Typhoon, one of Joseph Conrad's most famous stories of the sea, is a narrative in which the interest is primarily focused on the behavior of men at sea—both under ordinary circumstances and when facing extreme danger during a storm. Judged simply as a description of life at sea, like "Youth" (1898; see separate entry) and The Nigger of the Narcissus, (1897), "Typhoon" may be read and valued as realistic depictions of maritime life. However, as with Conrad's other first-rate works, the social and intellectual interest of the narrative extends far beyond its surface realism.

Certainly, a major feature of the novella is Conrad's memorable description of the typhoon that strikes Captain MacWhirr's ship. The consequent reactions to it of the different officers and men reveal their inner natures. While MacWhirr worries mainly about his present discomforts and what commands he needs to give to save the...