Professor Calculus
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Professor Cuthbert Calculus (french: Professeur Tryphon Tournesol , meaning "Professor
Tryphon Tryphon or Trypho ( el, Τρύφων, ''gen''.: Τρύφωνος; c. 60 BC – 10 BC) was a Greek grammarian who lived and worked in Alexandria. He was a contemporary of Didymus Chalcenterus. He wrote several specialized works on aspects of la ...
Sunflower The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a large annual forb of the genus ''Helianthus'' grown as a crop for its edible oily seeds. Apart from cooking oil production, it is also used as livestock forage (as a meal or a silage plant), ...
") is a fictional character in ''
The Adventures of Tintin ''The Adventures of Tintin'' (french: Les Aventures de Tintin ) is a series of 24 bande dessinée#Formats, ''bande dessinée'' albums created by Belgians, Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, who wrote under the pen name Hergé. The series was one ...
'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist
Hergé Georges Prosper Remi (; 22 May 1907 – 3 March 1983), known by the pen name Hergé (; ), from the French pronunciation of his reversed initials ''RG'', was a Belgian cartoonist. He is best known for creating ''The Adventures of Tintin'', ...
. He is Tintin's friend, an
absent-minded professor The absent-minded professor is a stock character of popular fiction, usually portrayed as a talented academic whose academic brilliance is accompanied by below-par functioning in other areas, leading to forgetfulness and mistakes. One explanati ...
and half-deaf
physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...
, who invents many sophisticated devices used in the series, such as a one-person shark-shaped submarine, the Moon rocket, and an ultrasound weapon. Calculus's deafness is a frequent source of humour, as he repeats back what he thinks he has heard, usually in the most unlikely words possible. He does not admit to being near-deaf and insists he is only a little hard of hearing in one ear. Calculus first appeared in ''
Red Rackham's Treasure ''Red Rackham's Treasure'' (french: link=no, Le Trésor de Rackham le Rouge) is the twelfth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The story was serialised daily in , Belgium's leading francophon ...
'' (more specifically in the newspaper prepublication of 4–5 March 1943), and was the result of Hergé's long quest to find the archetypal
mad scientist The mad scientist (also mad doctor or mad professor) is a stock character of a scientist who is perceived as " mad, bad and dangerous to know" or "insane" owing to a combination of unusual or unsettling personality traits and the unabashedly am ...
or
absent-minded professor The absent-minded professor is a stock character of popular fiction, usually portrayed as a talented academic whose academic brilliance is accompanied by below-par functioning in other areas, leading to forgetfulness and mistakes. One explanati ...
. Although Hergé had included characters with similar traits in earlier stories, Calculus developed into a much more complex figure as the series progressed.


