Commodore Hornblower Study Guide & Notes

Commodore Hornblower Plot Summary

Preview of Commodore Hornblower Summary:

Captain Sir Horatio Hornblower has retired to his country estate where he is the local squire, welcomed by his tenants and beloved by his wife and son. He is called back into service as a commodore to lead a fleet of English ships to the Baltic Sea, where he is instructed to damage French interests and, if possible, draw both Sweden and Russia into the greater Napoleonic wars on the side of England. Hornblower prosecutes his duty with zeal and, against all odds, accomplishes his orders with aplomb.

The novel is the eighth volume in a series and as such, most readers will be intimately familiar with Hornblower's many exploits and accomplishments. The novel frequently refers to these events as having happened during a prior time; thus, even for new readers, Hornblower is established as a capable and resourceful officer. He is often plagued by self...
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