It’s an awful cliché, but one I can’t help addressing: why is poor, dear Moby-Dick so often represented as the typical example of a long, boring book that no one really wants to read?
I don’t want to say that no extant human might read this book and find it boring. For one thing, there are an awful lot of extant humans who don’t much care for reading, and that’s 100% fine.
But for readers, what is there not to love? Yes, I am an evangelist. But here we have not only beautiful prose, but Melville’s attempt to encompass all: politics, metaphysics, science, nature, man, animals, friendship, mania, madness, fate, God, Nantucket, the Pacific, work, religion, fear, hate, love. At the very least.
And we don’t have the fairly typical problem of older novels. There are no entwining plot threads to keep track of, no long list of characters too difficult to remember. A big complaint is the subject matter, but if anyone still thinks that is whaling, beware. And all those “dry” chapters, like the infamous Cetology, which even The Millions advises against reading—well, I’ll get to a lot more on that later this week, but dry is the last thing they are.
My own writing will cover only the tiniest part of this. During my re-reading, actually getting to the writing part felt like my own White Whale. I knew I would never be ready. There is too much to say, and the almost-certain knowledge that someone somewhere has said it all before is not much positive motivation. This is a book I will never be done with. To all who have waited for this sad, unworthy Moby-Dick week, I realized that the only way I could Nicole it was to just grab a few tiny threads that had pulled loose during this particular reading experience and unravel them a few inches.
But let’s be positive; there are so many unravellings left to me. And what reader doesn’t hope to find the neverending book?
On the subject of why some people don’t take to it, I do have one possible idea, and it has to do with sympathy. More on that tomorrow.
I’ve always been scandalized and uncomprehending in the face of those who claim not to love Moby Dick. Top 5 for me. Maybe top 3! I wish I had time to get back to it now…
Even before your imminent write-up, you have me persuaded to read Moby Dick this year.
Have you ever read Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea? I loved it. It encompasses many of the themes you listed and one or two more.
Nobody seems to know how hilarious Melville is, too. And I don’t mean that in the for a turgid 19th century author way. No, he was just hilarious and it shows throughout Moby-Dick. Especially Ishmael vis-a-vis Queequeg.
A neverending book, you say? How dare you tempt me with the idea?
Colleen—yes, top 3 for me…maybe top 2. You’ll find the time someday!
Anthony—I haven’t, though I’ve been meaning to give Philbrick a go since doing my maritime lit project last year. Especially the one you mention, since I read the firsthand accounts of the Essex. Quite a story.
Matt—I know, it’s so true! When I get home I’ll have to find a great quote from D.H. Lawrence on Ishmael and Queequeg and Melville…
verbivore—Ha! Whoops…
For years I put off reading Moby Dick even if I wanted to because of the apparent tediousness, as they say. Clearly, I shouldn’t have listened because as I discovered not one page of it was boring, not one..
Moby Dick is a terrific book! Why do some people find it boring?
I’ve been enjoying your posts on Melville (love your twitter too, by the way), because since early March I’ve been reading and writing about Moby Dick. In my social circles there’s nobody that likes Melville, and I can’t convince anyone to read it along with me.
Not sure if it might interest you, but this is my latest post on it:
http://thelittlewhiteattic.blogspot.com/2016/04/moby-dick-is-book-about-everything.html