Character history

Calculus is a genius, who demonstrates himself throughout the series to be an expert in many fields of
science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence ...
, holding three PhDs in
nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics *Nuclear space *Nuclear ...
and
theoretical physics Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental physics, which uses experim ...
, and
planetary astronomy Planetary science (or more rarely, planetology) is the scientific study of planets (including Earth), celestial bodies (such as moons, asteroids, comets) and planetary systems (in particular those of the Solar System) and the processes of their fo ...
. He is also an experienced
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...
, archaeologist,
biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...
and
chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe t ...
. Many of his inventions precede or mirror similar technological developments in the real world (most notably the
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
rocket A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely fr ...
, but also his failed attempt at creating a
colour television Color television or Colour television is a television transmission technology that includes color information for the picture, so the video image can be displayed in color on the television set. It improves on the monochrome or black-and-white t ...
set). He seeks to benefit humankind through his inventions, developing a pill that cures
alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomi ...
by making alcohol unpalatable to the patient, and refusing under great duress to yield his talents to producing
weapons of mass destruction A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to numerous individuals or cause great damage to artificial structures (e.g., buildings), natu ...
. Much of Calculus's more dangerous work is criticized by
Captain Haddock Captain Archibald Haddock (french: Capitaine Archibald Haddock, link=no, ) is a fictional character in ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. He is one of Tintin's best friends, a seafaring pipe-smoking ...
, although Calculus usually interprets this the other way round: his deafness often leads him to misinterpret Haddock's words, preventing him from hearing his real opinion. Calculus's
deafness Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an audiological condition. In this context it is written ...
is a frequent source of humour in his interactions with other people, as he often repeats back what he thinks he has heard, usually in the most unlikely words possible. Additionally, he often diverts the subject of a conversation by responding to a misinterpreted remark. For example, "But I never knew you had...." leads Calculus to respond, "No, young man, I am not mad!" In the same book he believes that Tintin and Haddock are talking about his sister, before remembering a few moments later that he does not have a sister. He is not perturbed by his handicap, even if it is a source of deep frustration to his friends. He himself does not admit to being near-deaf and insists that he is "only a little hard of hearing in one ear." In the course of the ''Moon'' books, however, Calculus leads a team of scientists and engineers working on a major rocket project, motivating him to adopt an
ear trumpet An ear trumpet is a tubular or funnel-shaped device which collects sound waves and leads them into the ear. They were used as hearing aids, resulting in a strengthening of the sound energy impact to the eardrum and thus improved hearing for a de ...
, and later a
hearing aid A hearing aid is a device designed to improve hearing by making sound audible to a person with hearing loss. Hearing aids are classified as medical devices in most countries, and regulated by the respective regulations. Small audio amplifiers s ...
, and for the duration of the adventure he has near-perfect hearing. This made him a more serious character, even displaying leadership qualities that had not been shown before or since. However, after completing the journey to the Moon, Calculus discarded his hearing aid, forcing his friends to readjust to his hearing impairment (aside from one panel in ''The Castafiore Emerald'', when Tintin is seen speaking to him through his ear-trumpet); this restored the humour surrounding him, though it could be that he finds his deafness useful since it enables him to focus on his work (something useful for ''
The Calculus Affair ''The Calculus Affair'' (french: link=no, L'Affaire Tournesol) is the eighteenth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by the Belgian cartoonist Hergé. It was serialised weekly in Belgium's ''Tintin'' magazine from Decemb ...
'', since he was referencing ultrasonic sound). Calculus maintains a laboratory at
Marlinspike Hall Marlinspike Hall (french: Le château de Moulinsart ) is Captain Haddock's country house and family estate in ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The original French name of the hall, ''Moulinsart'', ...
, in which he conducts various experiments. He is fairly protective of his work, on occasion hiding his scientific endeavours from Tintin and Haddock (which gets him into trouble in ''
The Calculus Affair ''The Calculus Affair'' (french: link=no, L'Affaire Tournesol) is the eighteenth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by the Belgian cartoonist Hergé. It was serialised weekly in Belgium's ''Tintin'' magazine from Decemb ...
''). His lab is also stripped of all its apparatus in the same book. On an earlier occasion, during his efforts to find an antidote to Formula Fourteen in ''
Land of Black Gold ''Land of Black Gold'' (french: link=no, Tintin au pays de l'or noir) is the fifteenth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The story was commissioned by the conservative Belgian newspaper fo ...
'', Calculus almost destroyed half of Marlinspike in an explosion. Although generally a mild-mannered (if somewhat oblivious) figure, Calculus flies into an uncharacteristic rage if he feels insulted or ridiculed. He is especially provoked if he ever hears Haddock (or anyone else) call him a "
goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...
". On one famous occasion in '' Destination Moon'', he displays uncontrollable ire ("Goat, am I?") when an irritated Haddock accuses him of "acting the goat" ("acting like a goat" in the Golden Press American English translation) by attempting to build a
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
rocket A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely fr ...
. His subsequent tirade and blatant disregard for security terrifies the usually ebullient Captain; he even lifts the director of security barring his way onto a coat hook. Another occasion is in ''
Flight 714 to Sydney ''Flight 714 to Sydney'' (french: link=no, Vol 714 pour Sydney; originally published in English as ''Flight 714'') is the twenty-second volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. It was serialised ...
'' when, due to some misunderstanding, he physically assaults
Laszlo Carreidas This is the list of fictional characters in ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The characters are listed alphabetically, grouped by the Main characters, the Antagonists, and the Supporting characters. ...
and has to be held back with great effort by Haddock and Tintin. In the same book, despite his deafness, he hears Captain Haddock tell him that he's "acting the goat", but Haddock quickly prevents the severe reaction from occurring. Earlier in ''
Red Rackham's Treasure ''Red Rackham's Treasure'' (french: link=no, Le Trésor de Rackham le Rouge) is the twelfth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The story was serialised daily in , Belgium's leading francophon ...
'' Calculus is shown with a frown for a few moments when he thinks that the Captain lied to him that Tintin had gone for a row, when Tintin actually was diving to search for treasure. Despite his gentle nature, Calculus is rather sensitive about his work and does not appreciate being ridiculed or belittled for his scientific efforts. In spite of all this, his friends stick by him come what may. Haddock invited him to stay at
Marlinspike Hall Marlinspike Hall (french: Le château de Moulinsart ) is Captain Haddock's country house and family estate in ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The original French name of the hall, ''Moulinsart'', ...
after Calculus discovered it is the captain's ancestral home and bought it in his name thanks to money he had earned through selling the patent for his shark-submarine. He did this because Haddock and Tintin had provided him with the opportunity to test the submersible when they were searching for
Red Rackham's Treasure ''Red Rackham's Treasure'' (french: link=no, Le Trésor de Rackham le Rouge) is the twelfth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The story was serialised daily in , Belgium's leading francophon ...
. Tintin and Haddock crossed the world on at least two occasions (''
Prisoners of the Sun ''Prisoners of the Sun'' (french: link=no, Le Temple du Soleil) is the fourteenth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The story was Serial (literature), serialised weekly in the newly establ ...
'' and ''
The Calculus Affair ''The Calculus Affair'' (french: link=no, L'Affaire Tournesol) is the eighteenth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by the Belgian cartoonist Hergé. It was serialised weekly in Belgium's ''Tintin'' magazine from Decemb ...
'') in order to save him from kidnappers. He occasionally comments that he was a great sportsman in his youth, with a very athletic lifestyle. He is a former practitioner of the French martial art
savate Savate (), also known as boxe française, savate boxing, French boxing or French footfighting, is a French kickboxing combat sport that uses the hands and feet as weapons combining elements of English boxing with graceful kicking techniques. ...
, although a demonstration in ''
Flight 714 to Sydney ''Flight 714 to Sydney'' (french: link=no, Vol 714 pour Sydney; originally published in English as ''Flight 714'') is the twenty-second volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. It was serialised ...
'' shows him to be a bit rusty.


