A LOVE PASSAGE by W.W. JACOBS

A LOVE PASSAGE by W.W. JACOBS

Author: Jon Hagadorn February 1, 2026 Duration: 29:49

"A Love Passage" is a lighthearted maritime comedy from W.W. Jacobs' 1896 collection, Many Cargoes, that satirizes the bumbling romantic efforts of sailors. 
The Plot
The story follows the mate of a schooner who decides, with somewhat clinical detachment, that it is time for him to fall in love. When the skipper brings his daughter on board for a voyage, the mate sees an opportunity and begins an exaggerated performance of romance. 
Performing "Love": The mate's idea of courtship is highly theatrical; he begins to mope, loses his appetite, and spends an inordinate amount of time washing and preening, much to the annoyance of the skipper.
The Misunderstanding: Most of his "lovelorn" gazing goes unnoticed by the girl. While the mate believes he is deep in a profound, melancholy romance, the girl remains oblivious or merely amused by his strange behavior.
The Climax: The humor peaks when the mate's attempts to appear sophisticated or "stricken" by love conflict with his actual duties on the ship, leading to comical friction with the crew and the skipper. 
Key Themes
Performance vs. Reality: The mate is more in love with the idea of being in love than with the girl herself.
Nautical Life: Jacobs uses his signature dockside vernacular and maritime setting to ground the absurdity of the "love passage" in the gritty reality of life on a schooner. 

 

 


Step into a world where every episode is a journey into a different time and place, guided by the voices of literary masters. 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales, curated and narrated by Jon Hagadorn, is a quiet sanctuary for those who appreciate the crafted prose of a bygone era. This podcast focuses exclusively on the golden age of short fiction, pulling masterful works from the period between 1850 and 1930. Each selection is chosen for its enduring power to connect, offering narratives that resonate with emotional depth and timeless human experience. You’ll hear the suspenseful twists of Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, the poignant social observations of Edith Wharton, the rugged adventures of Jack London, and the finely drawn characters of O. Henry. The collection also includes the gothic intensity of Edgar Allan Poe, the economic storytelling of Ernest Hemingway, and the heartfelt tales of Henry Lawson, among many others. Hagadorn’s narration is clear and considered, designed to let the authors' original language shine. It’s an archive built for repeated listening, whether you’re discovering these stories for the first time or revisiting old favorites. For anyone seeking a break from the modern noise with a truly classic tale, this consistently updated podcast provides a deep and rewarding library of fiction’s finest moments.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales
Podcast Episodes
THE CHASE OF ROBIN HOOD by HOWARD PYLE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:23
After winning an archery contest on behalf of the queen, the King decides to renege on his promise to allow Robin and his men a safe journey home, and sends 7 score of armed men to cut off all the roads to Nottingham. Ro…
THE BLUE CROSS  A FATHER BROWN MYSTERY by G.K. CHESTERTON [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:38
METhe Blue Cross is the first of G.K. Chesterton's 53 great Father brown short stories, and it introduces two characters that are often used in future stories- French Detective Valentin and the master criminal Flambeau-…
THE GATEWAY OF THE MONSTER by WILLIAM HOPE HODGSON [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:16
The Story Summary In this inaugural Carnacki tale, occult investigator Thomas Carnacki is called to investigate the "Grey Room" in a centuries-old mansion. The room is plagued by a violent, invisible entity that has beat…
ROBIN HOOD TURNS BEGGAR from THE MERRY ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:35
Robin Hood finally achieves his dream of becoming a beggar, at least for a day, and in the process outwits and outfights a number of scoundrels who end up contributing their wealth to the cause. Get all of our shows at o…
AUNT PHILIPPA AND THE MEN by LUCY MAUD MONTGOMERY [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:15
In this great short story by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, a young lady (Ursula) is ordered by her father to place some distance between herself and her suitor for the summer, and she is sent to live with her aun…
THE WRECK OF THE GOLDEN MARY (PT 2)  by CHARLES DICKENS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:46
Catch 'The Shadow' radio mystery hosted now at 1001 Ghost, Chiller & Lovecraft Stories Podcast- The Shadow was America's favorite radio mystery form 30 years and its still good today...give it a try! Pt 2 of 'The Wreck o…
THE WRECK OF THE GOLDEN MARY (PT 1)   CHARLES DICKENS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:02
"The Wreck of the Golden Mary" is a collaborative novella published by Charles Dickens in the 1856 Christmas issue of his periodical, Household Words. The story is a dramatic, suspenseful narrative focusing on the sinkin…
LITTLE JOHN AND THE TANNER OF BLYTH and ROBIN HOOD AND WILL SCARLET [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:22
Little John & The Tanner of Blyth- Robin Hood sends Little John on an errant to Ancashire but Little John takes a detour to the Boars head Inn, gets detained, and later runs into trouble on the trail. Having lived with t…