Scientific discoveries provided Jules Verne a great scope for imagination and justified his characters. His idea reads as follows: the world full of secrets must provoke people whose main purpose is to reveal and explain in scientific language all of them. An example of such a person is the character of Jules Verne’s novel titled “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, Professor Otto Lidenbrock.

His personality couldn’t be fully described through his academic degree: professor of geology, although it certainly indicates the presence of in-depth knowledge of the subject. Otto Lidenbrock appears to be an expert in many domains of science. He proves himself as an excellent linguist fluent in Latin and able to read ancient runes. Sometimes he finds himself a passionate bibliomane and sincerely admires the ancient original texts. All these and many other studied spheres show us a very original person whose wide horizons of knowledge characterize him as an extremely active and stubborn researcher. The professor is always ready to take part in the scientific discussion. He is acquainted with many scientific figures, and his name is well-known in academic schools. On the other hand, Otto Lidenbrock as a really passionate person is also known for his short temper, which is expressed not so much in the sharpness of speech as in the impulsive behavior. What is the gait worth, when one step equals  nearly two meters in length and the fists are always tightly clenched. “He was a very learned man. Now most persons in this category supply themselves with information, as peddlers do with goods, for the benefit of others... Not so my excellent uncle, Professor Hardwigg; he studied, he consumed the midnight oil, he pored over heavy tomes, and digested huge quartos and folios in order to keep the knowledge acquired to himself”, says his nephew and an unwitting accomplice of an expedition to the center of the Earth. Like any other person, Otto Lidenbrock has his own negative qualities and they turn him from an ordinary scientist to a fearless researcher. Where any person will think twice before facing the unknown, Otto Lidenbrock won’t lose a second.

This is the way Jules Verne shows us, Professor Otto Lidenbrock in the book. An impulsive and jealous researcher, he is the embodiment of human curiosity - the engine for development. His example shows that striving for knowledge is the greatest feat of man.

Иванова Дарья, студентка 4 курса

направления 45.03.02 «Лингвистика», профиль «Иностранный язык и иностранный язык (английский / немецкий)»

Факультета русской филологии и иностранных языков

Института гуманитарных наук и языковых коммуникаций

Федерального государственного бюджетного образовательного учреждения высшего образования «Псковский государственный университет»