Ottokar's Sceptre

Author Hergé
Artist Hergé
Format Hardcover
Number of pages 64
Age 7-10 years, 11-14 years
ISBN 978-5-00041-533-7
Series The Adventures of Tintin
Translated by Mikhail Khachaturov
Publisher: Melik-Pashaev

Tintin meets Professor Alectrix, an expert in sigillography – the study of seals. His pride and joy is the seal of King Ottokar IV of Syldavia. Hoping to add to his collection, the professor plans to travel to this small mountain country. Tintin decides to accompany him as his secretary, but someone is doing everything possible to stop him and even plants a bomb in his apartment. On the plane, Tintin studies a brochure about Syldavia, its natural beauty and history. His attention is drawn to a curious tradition that dates back to the 14th century under Ottokar IV. The scepter is considered the supreme symbol of power there: a king who loses it must abdicate the throne. A chain of incredible events leads Tintin to believe that a conspiracy is being plotted against His Majesty Muskar XII, the reigning king of Syldavia. And Tintin does everything possible to foil it.

The eighth volume of "The Adventures of Tintin" was published in 1939, a fateful year for Europe and the entire world (we are talking about the first, black-and-white version; the color version appeared in 1947). It is no wonder that its atmosphere is imbued with anxiety: the author, like the entire population of tiny Belgium, could not help but be troubled by the events in neighboring Germany. By this time, Hergé had already realized that under the current circumstances it was best to avoid specifics and choose fictional countries as settings – a device successfully employed in "The Broken Ear". The opposing South American republics of San Theodoros and Nuevo Rico were replaced by two rival Balkan countries: Syldavia and Borduria.

It is also worth noting that this album marks the first appearance of the only female character in the series who can be considered significant – the Milanese opera diva Bianca Castafiore, and with her, the main musical theme of "The Adventures of Tintin" – Marguerite's aria from Charles Gounod's opera "Faust".

Read also:

The Broken Ear
The Crab with Golden Claws
The Secret of the Unicorn
The Treasure of Red Rackham