Mar 03 2010
Starbuck and Brutus
“God keep me! — God keep us all!”
-Starbuck, The Quarter-Deck
Throughout the novel, Starbuck is forced into the rather uncomfortable situation of being the First Mate to a madman. The mate is stuck with a captain who he honestly believes is leading his crew into great danger, and almost certainly into death. It is one of the oldest dilemmas there is: duty versus morality. Do you follow orders when you believe that they are not only misguided but, in all likelihood, insane?
I determined after reading The Quarter-Deck to look into the similarities between Starbuck’s situation and that of another of Shakespeare’s characters: Brutus, of Julius Caesar. Both are central members of their respective governmental bodies, and both struggle with the fear that their leader is going down a dangerous path.
It seems to me that Starbuck and Brutus share the quality of nobility. Brutus is the “noblest Roman of them all” according to Marc Antony, and it is clear to me that Starbuck is the noblest mate on the ship, as his two associates are full of vice and lack his leadership. Flask and Stubb are defined by their vices: drinking and smoking. Starbuck sincerely questions his leader’s choices in the name of his crew’s safety. He contemplates killing his leader, just as Brutus does, in order to bring his crew back home safely. Unfortunately for the crew, himself included, he chose not to follow his gut instinct. And though he attempts to persuade Ahab that his vengeance can lead them only to despair, he fails in his goal. And his son will never greet him on the hill at Nantucket’s port.
Brutus and Starbuck are, in their essence, the same character; they are men trapped in an impossible situation, stuck between duty to follow orders and good sense and honesty. Their only major difference is that Brutus goes forth with the assassination of his close friend and leader, while Starbuck lets Ahab drive onward.
The words of Marc Antony describe these men best:
“This was the noblest Roman of them all:
All the conspirators, save only he,
Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;
He, only in a general honest thought
And common good to all, made one of them.”
3 Responses to “Starbuck and Brutus”
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This is one of the best analyses I have read thus far. Starbuck as Brutus! I can just picture Ahab sputtering: “you too, Starbuck?”, as he succumbs to the bullet wound suffered at the hands of his first mate. How different and happy would this tale have concluded if only Starbuck had the balls of Brutus. But, indeed, the book could not have been called “Moby Dick”, but something more in line with “The Long Crazy Voyage to Nowhere”.
The important thing is that there is a definite parallell between the two characters, a theme that, given Melville’s tendency to borrow and mimics, I am sure is visible elsewhere in the novel.
I understand your point here, but perhaps we are overlooking some subtle differences between the two characters that reveal that this may be a case of comparing apples to oranges. Yes, it is true that these two men were faced with a decision to destroy someone in power because of their presumed faults, but I respectfully disagree that the only difference is that Brutus went through with the assassination while Starbuck did not. Brutus’ goals are arguably selfish as he led members of the senate in a plot to murder Julius Caesar in the name of the republic. In reality, however, these men were struggling to assume power themselves. I am inclined to believe that Starbuck’s concern was much more noble, and I am also inclined to believe that it was clear to Starbucks that Ahab’s insanity would perhaps lead to his own death. On the other hand, Julius Caesar was a competent and beloved ruler (according to Plutarch, that is). I did enjoy your post, however, and appreciate your viewpoint.
You wrote: “Unfortunately for the crew… [Starbuck] chose not to follow his gut instinct” which made me think: is that unfortunate?
Perhaps they would not have all died at the end if they had not chased Moby Dick, perhaps everything would have been alright. But I wonder how the members of the crew would really have felt if Starbuck had killed Ahab and tried to take over as captain. Would they be glad? Would they follow his orders? Would they do so begrudgingly?