Robert Michael Ballantyne, The Gorilla Hunters

John Miller (University of Sheffield)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.07: English Writing and Culture of the Victorian Period, 1837-1901.
Vol. editors: Gillian Fenwick (University of Toronto), Jessica Gossling (Goldsmiths College, University of London)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1861

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Novel

Resources

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R. M. Ballantyne’s 1861 novel

The Gorilla Hunters

is the sequel to the more famous

The Coral Island

and was written as part of the controversy that exploded in London in that year concerning the French-American naturalist Paul du Chaillu’s claim to be the first white man to shoot a gorilla. Ballantyne draws heavily on du Chaillu’s

Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa

to produce a sensational account of the “satanic” gorilla that blends gruesome depictions of wounded and dying animals with the prim moralising characteristic of his work. The novel was a considerable popular success and contributed significantly to Ballantyne’s growing reputation as among the favourite authors of Britain’s youth.

The story begins with the reunion of the three heroes of The Coral

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814 words

Citation: Miller, John . "The Gorilla Hunters". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 10 May 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=21025, accessed 19 April 2024.]

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