Hi help me Moby Dick

[sympathy]

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago -- never mind how long precisely -- having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off -- then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.

There now is your insular city of the Manhattoes, belted round by wharves as Indian isles by coral reefs -- commerce surrounds it with her surf. Right and left, the streets take you waterward. Its extreme down-town is the battery, where that noble mole is washed by waves, and cooled by breezes, which a few hours previous were out of sight of land. Look at the crowds of water-gazers there.

Circumambulate the city of a dreamy Sabbath afternoon. Go from Corlears Hook to Coenties Slip, and from thence, by Whitehall northward. What do you see? -- Posted like silent sentinels all around the town, stand thousands upon thousands of mortal men fixed in ocean reveries. Some leaning against the spiles; some seated upon the pier-heads; some looking over the bulwarks

What is "growing grim about the mouth"?
What is "in my soul"?
What does the author mean by saying "pausing before the coffin warehouses ...."?
What does "hypos" mean? What is "knocking people's hats off"?
What is "account it high time"?

Thanks a lot and happy new year.

[apex2000]

What is "growing grim about the mouth"?
What is "in my soul"?
What does the author mean by saying "pausing before the coffin warehouses ...."?
What does "hypos" mean? What is "knocking people's hats off"?
What is "account it high time"?

The first three are all about his feelings of depression or thoughts of death. They mean that when he is 'down', or feeling low, or fed up with life, even getting desperate because he so dislikes whatever state (this could be of mind or position) he is in.
'hypos' is probably a contraction of, say, hyperactivity or 'hyper' thoughts so that he does something quite unusual such as literally knocking people's hats off (their heads).
The final one refers to him deciding that it is about time that he changed whatever he is doing and get back to sea. There he will feel better, be of more use either to himself or others, be where he feels at ease within himself.

[Anglika]

What is "growing grim about the mouth"? If you are unhappy or dismayed, the muscles round your mouth contract, drawing down the corners.

What is "November in my soul"? The bleak feeling that a depressed person has.

What does the author mean by saying "pausing before the coffin warehouses ...."? pausing in front of undertakers' premises.

What is "account it high time"? Here in "...account it", account means to think of someone or something in the stated way.

[sympathy]

thanks

[Urszula7]

I've just registerd with this site and while navigating my way through it have come across your post. I also happen to be reading Moby Dick, a Norton Critical Edition. According to one of it's footnotes, 'hypo' is short for hypochondria, a state of depression somewhat more chronic and morbid that our 'blues'.

[Mad-ox]

hi,

GENDER STUDY IN MOBY DICK

I also read the book last year and I noticed that there were no women in it. I want to find some answers regarding gender in Moby Dick. I wonder if the absence of women had any effect on the story in the novel. Do you think Ahab could have avoided the horrible destiny if women had also been on the whaling ship? Was Melville an anti-feminist author or he simply depicted life on the sea ( hunting for whales )- an enterprise accepted mostly by men due to hard work.


Madox

[apex2000]

No, in the story it is all about what happens at sea. Women do not normally go to sea for such tough an occupation as the book describes. All men crews for whaling were the norm.

[Mad-ox]

Originally Posted by apex2000

No, in the story it is all about what happens at sea. Women do not normally go to sea for such tough an occupation as the book describes. All men crews for whaling were the norm.

But if Ahab had had a woman/wife wouldn't have changed the whole situation? Ahab might have been too lonely and that's why his only purpose in life became the hunting of the 'white whale'. Perhaps, If he had had a wife to love, Ahab would have not commited the gruesome sacrifice. Thus, the lack of women could be the first omen which suggests the tragedy of the Pequod. Men along with women build up a perfect unity.( Yin and Yang harmony)

[apex2000]

Originally Posted by Mad-ox

But if Ahab had had a woman/wife wouldn't have changed the whole situation? Ahab might have been too lonely and that's why his only purpose in life became the hunting of the 'white whale'. Perhaps, If he had had a wife to love, Ahab would have not commited the gruesome sacrifice. Thus, the lack of women could be the first omen which suggests the tragedy of the Pequod. Men along with women build up a perfect unity.( Yin and Yang harmony)

I think you are trying to change the story. If the author had intended a woman's influence to be there then is would have been in the book.

As for a woman's influence in general then you are on the right track but the result may not be different.

[Mad-ox]

Oh, no, I do not want to change the story. All I want is to find out if there is sex discrimination in this book. It is known that at the time the book was written, women had little rights; they were supposed only to run the house, bear children, in other words to be submissive and domestic. Unfortunatelly, this the the only book I have read by Herman Melville. I wonder if there are female characters in his other books and what role do they have.