Chapter 1: "Futility, Or the Wreck of the Titan" - Reading and Historical Commentary

First published in 1898, “Futility, or the Wreck of the Titan” is often seen as a spooky foreshadowing of the sinking of the Titanic 14 years later. Undeniably, the similarities are there - a “virtually unsinkable ship” sailing the Atlantic crashes into an iceberg in April, going down with a significant loss of life, and - of course - the name of the ship being Titan. But objectively speaking, just how much of this is eerie versus being the case of an author observing the trends of the ocean liner industry and building a fictional story based on what he saw?

Let’s dive into a reading of the book, chapter by chapter, and break down what’s coincidental, and what the author may have drawn upon to create this tale of fiction.

And, let’s have some wine along the way!