One of the arguments that Bryant raises in his article that has made an impression on me is the ongoing duality between Ishmael and Ahab. It seems that Ishmael and Ihab are like two sides of a coin, where Ishmael represents the comic and lyrical and Ahab the tragedy and dramatic. Ishmael represents the Homeric and Ahab the Shakespearean. Thus, the reader is forever “caught” between them and between what they represent.
Within this duality though, one voice overcomes the other, the voice of Ishmael. Ishmael’s voice is the one that survives. His comic voice frames Ahab’s tragic one or as Bryant summarizes it: “Ahab grows out of Ishmael” (71). In this process, Ahab’s voice sounds more like Ishmael’s than Ahab’s because “ it is Ishmael speaking through him” (87). I find it interesting that Bryant makes this observation because in the hierarchy of the ship, Ahab as the captain of the ship is supposed to surpass Ishmael who is at the lowest rank, yet according to Bryant the opposite actually happens and Ishmael overcomes Ahab.
As I didn’t finish reading the book, these arguments will be ones that I will pay attention to and try to identify as I read along. I am curious to find out how Ahab’s voice will start sounding more like Ishmael’s, will it turn more comic? less depressing? And additionally, I’m curious to find out what will be the effect on me, as a reader.
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