Inspirations

Calculus is partly modeled on inventor Auguste Piccard (1884–1962), Hergé stated in an interview with Numa Sadoul: "Calculus is a reduced scale Piccard, as the real chap was very tall. He had an interminable neck that sprouted from a collar that was much too large... I made Calculus a mini-Piccard, otherwise I would have had to enlarge the frames of the cartoon strip." The Swiss physics professor held a teaching appointment in Brussels when Hergé spotted his unmistakable figure in the street. In ''
The Castafiore Emerald ''The Castafiore Emerald'' (french: link=no, Les Bijoux de la Castafiore) is the twenty-first volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. It was serialised weekly from July 1961 to September 1962 in ...
'', Bianca Castafiore mentions that Calculus is "famous for his balloon ascensions", an ironic reference to Piccard. Philippe Goddin has suggested that Calculus' deafness was inspired by Paul Eydt, whom Hergé had known at '' Le Vingtième Siècle'' where Tintin's adventures had first appeared.''A la recherche du trésor de Rackham le Rouge'' (French for "In Search of Red Rackham's Treasure") by Hergé, with comments by Daniel Couvreur and Frédéric Soumois, published by Editions Moulinsart in November 2007, Cuthbert Calculus' original French name is "Tryphon Tournesol" and Tryphon was the name of Hergé's
plumber A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in installing and maintaining systems used for potable (drinking) water, and for sewage and drainage in plumbing systems.
. In contrast to his unquestionable scientific merits, Calculus is a fervent believer in
dowsing Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, claimed radiations ( radiesthesia),As translated from one preface of the Kassel experiments, "roughly 10,000 active dowsers in ...
, and carries a
pendulum A pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it back toward th ...
for that purpose. Hergé himself was a believer in the subject: dowser Victor Mertens had used a pendulum to find the lost wedding ring of Hergé's wife in October 1939.


