Excerpts
Herman Melville writes for Friends.
So, you know when you’re watching a fairly uninspired sitcom, or a middle of the road comedy film, there’s that scene where two straight guys end up having to share a bed for the night and, invariably, when they wake up the next day, one guy has his arm around the other and they are all cuddled up and then they both freak out and jump up and act masculine? Or one wakes up and the other is so completely out of it, he doesn’t, and the one who is awake has to try to get himself out of the situation somehow?
You know how you watch that scene and say: “Oh, yeah. This again.”
That scene? You know that scene, right?
Did you know Melville invented it?
Upon waking next morning about daylight, I found Queequeg’s arm thrown over me in the most loving and affectionate manner. You had almost thought I had been his wife…
…But at length all the past night’s events soberly recurred one by one, in fixed reality, and then I lay only alive to the comical predicament. For though I tried to move his arm—unlock his bridegroom clasp—yet, sleeping as he was, he still hugged me tightly, as though not but death should part us twain. I now strove to rouse him—”Queequeg!”—but his only answer was a snore. I then rolled over, my neck feeling as if it were in a horse-collar; and suddenly I felt a slight scratch. Throwing aside the counterpane, there lay the tomahawk sleeping by the savage’s side, as if it were a hatchet-faced baby. A pretty pickle, truly, thought I; abed here in a strange house in broad day, with a cannibal and a tomahawk! “Queequeg!—in the name of goodness, Queequeg, wake!” At length, by dint of much wriggling and loud and incessant expostulations upon the unbecomingness of his hugging a fellow male in that matrimonial sort of style, I succeeded in extracting a grunt; and presently, he drew back his arm, shook himself like a Newfoundland dog just from the water, and sat up in bed…
Did you know? I didn’t.
Tags: Herman Melville, Moby-Dick, Sitcoms
Hilarious. I love the beginning of Moby Dick the best. The descriptions of chowder in particular.
Hilarious. I love the beginning of Moby Dick the best. The descriptions of chowder in particular.
Absolutely. “…his bridegroom clasp…”
I have to admit, I am just NOW reading Moby-Dick for the first time. (I’m pathetic.) And I love it when you spend your life being told a book is profound and important and life-changing and significant and all that, and you finally pick it up, and you start reading, and you find out that also, it’s really funny.
Absolutely. “…his bridegroom clasp…”
I have to admit, I am just NOW reading Moby-Dick for the first time. (I’m pathetic.) And I love it when you spend your life being told a book is profound and important and life-changing and significant and all that, and you finally pick it up, and you start reading, and you find out that also, it’s really funny.
Moby Dick is one of those books that you dread reading your entire life because it seems “stuffy”, but then you pick it up and find out it is one of the most alive things you’ve ever read. I just read it last year and I kept thinking about how I’m probably going to read it to my (hypothetical) children.
very nice. bonus points for repping atlanta’s finest heavy musics.
Moby Dick is one of those books that you dread reading your entire life because it seems “stuffy”, but then you pick it up and find out it is one of the most alive things you’ve ever read. I just read it last year and I kept thinking about how I’m probably going to read it to my (hypothetical) children.
very nice. bonus points for repping atlanta’s finest heavy musics.
“Queequeg, where’s your other hand?”
“Oh, it’s down there, between two pillows.”
“Those AREN’T two pillows!”
“Queequeg, where’s your other hand?”
“Oh, it’s down there, between two pillows.”
“Those AREN’T two pillows!”
It’s funny to see this scenereo in Melville, but the repetition of these similar themes makes me think that you might have to dig deeper still to uncover it’s literary origins…
It’s funny to see this scenereo in Melville, but the repetition of these similar themes makes me think that you might have to dig deeper still to uncover it’s literary origins…
“And Noah said unto his sons Ham and Japheth, ‘We have only the one bed for the two of you.’ And ye, in the morning, Ham clung to Japheth with a husband’s familiarity. And as Japheth chased Ham around the Ark in order to smite him, Yakety Sax did play.”
“And Noah said unto his sons Ham and Japheth, ‘We have only the one bed for the two of you.’ And ye, in the morning, Ham clung to Japheth with a husband’s familiarity. And as Japheth chased Ham around the Ark in order to smite him, Yakety Sax did play.”
Yeah, this one came to mind, Pete.
Yeah, this one came to mind, Pete.
i like the chapter on whiteness
i like the chapter on whiteness
haha
haha
this is essential summer reading
this is essential summer reading
Why, thank you Jonny.
Or, wait. You probably meant the book and not just the blog post, eh?
Why, thank you Jonny.
Or, wait. You probably meant the book and not just the blog post, eh?
I read Moby-Dick for the first time within the last year or two. It’s SUCH an incredible novel. It’s modernism and post-modernism, all rolled into one, and bested, a full century before they even happen. The other day I was trying to figure out if Whitman got “O Captain, my Captain” from Moby-Dick. I think Starbuck says something very similar at one point.
I read Moby-Dick for the first time within the last year or two. It’s SUCH an incredible novel. It’s modernism and post-modernism, all rolled into one, and bested, a full century before they even happen. The other day I was trying to figure out if Whitman got “O Captain, my Captain” from Moby-Dick. I think Starbuck says something very similar at one point.
I tried to do some internet research to see if there was possibly an earlier origin of the scene. I googled: two men sleeping in the same bed uncomfortable. I did not get any literary references.
I tried to do some internet research to see if there was possibly an earlier origin of the scene. I googled: two men sleeping in the same bed uncomfortable. I did not get any literary references.
yes
yes
Check out Don Quixote for this too if you haven’t (the modernism/post modernism thing in an ‘old’ book.)
