Master and Commander

As the conflict between Dillon and Aubrey escalates, the concept of honor becomes a critical source of their disagreement. As Aubrey begins to realize that Dillon does not like him, he fixates on Dillon’s implicit criticism of his naval tactics rather than the religious and cultural divide between them. Fearing that Dillon considers him “cowardly,” Aubrey seeks to prove himself by going with the landing party on a daring mission to destroy a Spanish battery. Initially, this act of bravery does seem to repair their relationship. The crew notices “Dillon’s marked respect and attention to the captain since Almoraira, their walking up and down together and their frequent consultations had not passed unnoticed” (227), and Dillon openly praises Aubrey to others. On the surface, this appears to be the development of a Friendship Between Equals: While Aubrey and Dillon hold different political and religious affiliations, they value one another for competence and bravery. However, this brief peace between Dillon and Aubrey cannot endure due to the problem of multiple loyalties.

Dillon suffers when his position in the Navy and his loyalty to the Catholic Irish cause finally clash. He is particularly upset that he gave the appearance of complying with Father Mangan’s threat, as this makes him look—and feel—as though his honor has been tarnished. While Maturin advises him not to dwell on this incident, Dillon finds himself unable to let it go: “[H]e has known that there was no way out, that whatever course he took would be dishonourable; but he had never imagined that dishonour could be so painful” (243). Aubrey, while he is not the source of the problem, becomes the target of Dillon’s ire once again because he represents to Dillon the pragmatic, mercenary attitude that is opposed to the honor that Dillon so deeply values. This inner conflict adds depth to Dillon’s character and complicates both his relationship to Aubrey and his role abroad the Sophie.

These chapters also explore how social expectations and maintaining a good reputation can be in opposition to practical, rational action, furthering the themes of The Cost of Ambition and The Customs of Sailors Versus the Customs of Shore. Aubrey‘s pragmatic desire for wealth and promotion causes him to defy his orders, abandoning prisoners on Dragon Island and earning him a scolding from Admiral Lord Keith. At sea, Aubrey earns the respect of people like Dillon for his bravery; on land, his social reputation ironically declines due to his victories, as other captains become jealous of his success.

The dinner party at the Hartes’ also reestablishes the different lifestyles of people on land and at sea. The Ellis family is very comfortably established in the ways of land life, and they assume that their wealth and power will carry over to sea as well. Though Aubrey agrees to welcome their son on board, he and Maturin are doubtful that the boy will do well, since he has clearly been raised by people who are accustomed to the privileges they enjoy on land.

The party reveals how outwardly genteel appearances and high social status can disguise obviously negative characteristics. The Ellises are wealthy and aristocratic, but reveal themselves to be “foolish” and unpleasant in conversation once they become drunk. The contrast between outward appearance and truth is symbolized by Maturin’s glance beneath the table when he drops his napkin. While Mrs. Harte appears to be having a decent and respectable conversation from above, Maturin notes that below the table, “Colonel Pitt’s gleaming military boot lay pressed upon Mrs. Harte’s right foot, and upon her left—quite a distance from the right—reposed Jack’s scarcely less massive buckled shoe” (272). Her infidelity and disloyalty are only apparent when Maturin looks beneath the surface. This is juxtaposed with the more straightforward animal world: In a parallel scene directly before the dinner, Maturin witnesses a female praying mantis consume its mate, mirroring Mrs. Harte’s behavior in a more brutal way.

Finally, these chapters continue to emphasize Maturin’s status as a man of the land and Aubrey’s natural inclination toward the sea. The lead-soled boots that Maturin wears emphasize his lack of fitness for nautical life. He falls overboard and immediately sinks because of his boots, and because he has “heavy bones for his size, no fat” (255). When Maturin asks to briefly go ashore while the ship takes in fresh water, he climbs up a hill to think. While he claimed that he wanted to meet a friend, his real reason for wishing for some time ashore is that “[s]ilence, darkness and these countless familiar scents and the warmth of the land [have] become (in their way) as necessary to him as air” (232). Although he values the experiences the Sophie grants him, Maturin is still, at heart, a man of the land. Meanwhile, Aubrey similarly, literally, struggles outside of his comfort realm. While the ship is briefly stopped along the coast of Spain, Aubrey disembarks briefly: “[H]e walked stumpily, for he could not come by his land legs right away” (232). These descriptions depict how Maturin and Aubrey are total opposites in terms of their preferred environment and natural inclination.

Nevertheless, the theme of Friendship Between Equals remains strong as the two continue to spend time together and value each other’s company. While they seek out different places to rest and do not fit comfortably into each other’s realms, they are both delighted to see one another again when Maturin rejoins the ship. Aubrey clearly relies on Maturin’s skills and advice multiple times throughout these chapters, and in turn, Maturin provides his support in such ways as calming down a distraught Dillon and lying to the Spanish.