Chapter 55: Of the Monstrous Pictures of Whales
Ishmael considers well-known graphic depictions of whales.
To a whaleman who has actually seen whales, most historical, mythological,
and scientific sources are blatantly inaccurate. As a result, says Ishmael,
“you must needs conclude that the great Leviathan is that one creature
in the world which must remain unpainted to the last.” The only
solution that Ishmael sees for one who seeks to know what a whale
looks like is an actual encounter with the creature. In the ocean,
only portions of a whale are visible at any one time, the majority
of the animal being underwater. Only dead whales are visible in
their near-entirety, and those are to the living animal what a wrecked
ship is to one afloat. He warns the reader not to “be too fastidious
in your curiosity” about the whale, since such curiosity is unlikely
to be satisfied.
Chapter 56: Of the Less Erroneous Pictures of Whales,
and the True Pictures of Whaling Scenes
Ishmael then tries to find some acceptable depictions
of whales. To his mind, the only pictures that come close are two
large French engravings that show the sperm and right whales in
action. He wonders why the French have been best able to capture
whales and whaling in art, because France is not a whaling nation.
Chapter 57: Of Whales in Paint; In Teeth; In Wood; In
Sheet-Iron; In Stone; In Mountains; In Stars
Ishmael considers versions of whales crafted by whalers,
including specimens carved in ivory, wood, and metal. Those with
an interest in the creature can see whales everywhere, including
in geological forms and in the starry sky.
Chapter 58: Brit
Brit is a minute yellow substance upon which the right
whale feeds. Ishmael moves from a discussion of feeding whales to
a generalized comparison between the land and the sea. In the sea,
there are hidden horrors and continuous danger, while on land, all
is visible and therefore manageable. He applies this assessment
to the human soul, which he believes contains a small island of
“peace and joy” surrounded by an ocean of horrors.
Chapter 59: Squid
As the Pequod sails toward Java, Daggoo
thinks that he sights Moby Dick. The boats are lowered and the animal
pursued. It is a false alarm, however, as it is only a giant squid,
which is taken as a bad omen. Ishmael notes that the squid is conjectured
to be the sperm whale’s food, but that the sperm whale feeds and
lives largely out of sight beneath the sea’s surface.
Chapter 60: The Line
In preparation for a later scene, says Ishmael, he will
describe the whale-line. Made of hemp, this rope is connected to
the harpoon at one end and dangles free at the other so that it
can be tied to other boats’ lines. Because it is laid out throughout
the boat and whizzes out when a whale is darted, it is dangerous
for the men of the harpoon crews. All men, according to Ishmael,
live with metaphorical whale-lines around their necks, and it is
only when a catastrophe occurs that they realize the constant perils
of life.
