In Billy Budd he needed a shovel to bury the subtext better because it was mostly just the text. And Bartleby was a finely crafted character study of either a scrivener (copyist) or draftsman: OCD with a touch of Aspie. I recognized Bartleby because I worked with him. Before modern meds I was him.
I would say it is historically significant given the basic subject matter. I actually liked the scenes and exchanges onshore, whether at the inn, at church, to haggling for a 1/77th share. Also loved the whale taxonomy and description of the ship. Flensing a nd blubber processing was a singular reading experience. I didn’t like the chapters that had too many whaling terms. I tend to get lost. Also I recall three gay experiences by the narrator, although seemed honestly narrated without vulgarity.
Oh no, it was one of those little Oxford editions with tiny print. Pleasing to the hand though.
I actually read In the Heart of the Sea some years ago when I was reading a ton of nautical nonfiction. Did a sailing course on a traditionally rigged schooner too.
I don’t have *much to add, but here are two anecdotes:
In the 1956 movie, they make a passing reference to the Sulu Sea (either during Father Mapple’s sermon, or shortly thereafter). Supposedly, Gene Roddenberry picked that name for Ensign Sulu by just picking a place on the globe at random.
In an episode of Eddie Murphy’s series “The Pjs,” Thurgood (Murphy’s character) sits down to list to a “Book on Audio 'Moby Dick,” as narrated by Weezy Jefferson. You can hear **Weezy reading, in her deep, husky voice, “Call. . . me. . . Ishmael. . . . My. . . God. . .! This. . . book. . . is. . . eight. . . hundred. . . pages. . . long!”
*Whom am I kidding? I don’t have anything to add.
**OK, an actor imitating Weezy.
I repeat the advice I have long given to every high school or college student: if your teacher ever requires you to read anything by Herman Melville, tell her flatly but politely, “I would prefer not to.”
She’ll get the joke, and you’ll save yourself a highly unpleasant experience.
I have no idea if Melville is required reading in schools overseas, but I do know he was an idol of French existentialists, who considered him kindred spirit.
The professor who did my grad seminar was British, visiting our university from the U of Canterbury. Melville was his specialty, and I assume he taught Moby Dick and so on to British students on a regular basis at home.
I’ve just started reading it because of this thread. So far, so good. I’m only on chapter 7, but it’s quite enjoyable. Just out of curiosity, when does it get to the massive treatise on whaling?
