Point of View

The novel is told from the third-person, limited, point of view. The narrator is entirely effaced, unnamed, and completely reliable. Hornblower, the main character, is the protagonist and central figure in all of the scenes in the novel. The narrator divulges internal thoughts of the protagonist, but not of other characters. The majority of the story is told through action and dialogue; revealed thoughts are frequent but generally are used for characterization rather than plot development. The novel, originally published as a series of short stories, retains the same point of view throughout, which assists in narrative continuity and an evenness of tone.

The third-person point of view allows Hornblower to be presented in a highly sympathetic manner. For example, the narrative structure portrays a young Hornblower's fear in leaping onto a burning ship as intense but mastered. The narrative also allows portrayal of Hornblower's life...