Ishmael’s Attempt to Persuade Queequeg to End His Ramadan
To Ishmael’s astonishment, Queequeg sat altogether cool and self-collected, right in the middle of the room, squatting on his hams and holding Yojo on top of his head, like a carved image with scarce a sign of active life. Despite all Ishmael and the landlady said, not a word could they drag out of him. Ishmael wondered if this could possibly be part of his Ramadan, and after supper and listening to sailors’ stories till nearly eleven o’clock, he returned to find Queequeg still motionless. Vexed at the seemingly senseless behavior, Ishmael threw his bearskin jacket over Queequeg for the cold night. Unable to sleep thinking of Queequeg sitting stark awake on his hams, Ishmael dropped off at last and knew nothing until break of day. At the first glimpse of sun, Queequeg arose with stiff and grating joints but with a cheerful look, pressed his forehead against Ishmael’s, and said his Ramadan was over.
Queequeg Ends His Ramadan and Departs for the Pequod
Ishmael then endeavored to persuade Queequeg, beginning with the rise and progress of the primitive religions, laboring to show him that all Lents, Ramadans, and prolonged ham-squattings were stark nonsense, bad for the health, and useless for the soul. He argued that fasting makes the body cave in, hence the spirit caves in, and all thoughts born of a fast must necessarily be half-starved. When Queequeg mentioned he had been troubled with dyspepsia only upon one memorable occasion after a great feast given by his father the king following a great battle, Ishmael shuddered and said that would do. Ultimately, Ishmael did not think his remarks made much impression on Queequeg, who seemed dull of hearing on that important subject and thought he knew a good deal more about the true religion than Ishmael. Queequeg rose, took a prodigiously hearty breakfast of chowders, and they sallied out to board the Pequod.
CAPÍTULO 18. His Mark.
This chapter, the eighteenth in the narrative, centers on Ishmael and Queequeg’s final preparations to board the whaling vessel Pequod. The chapter’s title, “His Mark,” refers both to Queequeg’s distinctive tattoo—which serves as his signature—and to the broader theme of marking one’s identity and belonging. The narrative dramatizes the encounter with the Pequod’s owners, Captains Peleg and Bildad, who interrogate Queequeg about his qualifications and religious status before permitting him to join the crew. Through humor, irony, and the clash of worldviews between the pragmatic Peleg and the devoutly religious Bildad, the chapter explores themes of prejudice, conversion, skill, and the tension between Christian piety and the savage courage required for whaling.
Initial Wharf Confrontation: Peleg Demands Queequeg’s Papers to Board
As Ishmael and Queequeg approach the ship along the wharf, with Queequeg carrying his harpoon, Captain Peleg calls out from his quarters in a gruff voice. He announces that he had not suspected Ishmael’s companion to be a cannibal, and he makes clear his policy: no cannibals shall board his vessel unless they first produce their papers. When Ishmael questions what Peleg means, the captain reiterates that Queequeg must show documentation or proof of legitimacy. This opening confrontation establishes the immediate barrier Queequeg must overcome—the requirement for recognized credentials in a society that views him as an uncivilized “cannibal” and pagan outsider. The scene introduces Peleg as a blunt, no-nonsense figure whose primary concerns are practical rather than spiritual.
Bildad Presses for Proof of Queequeg’s Christian Conversion
Captain Bildad emerges from behind Peleg, adding his voice to the interrogation. He demands to know whether Queequeg is currently “in communion with any Christian church,” invoking religious doctrine to question the harpooneer’s worthiness. Ishmael cleverly responds that Queequeg is a member of the First Congregational Church—a statement that contains both literal truth (all humanity belongs to God’s congregation) and humorous irony, since many tattooed savages who sail from Nantucket eventually become church members. Bildad, however, takes the claim seriously, questioning whether Queequeg attends services at Deacon Deuteronomy Coleman’s meeting-house and whether he has been properly baptized, noting that his baptism “would have washed some of that devil’s blue” from his face. When Ishmael admits ignorance about these details, Bildad grows stern, accusing Ishmael of “skylarking” with him. Ishmael then offers a philosophical defense, arguing that all humanity belongs to the “great and everlasting First Congregation of this whole worshipping world.” This exchange satirizes the arbitrary nature of religious membership requirements and highlights the tension between external conformity and genuine faith.
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