Poetry · Chapter
Whale and Its Foes explained
A narrative poem describing a battle at sea between a whale and its attackers—a swordfish and a thrasher—which ultimately leads to the whale's death, after which a ship's crew claims the spoils.
What happens
A narrative poem describing a battle at sea between a whale and its attackers—a swordfish and a thrasher—which ultimately leads to the whale's death, after which a ship's crew claims the spoils.
Themes in this chapter
Nature and the Environment
The poem vividly depicts a natural struggle between marine creatures, emphasizing the raw and violent aspects of the natural world.
Key passages
“Six hundred miles north of Cape Flattery, On sea there seemed a floating battery, And stream of blood did dye the water, Sailors wondered what was the matter.”
Six hundred miles north of Cape Flattery, a floating battery appeared at sea, and a stream of blood stained the water, causing sailors to wonder what was happening.
Sets the scene of a mysterious and bloody sea battle.
“But they soon saw a great sword fish With its bayonet make a quick rush, Into which proved to be large whale, And thrasher too did it assail.”
But they soon saw a large swordfish make a quick rush with its bayonet-like bill into what turned out to be a large whale, and a thrasher also attacked it.
Identifies the combatants: a swordfish and a thrasher attacking a whale.
“The whale dived deep to save its life, But thrasher eager for the strife, Knew whale must rise for to get breath, Then it would thrash the whale to death.”
The whale dove deep to save itself, but the thrasher, eager for the fight, knew the whale would have to rise to breathe, and then it would thrash the whale to death.
Describes the thrasher's strategy of waiting for the whale to surface.
“At last the great whale it arose, And in distress it spouts and blows, In anger sweeps its mighty tail, Defensive weapon of the whale.”
At last the great whale rose, spouting and blowing in distress, and angrily swept its mighty tail—the whale's defensive weapon.
Shows the whale's desperate defense as it surfaces.
“But thrasher high in air did leap, And fell on monster of the deep, The sword fish then it did advance, And assaulted it with its lance.”
But the thrasher leaped high into the air and fell onto the monster of the deep, and then the swordfish advanced and assaulted it with its lance-like bill.
Depicts the coordinated attack by the thrasher and swordfish.
“Thus united foes soon do prevail, And quick there floated a dead whale, The thrasher now victorious winner, From off the whale expected dinner.”
Thus the united foes soon prevail, and quickly a dead whale floated; the thrasher, now the victorious winner, expected dinner from the whale.
Concludes the battle with the whale's death and the thrasher's anticipated meal.