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Vit Babenco's Reviews > Moby-Dick or, The Whale
Moby-Dick or, The Whale
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The narrator of this flabbergasting marine saga is an impecunious but very erudite young man possessing a sarcastic sense of humour and having a tongue-in-cheek attitude to life…
Often Ishmael tends to speak in a metaphysical vein and somewhat on the agnostic side…
The novel is packed with bizarre personages – even all the secondary characters are weird… Elijah is a gloomy prophet… Three harpooners: Queequeg, Tashtego and Daggoo are three pagan magi… And the biblical names of the main participants literally seal their fates: Ishmael – an easy rover, Ahab – an evil ruler, who turned a gigantic sperm whale into his sinister deity and deadly antagonist…
And above all there is Moby Dick – an albino leviathan – monstrous Baal – the remorseless instrument of doom…
Gods – even if they are a pure fiction – still reign over human destinies.
Call me Ishmael. Some years ago – never mind how long precisely – having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation.
Often Ishmael tends to speak in a metaphysical vein and somewhat on the agnostic side…
Methinks that in looking at things spiritual, we are too much like oysters observing the sun through the water, and thinking that thick water the thinnest of air.
The novel is packed with bizarre personages – even all the secondary characters are weird… Elijah is a gloomy prophet… Three harpooners: Queequeg, Tashtego and Daggoo are three pagan magi… And the biblical names of the main participants literally seal their fates: Ishmael – an easy rover, Ahab – an evil ruler, who turned a gigantic sperm whale into his sinister deity and deadly antagonist…
Captain Ahab stood erect, looking straight out beyond the ship’s ever-pitching prow. There was an infinity of firmest fortitude, a determinate, unsurrenderable wilfulness, in the fixed and fearless, forward dedication of that glance.
And above all there is Moby Dick – an albino leviathan – monstrous Baal – the remorseless instrument of doom…
“Corkscrew!” cried Ahab, “aye, Queequeg, the harpoons lie all twisted and wrenched in him; aye, Daggoo, his spout is a big one, like a whole shock of wheat, and white as a pile of our Nantucket wool after the great annual sheep-shearing; aye, Tashtego, and he fan-tails like a split jib in a squall. Death and devils! men, it is Moby Dick ye have seen – Moby Dick – Moby Dick!”
Gods – even if they are a pure fiction – still reign over human destinies.
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Reading Progress
March 4, 2022
–
Started Reading
March 4, 2022
– Shelved
March 12, 2022
–
Finished Reading
January 3, 2023
– Shelved as:
a-hundred-of-the-best-novels
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Jodi
(last edited Mar 12, 2022 02:44PM)
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rated it 4 stars
Mar 12, 2022 02:07PM
What a book - and from such a long time ago - though I've always been on the side of the whale. Lovely review, Vit!
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Beautiful review Vit! One of those books you never forget. 👏
Love your review! Agree -5-star all the way!
For me, so not a 5 star read. But credit to you for working so hard on those parts that do reach a higher level.
For me the Pequod carried around too many dead weight anchors.
You forgot about the endless chapters on whale parts and whaling equipment. This book is an early version of Wikiwhalia.
That does make me wonder.Was all that silliness about whales being fish meant as humor or was that a real debate and did Herman truly think they were fish?
Thanks.Misconceptions, peculiarities, tricks of the trade: “The Whale as a Dish”, “The Battering-Ram”, “The Monkey-Rope”, “Heads or Tails” and so on – those chapters are but funny curios, they just make narration more flowery.
“The grounds upon which Linnæus would fain have banished the whales from the waters, he states as follows: ‘On account of their warm bilocular heart, their lungs, their movable eyelids, their hollow ears, penem intrantem feminam mammis lactantem,’ and finally, ‘ex lege naturæ jure meritoque.*’ I submitted all this to my friends Simeon Macey and Charley Coffin, of Nantucket, both messmates of mine in a certain voyage, and they united in the opinion that the reasons set forth were altogether insufficient. Charley profanely hinted they were humbug.” Chapter XXXII - Cetology.
*“Penis which enters the female, who gives milk from breasts; from the law of nature justly and deservedly” (Latin).
Whales were fish in a whaling cant.
Thank you for the wonderful review 👌
I had a problem with this book, it was difficult to read it. Not accustomed to Herman's writing style. Tedious, so i gave up finishing it
I'm reading this book! A long reading! 😊📚
"Whales were fish in a whaling cant. "As are torpedoes to submariners. I'd hate to bait one.
Bottom line for me, Herman was in serious need of a friendly editor.
Is there such a creature as a friendly editor?I’m accustomed to reading complex and eccentric books do I had no special difficulties wit Moby Dick.
So it is with me, Randolph… Details, new things, original style, rich language.
Melville is a great Shakespearean writer one of the few showing the influence and taking it to the level. The content which is almost silly at times is kind of irrelevant in relation to the incredible prose. Has anyone else done this? Not really….
Yes, Richard, there are many scenes staged in the style of the Shakespearean comedies in the novel. They are delightful.
Cool book! Cool review! - )
Loved it, Hermie slayed his own white whale with its completion
I’m due for a 3rd reading. Some stories never get old. Thanks for the reminder, Vit.
You wrote such a compelling review, that I want to re-read the book again.
It is quite worth rereading.
Great review, been a while since I've read it. I was always rooting for the whale
Nancy wrote: "Great review, been a while since I've read it. I was always rooting for the whale"If your routing for the whale you may In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essexwant to read the "real" story
Or look up what you can find about Mocha Dick
Thank you for this thoughtful review! I like the term "albino Leviathan." Captures the spirit of this bold and challenging novel very well. Many thanks once again!
Thank you, Paul, the novel turned out to be beyond all my expectations.
There are wisdom leaders who feel the essence of this story is Ahab's search for identity/calling and spiritual in nature. While I've attempted it several times, Melville's narrative approach failed to engage my tastes, though I'm happy to see you felt differently
There is a lot of hidden value behind this seemingly simply take off revenge and comeuppance. Why it is a classic still read today, obviously. For me, I enjoyed the interleaving chapters of practical explanation, seemingly random, until you read the next chapter of narrative. It's almost like he anticipates a modern audience who would know nothing of whaling, which in fact was true of his contemporary readers as well. Hidden treasures.
The novel is literally kaleidoscopic and the riches in colours make the book immortal.
I loved this book so much also!! Glad you enjoyed it and your review is spot on 🤩
I loved the writing as well and I am glad saw the humor in it
Thanks my friends for your comments.
One of my favorite classics
Great review. Very apt use of the word “kaleidoscopic” to describe this novel.
Thank you M. It’s a firework as well.
