A mysterious captain. A powerful ship. A flesh-eating sea monster. Can anyone survive?
Learning Objective: to analyze a character’s actions, motivations, and conflicts in a play, then create a podcast episode about whether the character is heroic, villainous, or something in between
Scene 1
The Abraham Lincoln
Shutterstock.com
SD1: The curtain rises on two sailors perched in the rigging of a large ship. Below them, Captain Farragut paces the deck.
SD2: Nettie stands at the bow, staring out at the water. The dark ocean sparkles in the moonlight.
Sailor 1: I heard it is bigger than a whale. And faster.
Sailor 2: I heard it ripped a 20-foot hole in the bottom of another ship.
Sailor 1: We must rid the seas of this monster forever.
Farragut (shouting up): See anything?
Sailor 2: Nothing yet, Captain.
Farragut: That creature is out there . . . somewhere.
SD3: Nettie points toward the black line of the horizon.
Nettie: Look there! In the distance!
Aronnax: Something is glowing.
Farragut: I see it! Full steam ahead!
SD1: The ship surges forward. Farragut turns to Aronnax.
Farragut: What kind of creature glows like that?
Aronnax: It could be an electric narwhal.
SD2: The monster glides along the surface of the water, black and sleek, surrounded by a halo of pale light.
SD3: Suddenly, the monster lurches toward the ship.
SD1: Nettie grabs her harpoon—a long, sharp spear—and prepares to hurl it.
Farragut: The monster is upon us!
Conseil: We’re goners for sure.
Aronnax: Nettie! Now!
SD2: Nettie shoots her harpoon just as two giant columns of water erupt from the creature’s back.
Conseil: Take cover!
SD3: A torrent of water crashes down over the ship, sweeping Aronnax, Conseil, and Nettie overboard into the frigid sea.
Scene 2
A pitch-black room
Aronnax: Where are we?
Conseil: I don’t know.
Nettie: We were knocked overboard, then the monster surged beneath us and we were pulled down.
Conseil: Who rescued us?
Aronnax: I believe it wasn’t a monster we saw but some kind of submarine.
Nettie: Then where is the crew?
Conseil: Hello? Hello? Is anyone there?
SD1: A strange voice speaks from the darkness.
Nemo: Why have you come to trouble my existence?
Nettie: Who said that?
Nemo: You attacked my vessel. You are now enemies.
Nettie: We were hunting a sea monster that has been terrorizing ships around the world.
Nemo: My submarine is that monster.
Aronnax: Please show yourself.
SD2: The lights come up to reveal a tall, proud-looking man with piercing eyes, sealskin boots, and a fur cap. His arms are folded across his chest.
Nemo: What shall I do with you? Plunge you into the depths of the ocean?
Aronnax: A civilized man would do no such thing.
SD3: Nemo’s eyes flash with anger.
Nemo: I am not a civilized man.
SD1: Nettie, Aronnax, and Conseil glance at each other.
Nemo: I am not heartless either. But understand this: Whoever boards my vessel never leaves.
Nettie: What about our homes?
Nemo: This is your home now.
Nettie: What about our friends and families? You can’t just keep us here.
Nemo: Renouncing society is not as painful as you think. I have found great peace by abandoning humankind. I belong to no country. I obey no laws.
Aronnax: So you’re saying . . . we can either stay on your submarine forever—or die in the ocean?
Nemo: It’s up to you.
Conseil (muttering): That’s not much of a choice.
Nettie: This is cruel!
Nemo: Cruel? I could have left you to drown.
Nettie: Who . . . who are you?
Nemo: I am Captain Nemo. Welcome to the Nautilus.
Shutterstock.com (background); Apic/Getty Images (Jules Verne)
The Science and the Fiction
Author Jules Verne (1828–1905) is known as the father of science fiction. He based his stories on the science and technology of his day as well as his creative visions of the future. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1870) predicted sophisticated submarines, diving suits, and more.
Scene 3
The Nautilus
Shutterstock.com
SD2: Nemo and his new “guests” stand on a small metal platform as it slides slowly across the dark stage.
SD3: Aronnax, Nettie, and Conseil look around in awe.
Nettie: This submarine is massive.
Aronnax: Captain, how does the Nautilus run?
Nemo: The ocean produces electricity. And electricity powers the Nautilus.
SD1: The platform stops. Nemo steps off and opens a door to reveal an ornate study.
Nemo: This way, please.
