Jan 31 2010
Father Mapple
Father Mapple is certainly a compelling character, and a shining example of the depth and complexity Melville can convey in limited space. A whaler in his youth and in his old age a preacher, for Ismael, Mapple seems to be occupying an existence somewhere between preacher, whaler, and prophet. The image of Mapple’s chapel is a striking one: memorial plaques lamenting fallen sailors surround modest pews, but the pulpit, the bow of a whaling vessel complete with retractable rope ladder, is in stark contrast with the rest of the room. A first look at the decor leads the reader to take Mapple as either a looney, or worse an attention hound–a conclusion that Ishmael himself makes, but seems determined to fight through. Indeed, Ishmael spends a paragraph convincing himself (and in turn the reader) that Mapple has a legitimate reason for preaching from such an audacious pulpit.
Father Mapple enjoyed such a wide reputation for sincerity and sanctity that I could not suspect him of courting notoriety by any mere tricks of the stage. No, thought I, there must be some sober reason for this thing; furthermore, it must symbolize something unseen.
Until Ishmael utters the above quote, the reader is unsure of the significance of either the chapel or the preacher. Will this be another meaningless digression from the story? Is the chapter going to focus on Queequeg and religion? It is unclear until Ishmael brings the “unseen” into the fold. From this point in the chapter on, the reader is waiting for the preacher to reveal whatever it is that is unseen; they are waiting for the sermon. Mapple at once becomes much more that a man in the midst of “healthy old age,” more than a whaler, more than a preacher. He becomes a messenger, a cog in the story essential to the reader’s understanding. Once he finishes his sermon, he has become a prophet.
The beauty of Father Mapple is that he is such a fleeting physical presence–five pages of over five hundred–yet we learn so much about him with very little actually said about him. We see his chapel, and draw some conclusions. Those conclusions are in turn challenged and debunked with the help of some narratorial introspection. Finally, we hear his sermon, and any remaining inkling of our previous doubts are cast deep into the depths as we see him elevated to prophetic status. And then, as quickly as he came, he is gone, and we are left only with the lesson of his sermon: self indulgence and fear of god are mutually exclusive.
One Response to “Father Mapple”
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Ari, a great choice to examine — Father Mapple is a fascinating character, despite his cameo appearance. I wanted to hear more about your description of him as a “prophet” — perhaps later, when you encounter the chapter entitled “Jonah Historically Regarded,” you might revisit the Mapple comment. Very nice.