I have this reaction to ‘classic’ books all the time – being surprised they’re good, like we’re trained to think that classic books are like vegetables. I’ve felt this way after reading Don Quixote, Tom Jones, Moby Dick, Billy Budd, and a bunch of others despite knowing there’s a reason why people continue to read and enjoy the ‘classics.’
Check out Don Quixote for this too if you haven’t (the modernism/post modernism thing in an ‘old’ book.)
I have this reaction to ‘classic’ books all the time – being surprised they’re good, like we’re trained to think that classic books are like vegetables. I’ve felt this way after reading Don Quixote, Tom Jones, Moby Dick, Billy Budd, and a bunch of others despite knowing there’s a reason why people continue to read and enjoy the ‘classics.’
I am told that this is where the phrase ‘gay as a pagan whaler’ originates.
I am told that this is where the phrase ‘gay as a pagan whaler’ originates.
I never read Moby Dick but I saw the 21 Jump Street episdoe where in juvy (juvie?) the bully turns his life around and the show shows us this by having him looking very serious holding a copy of Moby Dick. Later he gets shanked and dies but Grieco learns a valuable lesson and waits for him as he emerges, free, from juvie (as Blind Faith sings “Can’t Find My Way Home”).
I don’t care what anyone says, the Planes, Trains and Autos scene with Candy and Martin (“those aren’t pillows!”) is just vintage and original. Those writers and JH hadn’t read MD, I’m pretty sure.
I never read Moby Dick but I saw the 21 Jump Street episdoe where in juvy (juvie?) the bully turns his life around and the show shows us this by having him looking very serious holding a copy of Moby Dick. Later he gets shanked and dies but Grieco learns a valuable lesson and waits for him as he emerges, free, from juvie (as Blind Faith sings “Can’t Find My Way Home”).
I don’t care what anyone says, the Planes, Trains and Autos scene with Candy and Martin (“those aren’t pillows!”) is just vintage and original. Those writers and JH hadn’t read MD, I’m pretty sure.
and by “him” I meant another young boy, not the dead shanked dude
and by “him” I meant another young boy, not the dead shanked dude
did someone say starbucks? that place has great coffee, but it’s really expensive
did someone say starbucks? that place has great coffee, but it’s really expensive
Yeah, Don Quixote. The Edith Grossman translation (with the red cover) is particularly good. A cat peed on my other copy (Oxford, I think?) when I was a quarter way through so I finished it in Grossman. Such a difference.
Yeah, Don Quixote. The Edith Grossman translation (with the red cover) is particularly good. A cat peed on my other copy (Oxford, I think?) when I was a quarter way through so I finished it in Grossman. Such a difference.
Tristam Shandy, too. Metafiction existed at the dawn of the English novel.
Tristam Shandy, too. Metafiction existed at the dawn of the English novel.
That’s why I’m glad McD’s has added lattes to their menu. Phew!
That’s why I’m glad McD’s has added lattes to their menu. Phew!
Yes!
Yes!
i think that’s key to Moby Dick. if people are just told it’s funny, it’s much easier to start. i mean who can get through soooo many pages about whale blubber (although i think this section is removed from many modern editions) before the run really starts. digression in excess to great comedic effect. it just gets funnier, too. there’s a pretty hilarious totem pole of ethnic minorities on a small boat late in the book that makes me giggle every time. there are harpoons, stepping on heads, trying to reach the top of the pile. it’s like a warner bros cartoon or something. and also the play, inexplicably placed near the middle of the novel! comedy of misunderstandings and, again, ethnic groups. melville was a pretty funny dude. even the premise is funny. it’s a book narrated by a guy in his 20s who knows everything. that’s a pretty wild set up. sorry if i gave anything away. enjoy the read, matthew.
i think that’s key to Moby Dick. if people are just told it’s funny, it’s much easier to start. i mean who can get through soooo many pages about whale blubber (although i think this section is removed from many modern editions) before the run really starts. digression in excess to great comedic effect. it just gets funnier, too. there’s a pretty hilarious totem pole of ethnic minorities on a small boat late in the book that makes me giggle every time. there are harpoons, stepping on heads, trying to reach the top of the pile. it’s like a warner bros cartoon or something. and also the play, inexplicably placed near the middle of the novel! comedy of misunderstandings and, again, ethnic groups. melville was a pretty funny dude. even the premise is funny. it’s a book narrated by a guy in his 20s who knows everything. that’s a pretty wild set up. sorry if i gave anything away. enjoy the read, matthew.
p.s. sorry about the italics.
re: tristram shandy. has anyone seen the steve coogin film from a couple years back. it’s a movie about making a movie about the most “unfilmable” novel ever written. it’s pretty great. steve coogin is genius. and i am a british comedy nerd.
p.s. sorry about the italics.
re: tristram shandy. has anyone seen the steve coogin film from a couple years back. it’s a movie about making a movie about the most “unfilmable” novel ever written. it’s pretty great. steve coogin is genius. and i am a british comedy nerd.
Yeah. I love that movie.
My MFA essay was on the digressions and interruptions in the first 60 pages of Shandy. I watched the movie once a week during the writing of it.
The graphic novel is pretty good, too.
Tristram. I called him Tristam up there. Whoops.
Yeah. I love that movie.
My MFA essay was on the digressions and interruptions in the first 60 pages of Shandy. I watched the movie once a week during the writing of it.
The graphic novel is pretty good, too.
Tristram. I called him Tristam up there. Whoops.
Thanks very much for your great blog.
Thanks very much for your great blog.