Calculus and his peers

Before Calculus appeared in ''Red Rackham's Treasure'', Hergé had featured other highly educated but eccentric
scholar A scholar is a person who pursues academic and intellectual activities, particularly academics who apply their intellectualism into expertise in an area of study. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researc ...
s and
scientist A scientist is a person who conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in an area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosoph ...
s, such as the following: *
Sophocles Sarcophagus This is the list of fictional characters in ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The characters are listed alphabetically, grouped by the Main characters, the Antagonists, and the Supporting characters. ...
of ''
Cigars of the Pharaoh ''Cigars of the Pharaoh'' (french: link=no, Les Cigares du pharaon) is the fourth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the series of comic albums by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. Commissioned by the conservative Belgian newspaper '' Le Vingti ...
'' who showed signs of being clumsy and forgetful before going completely mad. *The absent-minded professor who appeared in ''
The Broken Ear ''The Broken Ear'' (french: link=no, L'Oreille cassée, originally published in English as ''Tintin and the Broken Ear'') is the sixth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by the Belgian cartoonist Hergé. Commissioned by ...
'' and who forgot his glasses, wore his cleaning-lady's overcoat, held his cane upside-down as if it were an
umbrella An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally use ...
, mistook a parrot for a man and left his briefcase next to a lamp post. In the original edition published in 1935 his name is given as Professor Euclide, after the Greek mathematician known as the " Father of Geometry". * Professor Hector Alembick in ''
King Ottokar's Sceptre ''King Ottokar's Sceptre'' (french: link=no, Le Sceptre d'Ottokar) is the eighth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. Commissioned by the conservative Belgian newspaper for its children's sup ...
'', who had a bad habit of throwing his cigarettes on the floor. *Two astronomers from ''
The Shooting Star ''The Shooting Star'' (french: link=no, L'Étoile mystérieuse) is the tenth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The story was serialised daily in , Belgium's leading francophone newspaper, ...
'' also showed unusual and, in one case, mad behaviour: Professor Philippulus, or "Philippulus the prophet" represented the dilemmas some face over religious belief and scientific research. In his case the conflict took a toll on his mind when the end-of-the-world appeared to be imminent. He then went around wearing bedsheets and beating a gong to warn of the event and later disrupted the eve of departure of the expedition sent to find a meteorite. *His colleague, Professor Decimus Phostle, though not mad, looked forward to the end of the world whose prediction he thought would make him famous. In contrast, he showed signs of maturity during the expedition when he called off the search for the meteorite in order to help a ship in distress. Calculus's introduction appears to have supplied Hergé with the bizarre nature he wished to portray in a man of science. Other figures of high education were shown as more stable and level-headed. The members of the archaeological expedition who fall victim to ''
The Seven Crystal Balls ''The Seven Crystal Balls'' (french: link=no, Les Sept Boules de Cristal) is the thirteenth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The story was serialised daily in ', Belgium's leading francoph ...
'' show no apparent signs of eccentricity. The most prominent member of this group is Calculus's friend Hercules Tarragon, with whom he attended
university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
. Tarragon is a large, ebullient man, possessing a jovial nature, but not necessarily eccentric. While he sometimes appears aloof when absorbed in his work, Calculus corresponds with other scientists and also collaborates with many of them on his projects. He works with Mr. Baxter and Frank Wolff on the Moon rocket and corresponds with
ultrasonics Ultrasound is sound waves with frequencies higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is not different from "normal" (audible) sound in its physical properties, except that humans cannot hear it. This limit varies fr ...
expert Professor Alfredo Topolino of
Nyon Nyon (; outdated German: or ; outdated Italian: , ) is a municipality in Nyon District in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located some 25 kilometers north east of Geneva's city centre, and since the 1970s it has become part of the Ge ...
in ''
The Calculus Affair ''The Calculus Affair'' (french: link=no, L'Affaire Tournesol) is the eighteenth volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by the Belgian cartoonist Hergé. It was serialised weekly in Belgium's ''Tintin'' magazine from Decemb ...
''.


