#bulkington

[saranilssonbooks]

At least you will, in all likelihood, be distracted. 😀 Also increases Queequeg's heroism enthusiasm, I suspect.

Totally strange how not a single person would prefer being locked up with one of the crazies though.

[basketofmooneggs]

Bulkington, standing on the deck of the Pequod trying to do his job:

Ishmael, staring at him and writing his obituary:

[basilsbestpainting]

I finally was able to put together a few bucks and snag a hard copy of Moby Dick (library has about 20 holds out on it), so I'm playing catch-up on whale weekly right now.

And currently, I want to talk about Ishmael's use of the word apotheosis in regards to Bulkington.

Let's start with the definition of apotheosis. There are two:

Now, Ishmael has described Bulkington as a man separate from his peers previously. A specimen of man who stood stalwart and silent before slipping away, causing his mates to search for him saddened. In chapter 23, Ishmael takes more of an approach towards the second path with a few images of death in a poetical style reminiscent of descriptions of roman emperors who were diefied in roman myths. Describing him as a demigod and noting again how he stands apart from his peers.

One more thing I want to note as foreshadowing. Typically apotheosis comes after death as a reward for life. This feels like (really fucking direct) foreshadowing of Bulkingtons death

[theinklingofcats]

Chapter 23: The Lee shore

Touched by Ishmael’s description of Bulkington. He describes an unsteady mind like a ship in the grip of an inner storm and thus would have run aground at touch of shore, stranded. Therefore this Bulkington abhors the shore and must hurtle itself into the danger that at least feels home to him. Sometimes, when you are in search of a profound thing that is important to you, you must choose between risking perishing during the searching or forsaking that profound thing only found at sea and conform to the land’s laws and norms. The “right choice” may look evident the way I am describing it now. But I am unsure. Because, while “Lee Shore” certainly reads as Ishmael commenting on himself too, the water-attraction on his self; doesn’t it also read as what we think Ahab will be: an unsteady man dangerously obsessed with a sea-hunt? Well, at least Bulkington got a nice grave from Ishmael.

[heroofthreefaces]

Okay backstop me here friends

(possible spoilers for Moby Dick and/or just today’s Whale Weekly)

I got lost in the flowery language - is Ishmael saying This was the point when I noticed that, on the Pequod with us, was the big guy I saw in town named Bigfuckingguy. Pity he didn’t make it back

[saranilssonbooks]

Ishmael: *Spends about halft an hour at the Spouter Inn staring at and analyzing Bulkington*

Bulkington, to himself: That weird but cute sailor over there keeps making eyes at me. He's a total weirdo, but I guess it's still kinda flattering.

Bulkington: *Attempts to return gaze* Wait, why isn't he responing all of a sudden? Well have it your way then, tease! *Leaves in disappointment*

The following evening.

Bulkington: Fuck, I simply can't get that cute weirdo sailor off my mind. Guess I might as well head back just to have a peek if he's still there.

Bulkington: *Returns to the Spouter Inn and spots Ishmael and Queequeg* Noooooo!

Bulkington for the next couple of days, finally failing at denying his own sore heart* Ugh! Better not risk running into him again. Might as well head over to Nantucket, that should be just as good of a place to find a ship.

Bulkington: *Arrives in Nantucket and spots Ishmael and Queequeg* Noooooooooooo!!

Christmas Day

Bulkington, aboard the Pequod: Off to sea again, I guess. Everything back to usual. *Turns around and spots Ishmael and Queequeg* NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

And thus due to Bulkington's dedicated avoidance, this became the reason for him never being mentioned again.

[oncleo]

Visit Original Link

Traduction revue.

[dodger-chan]

Let me only say that it fared with him as with the storm-tossed ship, that miserably drives along the leeward land. The port would fain give succor; the port is pitiful; in the port is safety, comfort, hearthstone, supper, warm blankets, friends, all that’s kind to our mortalities. But in that gale, the port, the land, is that ship’s direst jeopardy; she must fly all hospitality; one touch of land, though it but graze the keel, would make her shudder through and through. With all her might she crowds all sail off shore; in so doing, fights ’gainst the very winds that fain would blow her homeward; seeks all the lashed sea’s landlessness again; for refuge’s sake forlornly rushing into peril; her only friend her bitterest foe!

What a beautiful epitaph for a sailor.

Honestly I can't think of a better way to explain that a man preferred being at sea to being on land than a ship metaphor.