The Story of the Voyages (1983) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Marta is the ten-year-old protagonist who sets out on a dangerous journey to rescue her kidnapped brother May. She is portrayed as fearless and resourceful, traveling across treacherous landscapes including snowy swamps and a plague-ridden city. Her determination drives the narrative forward as she evades a sleeping dragon, escapes a tower prison, and ultimately continues her quest alone after losing her companion Orlando.

• marta
• main character
• protagonist
• hero

May possesses a rare innate ability to sense the location of gold at a distance. This supernatural gift makes him a target for kidnappers who want to exploit his power for profit. As the story progresses, his ability evolves into a telekinetic attraction to gold, which ultimately contributes to the downfall of those who kidnapped him.

• may
• gold sensing ability
• kidnapped
• orphan

Orlando is a traveling scientist and philosopher who joins Marta on her journey. He possesses an inventive mind that challenges superstition with reason and science. His scientific knowledge proves crucial in creating solutions like a flying apparatus for escape. However, he ultimately sacrifices himself defending others from the Black Death, making his death a pivotal moment that drives Marta forward alone.

• orlando
• scientist
• philosopher
• sacrifice
• black death

The story takes place in a medieval fantasy kingdom where magic, dragons, and feudal systems coexist. The setting features diverse locations including a snowy swamp and mountain region, a dragon's back paradise, bustling taverns, a high tower prison, and a city devastated by the Black Death. This blended landscape creates a world where poverty pushes orphans to the margins while knights, dragons, and mysterious sanctuaries shape the quest.

• setting
• medieval kingdom
• fantasy world
• locations

The movie is set in a medieval fantasy era where kingdoms, magical gifts, dragons, and feudal systems coexist. Winter scenes and long journeys pepper the narrative, lending a timeless, adventurous atmosphere. The world blends curiosity and invention against superstition and inquisition, creating a setting that feels both historically evocative and fantastical.

• time period
• medieval era
• historical setting

Freedom is a central theme driving Martha and Orlando to risk danger for May's safety. The story contrasts personal independence with the lure of wealth and power that can corrupt good intent. May's evolving gift raises questions about whether true freedom comes from controlling others or from self-determination. The characters constantly battle against those who would exploit them while seeking their own liberation.

• freedom theme
• independence
• freedom vs control

Science is depicted as both a beacon and a gamble throughout the story. Orlando's inventive mind challenges superstition, yet his ideas collide with skepticism and danger. The characters wrestle with whether curiosity justifies risk when it compromises safety and relationships. The story suggests knowledge can liberate, but it can also complicate loyalties and choices, especially when scientific innovation clashes with the world's superstitions.

• science theme
• orlando
• invention
• knowledge vs superstition

Sacrifice threads through the bonds between Martha, May, and Orlando. Their journeys test devotion as they place safety and hope above personal comfort. May's later choices demonstrate the painful costs of protecting loved ones and pursuing a greater good. The tale ends with a sacrifice that reshapes their future and preserves hope for those left behind, contributing to the movie's bittersweet tone.

• sacrifice theme
• sacrifice and hope

The primary antagonist is Brutus, a greedy robber working for a figure named Gorgon who exploits May's gift to accumulate wealth. Additionally, the personified Plague represents a looming, deadly threat that spreads fear and despair throughout the city Martha and Orlando encounter. These antagonists embody different forms of evil, brute greed and overwhelming destructive force, that the protagonists must overcome.

• brutus
• gorgon
• plague
• villain
• antagonist

The movie has a bittersweet tone, where the whimsical fantasy setting and hopeful quest are consistently tempered by tragedy. The story balances adventurous, lighter moments with significant loss, most notably the death of a major character and the imperfect reunion of the siblings. Despite the challenges and sorrow, the ending carries a sense of hope and rebirth through the symbolic passing of Orlando's spirit, leaving viewers with a hopeful undercurrent.

• bittersweet tone
• emotional tone
• ending mood

The world features a unique blend of dragons and steam-powered flying machines, combining classic fantasy creatures with early technology. Magic coexists alongside peril, featuring knights, mysterious sanctuaries, and various fantastical elements. The most notable is Paradise Village situated on a dragon's back, representing the imaginative fusion of medieval fantasy with inventive technology that defines this story's universe.

• dragons
• steam machines
• fantasy elements
• magic