In the beginning of the story, the captain is very uneasy when he is thrown into the position of captain of a ship traveling on a long and arduous journey. The captain begins to feel insecure about running his ship and questions his ability to lead his ship. During one of the first nights on board the ship, the captain demonstrates his thoughts of insecurity and self-consciousness when he does something that a captain would not normally do: he plans to take part in the night watch. “I felt painfully that I - a stranger - was doing something unusual when I directed him to let all hands turn in without setting an anchor watch” (Conrad, p. 20). The captain is so self-conscious and insecure about his actions that he reacts almost painfully to the crew’s judgment of his orders. The Captain states that he perceives himself to be a stranger amongst the others. Among his insecurities, the captain also sees himself as a stranger to himself and not fit to run his ship. The captain thinks, “But what I felt most was my being a stranger to the ship; and if all the truth must be told, I was somewhat of a stranger to myself. The youngest man on board (barring the second mate), and untried as yet by a position of the fullest responsibility, I was willing to take the adequacy of the others for granted” (Conrad, p. 19). The captain is young and does not feel he really knows himself. This insecurity leads him to believe he is not fit to lead others if he does not even have confidence in himself.
During one night, while the crew was sleeping, he notices that the ship’s rope ladder still hangs over the side. When he tries to pull it up, he finds a naked man who is hanging on it. “With a gasp I saw revealed to my stare a pair of feet, the long legs, a broad livid back immersed right up to the neck in a greenish cadaverous glow. One hand, awash, clutched the bottom rung of the ladder. He was complete but for the head. A headless corpse!” (Conrad, p. 23) His name is Leggatt. He escapes from Sehpora, a near by ship, because he has murdered a man several weeks ago and suffered confinement. Since the Captain and him looked like a same as twins, a strong bond of unity is established between the two of them. “A mysterious communication was established already between us two—in the face of that silent, darkened tropical sea” (Conrad, p. 24), “Conrad keeps hinting at the close resemblance between the Captain and Leggatt; they were almost the same age, had the same build, had come from the same background; they were almost like doubles or twins” (J.B. Priestley, p. 79) The Captain decides to shelter this murderer in his cabin. Although the captain did not ask for the details of the crime, Leggatt begins to recount his story. “As indeed it might: the Captain has just provided the killer with sympathetic ear and an acceptable motive.” (Brian Richardson, p. 3) The Captain offers his cabin to Leggatt without letting the crew know of Leggatt’s presence in the ship. The Captain takes his sharer as a reflection of himself, “It was, in the night, as though I had been faced by my own reflection in the depths of a somber and immense mirror.”(Conrad, p. 25) The Captain begins to change when he develops a close relationship with the secret sharer.
Through a close and secret relationship with the Secret Sharer, the Captain begins to find his identity and transforms into a very confident and able captain. The Secret Sharer is even referred to as the captain’s “double”. The Captain starts to identify with the Secret Sharer, which helps him feel comforted and understood on a ship of strangers, “I had become so connected in thoughts and impressions with the secret sharer of my cabin…” (Conrad, p. 41) The Captain and the Secret Sharer connect and develop a close, empathetic relationship that helps the Captain to find identity and understanding.
“Through most of the story, the Captain, despite his feeling of identity with Leggatt, contrasts his own deficiencies with Leggatt’s strengths.” (Harold Bloom, p. 104)
Near the end of the story, the captain gets in tune with himself and feels confident and secure about his abilities and role as captain. After choosing to risk the life of himself and his crew in order to save the Secret Sharer, “He risks everything for the sake of his stranger. To help him reach land so that he can begin new life,” (R.W. Stallman, p. 278) the Captain skillfully averts destruction and remarks on his newfound trust in his crew and his ability as the ship’s commander, “Nothing! no one on the world should stand between us, throwing a shadow on the way of silent knowledge and mute affection, the perfect communion of a seaman with his first command” (Conrad, p. 61). The Captain realizes he is in complete control and is confident as leader of his vessel. His newly discovered trust in his abilities will help him in the rest of his journey and the rest of his life.
As a direct result from his relationship with the secret sharer, the Captain transforms from an inexperienced and insecure individual to a self-assured and stable leader. In the beginning of the story, the captain does not know his place and has feelings of inadequacy. This changes when the captain meets the secret sharer and becomes secure and confident in his duty and his abilities. “By releasing the him into freedom, he is somehow achieving his own maturation, and for it he is willing to pay a heavy price” (Leo Gurko, p. 93) After this experience the Captain is ready to start a new confident life and guide the ship to its journey.
“…an account of adventure in which the Captain is strangely and dramatically involved, during which he acquires self-confidence and the mastery of his ship. (Leo Gurko, p. 91)
