Ishmael claims to be respectful towards different religions, however, his reactions to Queequeg shows his acceptance only goes so far. Melville uses Ishmael to reveal the hypocrisy and the cultural bias within the Christian religion. When referring to his Christianity, Ishmael says “we good Presbyterian Christians…” By Ishmael referring to Christianity as “good”, it shows that he believes the Christian faith is the only correct way and most respectful, even though he claims to be respectful of other faiths. This exposes his religious bias. Ishmael represents Christians of the 19th century and their narrow-mindedness by believing Christianity is the only good and correct religion out there.
When Ishmael comes in contact with Queequeg doing his traditions (his Ramadan, praying, and worshipping), he has a lot to say. A lot of negative things at that. When Ishmael saw Queequeg praying on the floor, he says, “it seemed so downright senseless and insane to be sitting there all day and half the night on his hams in a cold room, holding a piece of wood on his head” (Melville 93). By using the words “senseless” and “insane” shows that Ishmael’s Christian views had shaped his understanding of what “proper” worshipping is. He has a certain notion of how to properly worship God. And anything not seen as Christian is deemed weird.
Ishmael also goes on to criticize the fasting Queequeg does due to his beliefs. He goes on to make points against the fasting, even calling Queequeg’s beliefs “frantic”. Ishmael says that “prolonged ham-squatting in cold, cheerless rooms were stark nonsense; bad for the health; useless for the soul” (Melville 94). Again, while Ishmael claims to be respectful, he shows otherwise- showing his hypocrisy and his bias. He dismisses what he does not understand and tries to make excuses to justify his prejudices.
Hi Francesca!
I agree that Ishmael is very hypocritical in the way that he claims to be accepting and yet continues to deride and show repulsion towards different aspects of Queequeg’s religion. That being said, I think that Ishmael is a two-fold lesson wrapped in a character: He does not hide his disdain towards Christianity at all, constantly staying things about how Christian kindness is hollow, how the faith present within church can be parasitic, etc. He does not seem to hold love towards it. Yet, in the same breath, he is also talking about being a “good Christian” or how he found the way that Queequeg went about his Ramadan as queer or strange. I think that’s the point of his character – showing how unreliable he is as a person, while also reflecting the very narrowmindedness present within Christian religious practices as a whole. There’s definitely more to this passage, I think.
-Kit Jackson
Hi Francisca, I also noted this contrast while reading. I found it interesting how Ishmael did not critique the Quakers and the way they do things, but became obsessed with the wrongs of Queequeg’s Ramadan. I wonder if Ishmael will become more open minded on the boat, where there is less societal structure and pressure to fit in and be aligned with this religion. I also wonder if experiences on the boat not involving religion may change Ishamel’s perspective on religion, or maybe who he believes in. With this isolation on the boat, there is less of a religious community to rely on
Hi Francisca, I’d also say that this hypocrisy with respecting religions holds true even today. I don’t like talking politics, but the way Ishmael’s worry about Queequeg stemming from his unawareness about Queequeg’s religion seems to mirror how people who blindly follow their faith don’t seem to realize that other people follow different religions. I like to think that this chapter is a critique on religion and “judging the other,” like we discussed in class, since not many people seem to realize that Christianity isn’t the only religion in the world.
Hello,
I agree with you said about how Melville is using this chapter to use the expression of how christians are and express their religion, saying you are a good child of god and you respect all other forms of god but when it comes down to it, they are not. this chapter is a very good example of that