The Symphony Part Two

[dan.m...@juno.com]

The Symphony Part Two

 

So the subsequent submissions don’t read as magic, I think it appropriate to briefly describe how we can determine the year of the last voyage of the Pequod.

 

In 1999 John F. Birk published a book titled: “Tracing the Round: The Astrological Framework of Moby-Dick.” In his book John divides the novel into six blocks. Chapters 1 – 25 falls under the astrological signs of Aries and Taurus, chapters 26 – 69 Gemini and Cancer constitute Birk’s second block while Chapter 70 The Sphynx is block three. Birk’s block four includes chapters 71 – 92 and tokens the astrological signs of Virgo and Libra, chapters 93 – 126 fall under the astrological signs of Scorpio and Sagittarius. The final number six block which includes chapters 127 – 135 rounds out the astrological zodiac with the three astrological signs of Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. As the Pequod sails from one ocean to the next in search of the whale, it is according to Birk, sailing from one astrological section of the zodiac to the next.

 

While John was writing his book he and I had more than a few lunches on campus. During one of these lunches, John mentioned that no one really understands the gams, and of all the gams the least understood is Chapter 54 The Town Ho’s Story. I told John not to worry.  I’ll figure it out.

 

With a start time of 6 p.m. that evening and an all nighter until about 2p.m. aided by a dozen or so magnificent Churchill cigars, I was able to determine the astronomical references of the gams. Chapter 52 The Pequod meets the Albatross references the constellation Argo.  The constellation noted on star maps of 1840’and 50’s no longer exist on modern star maps. Chapter 54 The Town Ho’s Story is related to Halley’s comet. Chapter 71 The Pequod meets the Jeroboam is without question a reference to a comet designated in the history books as Comet 1840 1. Chapter 81 The Pequod meets the Virgin is Melville’s inclusion of the planet Jupiter while the planet Venus can be affiliated with Chapter 91 The Pequod meets the Rose Bud. The planet Saturn is the basis for Chapter 100 The Pequod meets the Samuel Enderby of London. Melville had in mind the planet Mercury for Chapter 115 The Pequod meets the Bachelor, and Mars for Chapter 128 The Pequod meets the Rachel. One of the more interesting gams is Chapter 131 The Pequod meets the Delight.  This gam was written with the planet Uranus in mind, and as previously submitted occurred on Christmas of 1839.

 

We can ask the question: was there ever a time when Mercury was in either Capricorn, Aquarius, or Pisces while Venus was in the constellation of Virgo or Libra, Mars in Capricorn, Aquarius or Pisces, Jupiter in Virgo or Libra, Saturn in the astronomical constellation of Scorpius or Sagittarius, and Uranus in either Capricorn Aquarius or Pisces? The answer is yes; all conditions are met from December 17^th 1839 through January 5^th, 1840. With consideration of the illumination of the moon described in Chapter 22 Merry Christmas, we can be certain this window occurs at the closing of the voyage and not the start of the voyage.

 

It is worth noting the necessary change of treating Birk’s astrological signs to astronomical constellations.  If we continue to use Birk’s six blocks as astrological signs we do not arrive at a date.  The planet Venus becomes particularly quarrelsome. This is one of two smoking guns Melville provides to inform the reader astrological considerations are not the important guide John Birk believes.

 

Chapter 22 Merry Christmas informs the reader the day the Pequod set sails.  We can now state with confidence the date is December 25, 1838. If the reader navigates through the 135 chapters guided with the additional thought whale encounters occur during the period of two nights and three days of new moon, the reader arrives with the Pequod’s demise January 4^th, 1840.

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[dan.m...@juno.com]

The Symphony Part Two

 

So the subsequent submissions don’t read as magic, I think it appropriate to briefly describe how we can determine the year of the last voyage of the Pequod.

 

In 1999 John F. Birk authored a book titled: “Tracing the Round: The Astrological Framework of Moby-Dick.” In his book John divides the novel into six blocks. Chapters 1 – 25 falls under the astrological signs of Aries and Taurus, chapters 26 – 69 Gemini and Cancer constitute Birk’s second block while Chapter 70 The Sphynx is block three. Birk’s block four includes chapters 71 – 92 and tokens the astrological signs of Virgo and Libra, chapters 93 – 126 fall under the astrological signs of Scorpio and Sagittarius. The final number six block which includes chapters 127 – 135 rounds out the astrological zodiac with the three astrological signs of Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. As the Pequod sails from one ocean to the next in search of the whale, it is according to Birk, sailing from one astrological section of the zodiac to the next.

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