SD2: They enter the room. Nemo presses a button, and iron panels slide away to reveal large windows.
SD3: Fish in radiant blue, silvery green, and luminous violet swim by.
SD1: The group stands transfixed.
Aronnax (whispering): Magnificent.
SD2: Conseil puts his hand on the glass.
Conseil: This window is the only thing separating us from . . . all of that?
Nemo: Isn’t it marvelous? On the water’s surface, men fight and tear each other to pieces. But below the surface, their power disappears. Here, I answer to no one but myself. I am free.
Nettie (to Conseil): But we are not. We answer to him.
Conseil: Shhhh. We mustn’t anger him.
SD3: As the others gaze out the window, Nettie steps back and looks around the room. She sees a piece of paper lying on a desk and snatches it up.
Scene 4
A dark passageway
SD1: Nettie tiptoes down a dimly lit corridor, shifting her focus between the paper she took from the study and the dark metal walls.
Nettie: This place is a maze, but if I can get to Deck 3, I will find this small hidden boat.
SD2: The sound of footsteps echoes in the distance.
SD3: Nettie ducks into a doorway as a sailor walks past.
Nettie: That was close.
Nemo: Close to what?
SD1: Nettie whirls around to see Nemo.
Nettie: Ah! Captain Nemo! You scared me.
Nemo: Where are you wandering off to?
Nettie: Nowhere. I was looking for the . . . engine room.
Nemo: Is that why you took the map of the Nautilus?
Nettie: Naturally.
SD2: Nemo takes a threatening step toward Nettie, who stands firmly.
Nemo: Chance has bound you to the Nautilus. You may as well enjoy it.
Nettie: Why won’t you let us go?
Nemo: My existence is a secret.
SD3: As if reading her mind, Nemo continues.
Nemo: The reason is not your concern.
Nettie: We would not betray your secret. We only want to go home to our families.
SD1: A strange look passes over Nemo’s face.
Nemo: I had a family once, but . . .
SD2: He grabs the map from Nettie and walks away
Scene 5
The study
Shutterstock.com
SD3: Aronnax is enthralled by Nemo’s collection of rare sea sponges, shells, and corals.
SD1: Conseil is staring out the window.
SD2: Nettie is pacing.
Nettie: We must escape.
Aronnax: Escape? This place is full of wonders.
Nettie: You seem to forget we are prisoners here! We’ve been on this ship for months now.
Aronnax: Are you not amazed by what we’ve seen? That 600-pound oyster with the giant pearl? The underwater volcano spewing lava? The Spanish ship full of treasure?
Nettie: I would trade it all to see my family, my home.
SD3: Nettie glances toward Nemo’s cabin.
Nettie: Besides, I don’t trust Nemo. He is hiding something.
Aronnax: He’s a strange man, but he’s not evil. In fact, he’s quite compassionate. Remember when we saw him give gold bars to those poor fishermen last week?
SD1: Nettie looks pointedly at Aronnax.
Nettie: If Nemo offered you your freedom today, would you take it?
Aronnax (slowly): I . . . I don’t know. The sea has so much more to teach us.
Conseil (looking out the window): I think there is something moving out there.
SD2: Ignoring Conseil, Nettie unfurls a map of the world.
Nettie: We are here, near the Bahamas.
Conseil (nervously): There is definitely something out there.
Nettie: If we can get to the small boat—
Conseil: Uh, you might want to come look at this.
Nettie: —then we have a good chance of escape.
Conseil: LOOK!
SD3: Suddenly, a giant thud echoes throughout the boat. The engines sputter and stop.
SD1: Just outside the window lurks a giant squid—more than 20 feet long—with enormous green eyes.
Nettie: The monster’s arms are twice as long as its body!
Aronnax: And that horned beak! It could skewer a cow.
Conseil: Look—more squid are coming!
SD2: Tentacles beat against the window.
Aronnax: They are gnashing their beaks against the submarine!
Conseil (uncertainly) : Surely they can’t puncture it.
SD3: Captain Nemo and his first mate rush in.
First Mate: A squid is stuck in the propeller blades.
Aronnax: What are you going to do?
Nemo: Rise to the surface and slaughter them all.
Nettie: We will help.
Conseil: We will?
Scene 6
The deck
SD1: The group climbs up the ladder toward the hatch.
SD2: The first mate is unscrewing the bolts of the hatch when suddenly the lid flies off.
SD3: A giant tentacle slithers down.
