A Squeeze of the Hand: Melville and His Craziness

Erica Neese

Blog # 9

HONR 2210

22 November 2011

            We encounter in the 94^th chapter of Moby Dick the much anticipated, extended metaphor of masturbation involving the spermaceti of the sperm whale which the crew has recently killed. We have learned much of the sperm whale thanks to Ishmael’s various factual rants on facts and characteristics of each type of whale, and we learn that the most common and sought after whale is in fact, the sperm whale. In this chapter, Ishmael tells us, very jubilantly of his experience breaking up the lumpy spermaceti which is extracted from the whale’s head and elaborates very extensively on the pleasures which he enjoys from this task.

            Melville, as we know, has a very unique way of challenging the reader to think within his stories; consequently, this passage is most significant and up for analysis in my opinion. We learn of Ishmael, who already evokes some homosexual tendencies in relation to Queequeg, spanning from their first night together, and many of his actions reflect a unique daintiness. As a result, in this section, Ishmael’s experience with the spermaceti seems to reveal his sexuality definitely. Ishmael says, “Squeeze! squeeze! squeeze! all the morning long; I squeezed that sperm till I myself almost melted into it; I squeezed that sperm till a strange sort of insanity came over me” (Melville 373). Although we see Ishmael’s “insane” actions here, I found this to be directly reflective of Melville’s extreme insanity. I view this chapter as Melville attempting to write of Ishmael’s experience and then before he is aware, his own indulgence in the thought of masturbation and ejaculation ultimately overflows onto the page making the story that much more complex.

            Ishmael experiences an exuberant amount of pleasure from squeezing the spermaceti in the bucket and seems to additionally be enlightened of the thought that everyone should have an opportunity to do such. Ishmael states, “I have perceived that in all cases man must eventually lower, or at least shift, his conceit of attainable felicity; not placing it anywhere in the intellect or the fancy; but in the wife, the heart, the bed, the table, the saddle, the fire-side, the country…I am ready to squeeze case eternally” (Melville 373). On one hand, I believe Melville is implying that man should experiment with his sexuality and seek his own means of “felicity”, or happiness. On the other, I found that Melville might possibly be questioning the essense of happiness and whether or not it is worth it to settle for earthly happiness. He seems to be suggesting that Ishmael is not yet willing to settle, but desirous of spreading his new found happiness. He says, ” let squeeze hands all round; nay, let us all squeeze ourselves into each other; let us squeeze ourselves universally into the very milk and sperm of kindness” (Melville 373). All in all, this chapter is extremely interesting if analyzed and I believe Melville wrote in such a way as to challenge the reader to look more closely at Ishmael’s ecstatic experience analyze whether it is Melville or Ishmael who is more inclined to settle for earthly felicity rather than fanciful thoughts of squeezing the spermaceti forever.