Talk:Moby-Dick

Size of the Beast

Was it ever said exactly how large Moby Dick is? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.242.210.65 (talk) 20:40, 14 May 2009 (UTC)

Starbuck and Battlestar Galactica

Was the Starbuck character also inspirationial for the Battlestar Galactica series? Chris (talk) 21:13, 4 August 2009 (UTC)

I'm sure that's where the name came from. But nether the 1970s Starbuck nor the 2000s Starbuck bear any resemblance to the novel's Starbuck whatsoever, either in appearance, personality, character, action, or significance in the plot, so I wouldn't say the original was in any way "inspirational" to BG. 71.56.239.22 (talk) 01:11, 12 April 2010 (UTC)

Publication history?

A section on the publication history of the novel would be most welcome. Currently there are only a couple of unclear hints. -- 77.7.159.141 (talk) 00:12, 26 July 2010 (UTC)

Why hyphenation?

I wondered whether Moby-Dick should be hyphenated, but fortunately found the explanation in Talk Archive. But does anyone know why Melville hyphenated the book's title but not the name of the whale? There doesn't seem to be a grammatical reason, and an article on the origin of the name (http://www.melville.org/mobyname.htm) doesn't discuss or even notice it. Maybe it was done by his publisher, maybe even in error. PhilUK (talk) 20:59, 18 October 2010 (UTC)

May I add to this section, as a general reader of Wikipedia? Regarding the TITLE, that this novel is *not* also known as "The Whale", as is stated in the current article. The title page indicates that this is the subtitle, and subtitles are a common feature of many novels as well as works for the stage dating back into the 17th century, at least. The opening of this article should just state that the novel is entitled _Moby-Dick: or The Whale_, as stated on the title page. It is known as Moby-Dick, and it is not also known as The Whale: the subtitle is not widely known at all. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.71.8.71 (talk) 04:18, 11 July 2011 (UTC)

The novel was published in England under the title: The Whale. ~ Alcmaeonid (talk) 13:59, 11 July 2011 (UTC)

The Rachel

The names of the characters are given extensive discussion in this article, as Melville clearly chose them for their associations. The name of the ship, Rachel, is also an allusion, and the image of Rachel crying for her children is taken from Jeremiah 31, along with the prophet's message of comfort. Shouldn't this allusion be included in the discussion as well?

real ship found

US marine archaeologists have found the sunken whaling ship belonging to the captain who inspired Herman Melville's classic 19th Century novel, Moby Dick.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12439656

--LeedsKing (talk) 18:27, 12 February 2011 (UTC)

stage directions

"...along with Shakespearean literary devices such as stage directions," Is the link to "Stage direction" [Stage_directions#Stage_directions] correct?

The linked page talk about the "stage" not in the sense of literary device. Also the linked page about "literary devices" does not mention "stage" there

Thanks Umbeebmu (talk) 21:05, 22 February 2011 (UTC)

There is a chapter in the novel written in the style of a dramatic script, with bare-bones stage directions reminiscant of Shakespeare. The sense of stage as a physical stage is intentional, as this section of the novel (Chapter 40: "Midnight, Forecastle"; and also the title of Chapter 29: "Enter Ahab; to him, Stubb", and the opening line of Chapter 36: "Enter Ahab; then, all". ) treats the ship as such.Additionally, chapters 37-39 are delivered as stage soliloquays, further adding to this sense of stage drama. GRAPPLE X 21:13, 22 February 2011 (UTC)

The Wikipedia entry on Moby-Dick

I have read many excellent items in Wikipedia, but the entry on Moby-Dick is one of the worst such items I have encountered. Please assign someone to rewrite and improve it. [I am a literature professor, but I'm not a specialist in Melville. Otherwise I would rewrite the entry myself.] cupstid123184.34.6.151 (talk) 20:48, 25 February 2011 (UTC)

I wouldn't call it the worst but I do agree it needs improvement. It would help, though, if you could be more specific in your critique. That would furnish editors some constructive guidelines for future improvement. Thanks for your input. ~ Alcmaeonid (talk) 13:26, 21 April 2011 (UTC)

Time (Moby-Dick playing in the future)

From the wikipedia article: "and the narrator deliberately avoids specifying the exact time of the events". Well that's not 100% true. From chapter 85 The Fountain: "...to this blessed minute (fifteen and a quarter minutes past one o'clock p.m. of this sixteenth day of December, A.D. 1851)...". The context doesn't make it clear whether it is the time of the events or if it is written some time after the story of Moby-Dick happened. As chapter 85 is one of the behind-the-scenes chapters, in which the author ponders about whales, whaling and stuff. However in my eyes, the author who does that is always Ishmael, and not Melville. The latter would also be impossible, because the book was published October 18, 1851 (three volumes) and November 14, 1851 (one volume). Before December 16, 1851!
It is unfortunately never said by Ishmael, but I have the impression while reading it, that this book is kind of a diary. That means, all the events are written down a few hours or days after they happened. Even the behind-the-scenes. I imagine Ishmael has a lot of leisure time, like all sailors. And he uses the time to write this book. And if there is nothing spectacular going on, instead of writing nothing, he inserts the behind-the-scenes chapters.
So I think the time Moby-Dick is happening is December 16, 1851 plus minus X. X being months or years, I can't really say that. But I am convinced that Ishmael didn't write Moby-Dick years later. I think it is noteworthy that Melville set the time into the future (after publication), but not far, hardly 2 months.
However, a chapter which doesn't really fit into is 54 The Town-Ho's Story (As told at the Golden Inn). If Moby-Dick is kind of a diary, it wouldn't be possible to tell a story like you told later, long after the last events of the book. A possibility is that the Pequod did visit any land and Ishmael goes off board to have a drink with some Spanish, but he didn't tell us about it. And this (the telling at the Golden Inn) happened before the sinking of the Pequod (before the end of the book).
Another possibility is that Ishmael later rewrote some Chapters of his book. Especially The Town-Ho's Story and Chapter 40 Midnight, Forecastle. Both written in an unusual style. Maybe some of the behind-the-scenes are also (thought to be) later added. To sum it up: Melville writes a book which is written by Ishmael as a kind of diary in the first place, but in parts rewritten by Ishmael and souped up with behind-the-scenes material. It is unknown whether the story takes place in the near future or just the rewriting.
Any other ideas? Do you think it is solid enough to go into the article?--TeakHoken91.47.71.196 (talk) 10:33, 24 June 2011 (UTC)

Cetacean is a Grandiloquent Morpheme Designation

"The cetacean also attacked the Rachel and killed the captain's son."

cetacean is a needlessly florid word, and a poor word choice. A whale is a whale, and that's what Moby Dick of the story is. A cetacean is a porpoise, dolphin or a whale.

Cetacean (over whale) simultaneously renders the text:

1. Less accessible.
2. Longer and less efficient.
3. Less meaningful.
4. More pretentious (IMO). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.81.174.223 (talk) 05:52, 25 July 2011 (UTC)

"[H]arpooners...all non-Christians...."

"The harpooneers of the Pequod are all non-Christians from various parts of the world. Each serves on a mate's boat."

Tashtego is an American Indian from Gay Head, Massachusetts. I find it hard to believe that a 19th-century Native American, born and raised in Martha's Vineyard, would be anything but Christian (unless he were an atheist, but that's a long-shot second choice). Is there any confirmation, in Moby-Dick itself, to support the "non-Christian" status of Tash? Kejo13 (talk) 22:06, 15 August 2011 (UTC)