Moby Dick

         Around two thirds of the way through Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, there are two consecutive chapters dedicated to describing physical attributes of the sperm whale. The first of these, Chapter 85, is entitled “The Fountain” and depicts the spouting of the whale. The eighty-sixth chapter is entitled “The Tail” and discusses this part of the whale.

      At the beginning of “The Fountain,” a moment of the religion versus science debate that has undercurrents throughout the novel arises. Ishmael states that whales have been “spouting all over the sea” for “six thousand years” (Melville, 357). This follows the creationist theory, as the bible presents the idea that god created life six thousand years ago. However, immediately following this statement, Ishmael adds “—and no one knows how many millions of ages before” (Melville, 357). This interjected addendum expresses doubt towards creationism, lightly supporting evolution.

            Melville’s depiction of the whales’ spouts adds to the sense of mystery about the whale. He describes them with the metaphor “sprinkling or mystifying pots” (Melville, 358). Melville also uses the discussion of the whale’s spout to create an emotional response in the readers to the whale through stating that they have “regular lungs, like a human beings” (Melville, 358).  Ishmael describes the internal anatomical evolutionary adaptations that whales have developed that allow them to remain underwater without drawing breath for long periods of time.  The whales’ need to come to the surface to breath is represented as a reason that the whaler should be humbled, as he is only so powerful and cannot chase the whale into the depths of the sea (Melville, 359). The spout adds more mystery to the whale by Ishmael’s wonder as to what exactly is being expelled from the whale’s blowhole – if there is anything besides water, and what form that water is in (Melville, 360-361).

            Coming full circle and returning to religion at the end of the chapter, Ishmael describes rainbows as rays from “Heaven” (Melville, 362). He discusses the idea that rainbows only appear when sunlight shines through water vapor/mist, and thus presents the rainbows that sometime appear in the spouts of whales as religious symbols.

            In the following chapter, “The Tail,” Ishmael describes the tail of the sperm whale and its motions in detail, and illustrates it as a thing of immense power and size, but also of delicate beauty and grace (Melville, 363-365). Ishmael states that “real strength never impairs beauty or harmony, but often bestows it” (Melville, 363). This sentence can be viewed in several manners. When applied to humans, there could be some gender connotations intended that would break down some of the gender binary – i.e., that “strong men” can/should have beauty, and “beautiful women” can/should have strength.   Ishmael also states that the sperm whales often use their tails when attacking ships, serving to place the tail as an element of foreboding.

            The chapter ends somewhat ironically. The chapter is the description of the tail, but ends with the mention of the whale’s face (367). In addition, although the entire chapter has been dedicated to describing the sperm whale’s tail and how it is used, Ishmael states that he has an “inability to express it” (Melville, 366). He proceeds to state “dissect him how I may, then,…but….I know him not, and never will” (Melville, 367). This again serves to add a sense of mystery to the whale. It also is humbling to mankind. Thirdly, it conveys the idea that whales are not just simple beings – a “shell” of a body and nothing inside – but that they have souls.

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