishmen.

The legendary captain

This famous hero was introduced to us by the famous author of adventure books - the French writer Louis Bussenard. Captain Daredevil - a legendary character, almost fabulous. It's hard to imagine that he has a real prototype. A millionaire who became rich at fifteen. Legendary commander of the reconnaissance squad. Talented commander and a fiery leader. All these incarnations are united in Jean Grandier.

Being an active participant in the Franco-Prussian War, physician Louis Bussenar was well aware of the specifics of heavy life and fierce battles. The author, with knowledge of the matter, reproduces on the pages of his books battles, campaigns and life in the rear. And although more than a century has passed since the events described, the courage, heroic deeds and sense of justice of the heroes and now worry the readers.

Faces of Courage

This is an excellent book, and today almost every schoolboy should know its summary. Captain Daredevil - a wonderful image that promotes the education of young men. The writer pays much attention to the creation of the multi-faceted personality of Jean Grandier. First we get acquainted with the legendary captain in his combat incarnation. In the first chapter of the novel, he takes his little detachment out of the fire of the English. The author emphasizes the courage of the hero and his ability to make non-standard decisions in a difficult situation. The captain hides the detachment in the thickets and makes you move around crawling.

Already in the next chapter, Boussenar reveals another side of the Grandier personality, plunging readers into events that occurred much earlier than the battles of the Anglo-Boer war. We learn the story of Jean, who found his wealth in the icy hell of the polar mine. At the Klondike gold fields, the hero understands that now his main motivation is to search for adventures. From a modern point of view, such a position can be called an adrenaline addiction. But is it necessary to do this? After all, we have a classic upbringing novel.

Cunning and administrative talent

Consider the features of Bussenard's work and its brief content. Captain Daredevil is the hero of the historical adventure novel. In it, the writer authentically transmitted many details of the work of the colonial authorities. For example, in the second chapter, the author, with humor, tells how the young Grandier moved several arms boxes to the rebellious Pretoria, giving a bribe to a petty official.

Boussinar pays much attention to the organizational talent of Jean. He built his own unit, which was about a hundred people, in a few months. This group was international, it included Boers, French, Germans, Italians, Spaniards and Arabs. All of them fought fiercely, but strictly obeyed orders. Frictions within the team were not observed, although they communicated through an interpreter. Jean was a talented leader. Soldiers repeatedly showed him their unconditional devotion.

The vicissitudes of war

The most difficult thing in analyzing a book is to retell its brief content. Captain Daredevil is a very unusual character. He is a volunteer, and everyone who goes into battle at his own will, dreams of exploits. And then Bussainar reveals the secret of all the generals. In war, battles are rare. The daily life of soldiers is a campaign, march-throw, siege of cities and patrolling. When the volunteers understood this, they were filled with a terrible disappointment. So it was with the detachment of Jean Grandier. However, they did not miss their lucky chance.

With the unexpected attack of the British, the detachment escaped only thanks to the commander's ingenuity. After this, Jean was appointed boursky general head of scouts. Under tragic circumstances, Grandje met the farmer David Potter, who saved the young Frenchman's life. Patriot of his homeland and irreconcilable fighter for independence, the borer was shot by the British in front of his family. Jean Grandier vowed to take revenge on the murderers.

How did the English and the Boers fight?

This story line defines the composition of the novel and its brief content. Captain Daredevil - master of intelligence. He always supplied the Boer commanders with the most reliable information. The English army was much more modest forces of local residents. Therefore, the Boers had to use non-standard military techniques.

Bussainard described in detail the battle between the troops of General George White and the rebels. The English army fought against all the laws of tactics, and the Boers had to invent new methods of fighting under the enemy's fire. The author devotes much attention to describing the positions of the rebel forces, clearly admiring their thoughtfulness and secrecy. The first line of defense of the Boers was breached. And when the English, intoxicated with slight success, went further, their horses became entangled in a wire taut all over the field. Imperial troops were defeated in this battle. The Boers won, but suffered heavy losses.

Some features of military medicine

The author of the novel is the doctor Louis Bussenar. "Captain Daredevil", a brief summary of which we are now considering - the chain of adventures of the protagonist. However, the author pays much attention to the medical aspects of the war. The prototype of the Boer surgeon Dr. Tromp is himself Louis Bussenard. This talkative physician often tells his listeners and readers of the novel about the specifics of field medicine. The author describes the process of sterilization of surgical instruments, extraction of a bullet stuck in a person, as well as the influence of different types of weapons on the nature of injury.

Charity and Nobility

One can only admire the philanthropy of a writer who adheres to humane views even in the conditions of war. Through the mouth of Dr. Tromp Boussinar, it says that the enemy is better off than killed. He calls for the creation of high-tech weapons capable of inflicting minimum damage. The master of the word ardently denounces the tactics of scorched earth and the extermination of civilians. Very touchingly describes the author of the friendship of Jean Grandier and the young English lieutenant, who is the son of the sworn enemy of the young Frenchman.

The rebel army and its shortcomings

About battles and maneuvers, intelligence and tactics, Louis Bussenard reasoned with knowledge. "Captain Daredevil", the brief content of which constantly revolves around the outstanding personality of the protagonist, tells of the bravery and savvy of the Boer rebels. The author also notes the shortcomings of the organization of their army. The rebel troops are not trained, there are practically no disciplines in them, orders are poorly executed, and such boring occupations as patrols and patrols are generally ignored. The writer accentuates the original organization of the insurgent army, something reminiscent of the family. Hence, there are both positive and negative features of the Boer detachments. For example, young Paul Potter, obsessed with revenge, shoots the murderer of his father, the Duke of Richmond. At the same time, he does not think at all about the British being retaliated in tortures of captive Boers. Family ties come to the fore.

As Bussainar writes, Captain Daredevil was a noble and respectable youth. The young Frenchman, like the Boers, politely treated the captured opponents, even the worst enemies. But when Grandier himself was captured by the British, he was in completely different conditions. Imperial soldiers mocked the captives, not recognizing their human dignity. This further strengthened the confidence that Jean is fighting for a just cause.

Novel of Education

In the book "Captain Daredevil" the main characters are very young, almost boys. They go through a difficult life path. Tragic circumstances allow them to strengthen their souls and gain their own view of the world. All this makes Bussenard's work a typical upbringing novel. The adventures of Jean Grandier are simply unimaginable. He not only dresses in a woman's dress to escape from persecution, but also spends some time in this guise, working as a servant in the house of a lonely old lady. In this suit, the young Frenchman again returns to his team of scouts.

How often is the desire to convey the tragic depth of events transformed into a boring and short retelling? Captain Daredevil - one of the vivid examples of courage and ingenuity, manifested in difficult life circumstances. He serves as a model for imitation. The younger generation at all times will find a virtual interlocutor and friend in Jean Grandier. His image was transferred to a movie screen. The young Frenchman became the embodiment of youth, audacity and justice.

The writer Valery Medvedev ("Captain Daredevil") interprets the personality of the young hero in an original way. The brief content of small stories often comes down to this character - Dima Kolchanov, who, like Jean Grandier, goes his way of growing up.