Relationship to women

Calculus is the only main character in the ''Tintin'' series to display signs of attraction to women. This is notably evident in his interactions with
Bianca Castafiore Bianca Castafiore (), nicknamed the "Milanese Nightingale" (), is a fictional character in ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. She is an opera singer who frequently pops up in adventure after adventure. ...
, with whom he is smitten during her long stay at
Marlinspike Hall Marlinspike Hall (french: Le château de Moulinsart ) is Captain Haddock's country house and family estate in ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The original French name of the hall, ''Moulinsart'', ...
in ''
The Castafiore Emerald ''The Castafiore Emerald'' (french: link=no, Les Bijoux de la Castafiore) is the twenty-first volume of ''The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. It was serialised weekly from July 1961 to September 1962 in ...
''. During her stay, his botanic experiments lead him to create a new variety of
rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...
, which he names in her honour. Nonetheless, he happily congratulates Captain Haddock on his "engagement" to Castafiore (in fact a media hoax which he unwittingly fuelled). Calculus is also distressed by Castafiore's imprisonment in '' Tintin and the Picaros'', and is adamant on going to her defence. In the same book, he is charmed by the unattractive Peggy Alcazar (wife of
General Alcazar This is the list of fictional characters in '' The Adventures of Tintin'', the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé. The characters are listed alphabetically, grouped by the Main characters, the Antagonists, and the Supporting characters ...
) and kisses her hand after she bluntly criticizes Tintin and Haddock (a remark that Calculus mistakes for a warm greeting).


In other media

Calculus demonstrates the benefit of his Fruit d'or cooking oil to Nestor the butler Calculus also featured frequently in the 1957–1963 Belvision TV series, as well as in other adaptations of the comics. The Belvision TV series is notable for depicting Calculus with perfect hearing. Calculus' original French name was "Tournesol" which is the French term for sunflower. In the 1970s and 1980s, he starred in a series of cartoon television commercials for Fruit d'or products which included cooking oil and mayonnaise made from sunflower oil. Some of the ads would conclude with him floating up into the air to demonstrate how they kept a good healthy balance. Other characters from the books were also included."Fruit D'or,"
Daily Motion.
A pseudonym variation was used on an album by
Stephen Duffy Stephen Anthony James Duffy (born 30 May 1960 in Alum Rock, Birmingham, England) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. He was a founding member, vocalist, bassist and then drummer of Duran Duran. He went on to record as a solo perform ...
– see Tin Tin and "Dr. Calculus".


See also

* List of ''The Adventures of Tintin'' characters


References


Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Calculus, Professor Tintin characters Comics characters introduced in 1943 Fictional deaf characters Fictional engineers Fictional savateurs Fictional inventors Fictional professors Fictional scientists Hergé characters Male characters in comics Fictional astronauts Fictional physicists Fictional astronomers Fictional chemists Fictional archaeologists Fictional biologists de:Tim und Struppi#Professor Bienlein