Homoeroticism in Moby Dick
As raised in
another thread, here is the beginning of a discussion about homoerotic subtexts in
Moby Dick, and possibly other literature if the discussion goes that way.
I assume most people know about this already. I raised it in the other thread only to explain that the romance between the men is the main reason I enjoyed the book, which otherwise is a classic "guy" adventure.
First, a disclaimer: In 19th-Century America (I don't happen to know about other countries, though I would like to), "sex" fell more vaguely on the whole spectrum of physical and emotional affection, so a lot of the modern discussion of homosexuality is anachronistic. Melville almost certainly had sexual experiences with men, but he was also immersed in the ideas of the time that made a whole spiritual thing out of sexual relations. Like Hawthorne, Emerson, Whitman, and others, a lot of his sexual references are figurative.
With that out of the way:
Ishmael and Queequeg spend a couple of days at an inn getting to know each other, adjusting to each other's ways, spending nights and mornings with legs and arms intertwined, and finally having a pagan "marriage."
They go on a voyage together, not to any actual destination, but out to sea in a miniature world where women are left behind. There is constant wordplay on the hunt for sperm. The chapter "A Squeeze of the Hand" is an allegory on sensual play among men, well lubricated with whale oil (again, "sperm").
Ahab is repeatedly described as unmasted and unmanned. This mostly has to do with the leg he lost, of course, but there may be hints that he lost more than his leg. Publishing sensibilities of the day, however, would have prevented those hints from being clearer; but in any case, this "unmanned" captain, no longer able to relate intimately with other men, is willing to send his crew to their deaths.
There's more. A zillion studies (yes, that's the exact number) have looked at this, and I don't want to plagiarize.
Anyway--discussion?
. Have a g'day all.