Nettie: Watch out!
SD1: Nemo expertly hacks off the tentacle with his ax. A spray of blue squid blood drenches them all.
SD2: They quickly climb out onto the top of the submarine.
SD3: A tangle of tentacles lashes at them.
SD1: One tentacle wraps around the first mate and lifts him high into the air.
First Mate: Aaaah!
Nemo: Save him!
Nettie: I will get him!
SD2: Nettie tries to hack at the tentacle, but it’s too fast.
Conseil: We are all going to die!
SD3: They swing their axes frantically, slashing at the tentacles, which seem to come from all directions.
SD1: They slip on the squid blood that now bathes the entire deck.
SD2: Now only one tentacle remains, whipping the first mate wildly to and fro.
SD3: Just then, another squid rushes forward. Its beak opens over Nettie.
SD1: Nemo plunges an ax between the squid’s jaws.
SD2: Nettie drives her harpoon deep into the squid’s heart, killing it.
SD3: Its lifeless body falls into the sea. The other squid disappear under the waves, dragging the first mate down with them.
SD1: Nettie, covered in blood, bows her head to Nemo.
Scene 7
Near the crew cabins
SD2: Nettie creeps across the dark stage.
Nettie (to herself) : That boat must be here somewhere.
SD3: She comes to the crew’s cabins.
SD1: One of the doors is ajar. She listens in.
Crew 1: He was a good first mate. May he rest in peace.
Crew 2: How many crew members have died?
Crew 1: Nine, I think. Three were killed in the last battle with that warship.
Crew 2: That last attack was ruthless. The Nautilus sliced through that ship like a knife through butter.
Crew 1: Why does Nemo insist on waging these fights in the middle of the night?
Crew 2: He doesn’t want our passengers to know what he’s up to.
Crew 1: Did you see those sailors struggling under the water? Hundreds drowned.
Crew 2: I try not to think about it. Nemo says that his actions are justified because those warships are responsible for the deaths of his wife and children.
Crew 1: Who are we to say otherwise? Nemo has made himself the law and the judge.
SD2: Nettie retreats down the corridor until she arrives at the cabin where Aronnax and Conseil are sleeping.
SD3: She shakes her friends awake.
Nettie: Wake up! Wake up! While we sleep, Nemo is murdering people! He lost his family, and now he is seeking vengeance against all warships.
Aronnax: Whatever he has suffered, he has no right to punish others this way.
Nettie: I’d rather die in the ocean than be made an accomplice to his revenge.
SD1: The room starts shaking violently. Books tumble off the shelves. Glasses slip off the desk and shatter. The group is thrown to the floor.
Nettie, Aronnax, Conseil: Aaaah!
SD2: A crew member rushes in.
Crew 2: It’s a huge whirlpool! It’s going to suck the whole ship in!
Aronnax: We have to get to the surface. Follow me!
SD3: They rush out the door and climb up to a hatch, just as water roars down the passageway.
SD1: There is a loud crashing noise. All goes dark.
Shutterstock.com
The Giant Squid
Squid-like monsters terrorizing sailors appear in legends dating back thousands of years. These stories may have been based on sightings of actual giant squid. Real giant squid don’t drag ships to the bottom of the sea, but they can get pretty big. The largest on record was 43 feet long!
Scene 8
A small island near Norway
SD2: Aronnax, Nettie, and Conseil wake up in a small wooden hut.
SD3: Fishing nets hang from the walls. A small fire burns in the stove.
Nettie (shivering): Where are we?
Fisherman: On a small island north of Norway. I found you half dead, washed up on the beach.
SD1: Conseil checks that his limbs are intact.
Conseil: How did we survive?
Fisherman: It is a great mystery.
Aronnax: What happened to the Nautilus?
Fisherman (darkly): I cannot say. Nothing could have survived that whirlpool.
Conseil: We survived.
Nettie: And now we can finally go home.
Aronnax: But what of Captain Nemo?
Conseil: Perhaps he has gone to a watery grave.
Nettie: Or he is still out there terrorizing the seas.
Aronnax: Either way, I hope Captain Nemo finds peace deep in the ocean.
Writing Prompt
Imagine you’re the host of a podcast called Ocean Adventures. Create an episode where you interview Nettie and Aronnax about their time aboard the Nautilus. Focus your conversation on this question: Do you believe Nemo is a villain, a hero, or something more complex?
This article was originally published in the February 2026 issue.
