Mahnmut is a Europan Moravec submarine captain, who in the opening sentences of the book is eluding a kraken. In Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Nemo (a submarine captain) also eludes a kraken. In the opening paragraphs of Verne's book the Nautilus is mistaken for a kraken.
In German, Mahnmut means "to remind of courage". Since Mahnmut is a Shakespeare fanatic, one is reminded of Henry IV, in which courage is a predominant theme. Mahnmut and Orphu even have a discussion of Henry IV and courage - in particular the behavior of Falstaff and Hotspur. Orphu feels a kinship with Falstaff. In the play, Hotspur acts (at least in his dreams) to remind the troops of courage - in the words of Lady Percy to Hotspur:
In thy faint slumbers I by thee have watch'd,
And heard thee murmur tales of iron wars;
Speak terms of manage to thy bounding steed;
Cry 'Courage! to the field!'
In this case, perhaps Mahnmut is meant to play Hotspur to Orphu's Falstaff.
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