# XXXV: The Masthead explained — Moby-Dick

> Chapter companion for Moby-Dick by Herman Melville.

## What happens

Ishmael describes his first turn standing watch at the masthead, a routine duty on a whaling voyage. He digresses into a humorous history of 'masthead standers,' from ancient Egyptian astronomers and Stylites to modern statues like Napoleon and Washington. He contrasts the exposed, dream-inducing perch of the Southern whaler with the sheltered 'crow's-nest' of Greenland whalers as described by the fictional Captain Sleet. Ishmael confesses he was a poor lookout, prone to philosophical reverie rather than vigilance, and warns shipowners against hiring meditative young men who are more suited to contemplation than blubber-hunting.

## Themes in this chapter

### Isolation and Community

The masthead is a place of profound physical and mental isolation, separating the dreamy lookout from the community and practical duties of the deck below.

### Interpretation and Perception

The chapter contrasts two ways of perceiving from the masthead: the practical, vigilant lookout versus the meditative, philosophical 'Platonist' who sees the universe, not whales.

## Character check-ins

### Ishmael

Narrates his first masthead watch, confessing to being a distracted, philosophical lookout lost in thought.

### Queequeg

Mentioned as someone Ishmael would chat with in the rigging during his leisurely ascent to the masthead.

### Captain Sleet

A fictional author and captain whose book 'A Voyage Among the Icebergs' provides a detailed, humorous account of the comforts of his invented 'crow's-nest.'

## Key lines

> In the serene weather of the tropics it is exceedingly pleasant the masthead; nay, to a dreamy meditative man it is delightful.

The masthead offers a pleasurable, even delightful, experience for a contemplative person during calm tropical weather.

_Highlights the seductive, dream-like quality of the duty._

> Let me make a clean breast of it here, and frankly admit that I kept but sorry guard.

I confess I was a terrible lookout.

_Ishmael's direct admission of his failure at the practical task._

> Beware of enlisting in your vigilant fisheries any lad with lean brow and hollow eye; given to unseasonable meditativeness...

Shipowners should avoid hiring thoughtful, philosophical young men for whaling.

_Ishmael humorously warns against lookouts like himself who are prone to reverie._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/moby_dick_se/chapters/xxxv-the-masthead
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/moby_dick_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/moby_dick_se/chapters