The Brute

The Brute is a novella written by Joseph Conrad, first published in 1914. The story is set in the late 19th century in a small town in the Malay Archipelago. The protagonist, a Dutch trader named Schomberg, owns a hotel in the town and is a cowardly and weak-willed man. He is obsessed with his reputation and is afraid of being seen as weak by the other residents of the town. Schomberg's life is turned upside down when a powerful and mysterious man named Mr. Jones arrives at his hotel. Mr. Jones is a brute of a man, physically imposing and intimidating. Schomberg is immediately afraid of him and tries to avoid him, but Mr. Jones takes a liking to Schomberg's wife and begins to court her. Schomberg becomes increasingly jealous and paranoid, believing that Mr. Jones is trying to steal his wife and ruin his reputation. He tries to confront Mr. Jones but is quickly put in his place by the brute. Schomberg's fear and jealousy drive him to make a series of desperate and foolish decisions, leading to a tragic and violent conclusion. The Brute is a dark and intense exploration of human weakness, jealousy, and obsession. Conrad's writing is vivid and atmospheric, capturing the exotic setting of the Malay Archipelago and the complex psychology of his characters. The novella is a powerful and haunting work of fiction that continues to resonate with readers today.What's madness? Only something just a tiny bit wrong in the make of your brain. Why shouldn't there be a mad ship--I mean mad in a ship-like way, so that under no circumstances could you be sure she would do what any other sensible ship would naturally do for you. There are ships that steer wildly, and ships that can't be quite trusted always to stay; others want careful watching when running in a gale; and, again, there may be a ship that will make heavy weather of it in every little blow. But then you expect her to be always so.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.