''To the Ends of the Earth'' is a trilogy of nautical novels—''Rites of Passage'' (1980), ''Close Quarters'' (1987), and ''Fire Down Below'' (1989)—by British author

William Golding Sir William Gerald Golding (19 September 1911 – 19 June 1993) was a British novelist, playwright, and poet. Best known for his debut novel '' Lord of the Flies'' (1954), Golding published another 12 volumes of fiction in his lifetime. In 19 ...

. Set on a former British

man-of-war In Royal Navy jargon, a man-of-war (also man-o'-war, or simply man) was a powerful warship or frigate of the 16th to the 19th century, that was frequently used in Europe. Although the term never acquired a specific meaning, it was usually rese ...

transporting migrants to Australia in the early 19th century, the novels explore themes of

class Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...

and man's reversion to savagery when isolated, in this case, the closed society of the ship's passengers and crew. The first of the books, ''Rites of Passage,'' was awarded the

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in 1980. The trilogy as a whole was adapted by the late Leigh Jackson and

Tony Basgallop Anthony John Basgallop (born July 1968)''England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007'' is a British television screenwriter best known for writing ''Inside Men'' (2012), ''What Remains (TV series), What Remains'' (2013), ''Serv ...

for a 2005

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drama mini-series of the same name, directed by David Attwood and starring

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. It aired in the United States in PBS's 2006 season of ''

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''. It became available in 2016 on

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and

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streaming.

Plot summaries

''Rites of Passage''

''Rites of Passage'' (1980) is an account of a six-month voyage to Australia in the early 19th century by an assorted group of British migrants on a converted

. It is in the form of a journal written by Edmund Talbot, a young aristocrat. His influential godfather has arranged for him to be employed with the

Governor of New South Wales The governor of New South Wales is the representative of the monarch, King Charles III, in the state of New South Wales. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia, Governor-General of Australia at the national level, the governor ...

, and presents Talbot with a journal to record the significant events of the journey. He considers it a time of reflection for the young man. Talbot begins by describing the passengers of all classes (getting a tour of the ship) and crew members, who encompass a motley yet representative collection of early 19th-century English society. He becomes concerned with the downfall of passenger Reverend Robert Colley. Talbot has a somewhat ambiguous role in Colley's fall; although he quickly assumes a mediator's role between the parson and Captain Anderson, initially he had presumed on his status by going on the quarterdeck without the captain's express invitation, about which the latter man was protective. Colley dies "of shame" after getting drunk and performing a sex act on one of the ship's crew. When one of the crew suggests officers were involved, the captain ends his investigation of Colley's death, as "buggery" (homosexual intercourse) is punishable by hanging. Talbot comes across Colley's journal, and feels guilty for seeing how eager Colley was to know him better. Colley is given a formal burial at sea. As the novel closes, Talbot is ambivalent about presenting his own journal to his godfather, as he fears it may not show him in the best light. He concludes that he does not have a choice, and eventually he seals the journal, in order to protect what he has written. ''Rites of Passage'' won the 1980

''Close Quarters''

Golding begins ''Close Quarters'' (1987) from Talbot's point of view and soon after he completed his first journal on the 6-month voyage to Australia. Talbot starts a new journal in a different tone, as this volume will not be presented to his godfather. He describes his romantic feelings for a young woman whom he meets on a different ship they encounter, HMS ''Alcyone.'' Feeling ill, he expresses his fears about the seaworthiness of his own ship and its ability to complete the journey. The book has a more traditional structure, with chapter breaks at dramatic moments (rather than the day-by-day account presented in ''Rites'').

''Fire Down Below''

''Fire Down Below'' (1989) closed the trilogy with a description of the ever-more perilous voyage (given the old ship and old charts); of Talbot's maturing and his growing admiration for the Prettimans, a married couple; of the rivalry between the two principal officers, Summers and Benét, for Captain Anderson's respect and trust; and of the conclusion to Edmund's ''affaire de coeur'' with Miss Chumley. Much detail is given to the increasingly frantic measures to repair the ship and reach Australia.

Literary themes

In the ship society of ''Rites of Passage'', passengers and crew members are subject to (mutually acknowledged) gradations of status based on their social standing (position or trade, education, speech and manners, etc.) or rank in the ship's command hierarchy (officers and sailors). The leitmotiv of proper gentlemanly conduct is explored in the friendship of Talbot with Lieutenant Summers, who presses him to live up to his responsibilities as an aristocrat after he has taken advantage of his privileges. Summers sometimes feels slighted by Talbot's ill considered comments and advice. ''Rites'' explores the cruelties of men in groups, and the tensions as they struggle over status and place in the society on the ship.

Miniseries adaptation

In 2005 the books were adapted as a

drama serial starring

. Named '' To The Ends of the Earth,'' the series was directed by David Attwood and received a positive critical reception. The series went on to be nominated for six

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s, and won both the Golden Nymph prize for best actor in a mini-series (awarded to Benedict Cumberbatch) and the winner of the Satellite Award for best mini-series.IMDB, 'To the Ends of the Earth (2005) Awards', https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435995/awards?ref_=tt_awd. Accessed 29 November 2020.

References

{{Booker Prize Booker Prize–winning works Novel series Novels by William Golding Faber & Faber books