May 8, 2026
Thanks to Alissa Simon, HMU Tutor, for today’s post.
The “Town-Ho’s Story” is one of the more enigmatic chapters in Moby Dick (which contains plenty of enigmatic chapters). Situated between “The Gam” and “Of the Monstrous Pictures of Whales,” the “Town-Ho’s Story” serves multiple purposes. First of all, at this point in the story, Ahab isn’t interested in any gams. He doesn’t care to chat with other whalers unless they can point him to the white whale. Like a detective on the trail of a killer, Ahab is obsessed with only one thing. The other sailors, however, learn a lot from these gams. They want to know of life back home, they want gossip, they want advice about good whaling spots, or about new territories and weather delays, etc. Ahab wants none of this, so he cuts short each approach to other vessels, thus stunting the crew’s interactions too. It’s ironic, then, that the “Town-Ho’s Story” is a sort of gam in which Ishmael tells news of another whaling vessel. So, the first purpose of this chapter might be just to let the reader experience a gam.
Another large takeaway from the “Town-Ho’s Story” is that it comments on the nature of death. In killing the first mate of the Town-Ho, Moby Dick seems to deliver divine punishment. Moby Dick’s immense powers only increase through the retelling of the Town-Ho’s story – a story which the crew keeps secret from Ahab. The story further romanticizes the already immense powers of the magical whale. It makes sense, then, that the subsequent chapter (“Of the Monstrous Pictures of Whales”) seeks to clarify the size, shape, and purpose of the whale. It’s ironic and comical that the “Town-Ho’s Story” utilizes hyperbole while the following chapter makes fun of hyperbole. Melville wants to teach readers a lesson about truth. He indicates that truth might include a little hyperbole (though not too much) and that the best way to paint truth is through story.
The April Quarterly Discussion focused on the “Town-Ho’s Story” mostly because it’s hard to pin down the story’s truth. The story focuses on the Town-Ho’s first mate, Radney, who feels inferior to one of his subordinates, Steelkilt. Melville writes: “Now, as you well know it, it is not seldom the case in this conventional world of ours – watery or otherwise; that when a person placed in command over his fellow-men finds one of them to be very significantly his superior in general pride of manhood, straightaway against that man he conceives an unconquerable dislike and bitterness.” In Melville’s estimation, the basis of this conflict has something to do with an inferiority complex. While Radney and Steelkilt advance and parry, almost dancing across the deck, the narrator foreshadows Radney’s future. He says that the foolish first mate “had been branded for slaughter by the gods.” So, not only is Radney destined to die, but his death is attributed to the gods’ interaction.
Furthermore, the Captain has done little to intervene thus far. He shouts from behind the backs of other sailors. He refuses to answer direct questions or give decisive commands. Melville portrays the human skirmishes as pitiful and ridiculous. The Captain worries about control, but Steelkilt proves that he never truly had it. Radney, too, worries about innuendo, pride, and reputation. These are silly concerns. Perhaps this story relates a tale of justice, but if so, it’s not human justice.
In the “Town-Ho’s Story” some of the men are whipped, collared, and hung. But these are human punishments, doled out by humans and given to humans. Moby Dick’s treatment of Radney is notably different. In truth, none of the punishments in this chapter seem “fair” from a human perspective. Perhaps the fatal cause of events was inspired by the first mate’s personality. Perhaps his death is unavoidable or necessary in some existential way. The crew could never rest with such an inflammatory situation. It’s important to note, however, that his inflammatory nature required kindling, which Steelkilt provided because he would not be tamed. Finally, this killing foreshadows Ahab’s end as well.
The “Town-Ho’s Story” explores connections between human nature and nature. Mary Oliver’s poem “1945-1985: A Poem for the Anniversary” also discusses the way that nature intersects with human history. She shows how humans exist and act within a world that they do not control. The poem begins with an interaction between a fawn and a dog. Naive and innocent, the two play because they are not aware of stereotypical roles of predator and prey. The next scene, however, moves from forest into a well-manicured garden. The narrator notes that this garden contains “a waterfall, for pleasure and nothing else!” which seems like a sublime image until we learn what is at the garden’s center. A man drinks wine from real crystal surrounded by luxuries which appear incandescent until the narrator recognizes “the face of Mengele.” This shocking revelation sours all beauty. What was once peaceful becomes a container for torture and evil. The poem then shifts back to the wilderness where the doe immediately “knew everything” as she reunites with the fawn. In other words, the doe’s experience and age means that she understands history or nature or predation or power on a very intimate level. The garden, it turns out, contains the unnatural.
In the “Town-Ho’s Story,” the Captain eventually decides to whip the subordinate troublemaker Steelkilt. As the Captain moves to strike him, though, Steelkilt whispers something which profoundly disturbs the Captain. Ishmael explains: “Steelkilt here hissed out something, inaudible to all but the Captain; who, to the amazement of all hands, started back, paced the deck rapidly two or three times, and then suddenly throwing down his rope, said, ‘I won’t do it – let him go – cut him down’.” Not only did the Captain refrain from whipping Steelkilt, but he refused punishment altogether. This is astonishing because the Captain has the upper hand in every way. So the question is, what could Steelkilt possibly have whispered to intimidate him? Whatever it was, this very same threat did NOT stop the first mate who proceeded to whip Steelkilt. And from there, the first mate’s fate is sealed.
As in Mary Oliver’s woods, the threat must have been metaphysical, supernatural, or unnatural. If Steelkilt represents untamed wilderness, then the ship becomes an unnatural space which fosters Radney’s fanaticism. Radney is doomed from the very beginning because he brings evil. He alters nature. So, he receives Moby Dick’s almost divine punishment. Mengele, too, represents evil. Oliver’s narrator demonstrates how fear of the unnatural affects future actions. The poem concludes: “The forest grew dark. // Then she nuzzled her child wildly.” In other words, the doe is desperate to keep her child safe from existential threats while also understanding that the forest can change at any time.
These pieces offered so much excellent discussion that we ran out of time! We had wonderful, insightful conversations and I am grateful to those who joined us. Our next Quarterly Discussion opportunity will be mid-July. Please consider joining a discussion on either July 13, 16, or 18. Email as****@*mu.edu for more information and to register.
Photo credit: Shutterstock/ birnschi
