forget about the whale, the whale is a tease

[matthew]

I have been following this board since 98 and would like to ask for
your advice and opinions on a topic that I would like to explore
concerning Moby Dick. I have long thought that Melville only wrote
the story of the whale so that he could get readers to read the true
meat of his story, the chapters about whaling. No insult intended,
but I honestly think that study of Melville should focus more on the
chapters about whaling than the chapters including the story. I
believe that Melville saw a fantastic metaphor in the industry and
life and only wrote the story to get readers to view his, often
labeled "boring" chapters. I offer Chapter 60: The Line as my best
evidence. I think it is a fantastic metaphor for life and how
everything connects, fitting with my view of Melville seeing the world
as spheres of existence. I would say that Moby Dick is in my
opinion, a half step towards finnegans wake for melville. I have not
run into any research that explores the "whaling" chapters beyond
simple historical significance. Have any of you considered this view
and or read anything that approaches it?

[Scott Baxter]

I would be very interested in that take as well as whaling is a lifelong fascination to me. The poet Carl Dennis touches on your view in 'Not the Idle' and I bet the late Professor Wilson Heflin would agree as well.

Scott

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[gordon poole]

Dear Matthew:
What a provocative submission! I hope it sparks the discussion it
deserves.
You say you have been on board since 1998. How can that be? The
present list started only a very few yeqrs ago. Or do you mean that you
were a follower of the old Ishmail?
Gordon Poole

[Ros’ Haruo]

It is an interesting take on the subject and I look forward to responses, but I must say we're coming up on 7 years here, which I feel is more than a "very few" years; indeed, half the time since 98 is now also since 05. I posted the following on 7/14/05:

This is a general discussion group on topics related to Herman Melville
and his life and works. This group is intended to carry on the work of
the Melville Society's Ishmail mailing list.

To join the Melville Society, and to receive its publications, send
your check for $15 (made out to the Melville Society) to Dennis
Berthold (Treasurer), Department of English, Texas A & M University,
College Station, TX 77843. 
E-mail: d-ber...@tamu.edu.

Leland aka Haruo

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Leland Bryant Ross aka Ros' Haruo (呂須•春男)
Delegito en Seattle, Universala Esperanto-Asocio
My Hymn Blog | Mia Himna Blogo — The Seattle Esperanto Society
Miaj Vikipediaj Kreaĵoj — Lernu.Net — Fremont Baptist Church

[fin john]

All,

    Interesting to read that one Irish Matthew writes of Moby -Dick and Finnegans Wake in the same sentence. To my knowledge Joyce never wrote of Melville. Did he? And how could Joyce have passed on Melville? Anyone know?

 

John Gretchko

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[gordon poole]

Dear Ros' Haruo:
        Gosh, seven years?! I hadn't realized this, and it is certainly more than "a very few years." How time flies!
                Gordon

At 06.55 23/05/2012, Ros’ Haruo wrote:

It is an interesting take on the subject and I look forward to responses, but I must say we're coming up on 7 years here, which I feel is more than a "very few" years; indeed, half the time since 98 is now also since 05. I posted the following on 7/14/05:

This is a general discussion group on topics related to Herman Melville

and his life and works. This group is intended to carry on the work of

the Melville Society's Ishmail mailing list.

To join the Melville Society, and to receive its publications, send

your check for $15 (made out to the Melville Society) to Dennis

Berthold (Treasurer), Department of English, Texas A & M University,

College Station, TX 77843.Â

E-mail:Â d-ber...@tamu.edu.

Leland aka Haruo

On Tue, May 22, 2012 at 5:55 PM, gordon poole <go.p...@libero.it> wrote:

Dear Matthew:

       What a provocative submission! I hope it sparks the discussion it deserves.

       You say you have been on board since 1998. How can that be? The present list started only a very few yeqrs ago. Or do you mean that you were a follower of the old Ishmail?

               Gordon Poole

At 07.27 22/05/2012, you wrote:

I have been following this board since 98 and would like to ask for

your advice and opinions on a topic that I would like to explore

concerning Moby Dick. Â I have long thought that Melville only wrote

the story of the whale so that he could get readers to read the true

meat of his story, the chapters about whaling. Â No insult intended,

but I honestly think that study of Melville should focus more on the

chapters about whaling than the chapters including the story. Â I

believe that Melville saw a fantastic metaphor in the industry and

life and only wrote the story to get readers to view his, often

labeled "boring" chapters.   I offer Chapter 60: The Line as my best

evidence. Â I think it is a fantastic metaphor for life and how

everything connects, fitting with my view of Melville seeing the world

as spheres of existence.   I would say that Moby Dick is in my

opinion, a half step towards finnegans wake for melville. I have not

run into any research that explores the "whaling" chapters beyond

simple historical significance. Â Have any of you considered this view

and or read anything that approaches it?

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Leland Bryant Ross aka Ros' Haruo (å‘‚é ˆ•

[Ackin]

Mathew,

Why don't you just do the opposite? Focus on the chapter which seem unrelated to whaling instead? they may perhaps give you a broader perspective on Melville's talent.

Nick