Tag Archives: chapter 10

And they were roommates- Chapter 10 and 11

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While reading chapters 10 and 11, Melville uses the shared room between Ishmael and Queequeg as a space where they can act without judgment, and as a place where companionship transcends into romance. In chapter 10, Melville writes “Man and wife, they say, there open the very bottom of their souls to each other; and some old couples often lie and chat over old times till nearly morning. Thus, then, in our hearts’ honeymoon, lay I and Queequeg— a cosy, loving pair” (Melville 58). Here, Ishmael compares his and Queequeg’s relationship to a couple, saying that couples  can chat till the morning and enjoy each other’s company. Ishmael is now getting used to Queequeg and even enjoys his company, so much to the point of romantic feelings. The “romance” between the two men can also be seen in chapter 11. Melville writes on page 59, “Queequeg now and then affectionately throwing his brown tattooed legs over mine…” and “…so entirely sociable and free and easy were we”. In their room, where it’s just them two, they can do whatever they want without judgment. They are able to live freely- like a couple does. Queequeg is growing on Ishmael, and their relationship is very romantic. They are not only sleeping with each other but they are cuddling with each other. Ishmael feels so close to Queequeg that he feels “free” in their shared room. 

Another thing I want to add is, I feel Melville included the relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg as a way to explore his own sexuality and his relationship with Nathaniel Hawthorne. From week 4’s slides, it seems like Hawthorne and Melville had a serious relationship. And on page 57, Ishmael says he ”began to be sensible of strange feelings.” And also goes on to say he  “began to feel myself mysteriously drawn towards him.” This magnetic pull towards Queequeg is making Ishmael confused, and this can be seen as a reflection for Melville being confused about his own sexuality. One thing for certain is, this most definitely can be seen as Ishamel questioning his sexuality and his feelings for his roommate- Queequeg. 

Week 6: Chapters 1-4 Ishmael x Queequeg

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Reading chapters four through 12, reading chapter 10, ” A Bosom Friend”, such an intense and also a big development of friendship between Ishmael and Queequeg. It was heartwarming of seeing Ishmael seeking to develop a friendship with Queequeg. It’s cute and I am loving it. Melville wants us to understand the human connections, breaking barriers and putting our differences aside when it comes to understanding other people in a diverse world.

” I began to be sensible of strange feelings. I felt a melting in me No more my splintered heart and maddened hand were turned against the wolfish world. This soothing savage had redeemed it.” (57). At the beginning of the book, we see how Ishmael was afraid and wasn’t quite sure about Queequeg being his roommate, also being a cannibal! wasn’t in his bingo card of the year! We can see the development of their friendship Ishmael goes continuously in these couple of chapters finally wanting to understand him and be his friend by putting his idealisms( religion, beliefs etc.) aside. Whether we see them as a romantic or platonic friendship going on it’s something beautiful as a developing friendship that awakens during rough times, makes us seek for comforting situations.

Chapter 10: A Bosom Friend

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Ishmael, who at once seemed so afraid of the foreignness of Queequeg, has over the course of these chapters become his ‘bosom friend’. I was, at once, astounded at the way Melville wrote the blossoming friendship between these two. Although it could be argued that their relationship is that of a very close friendship between two men, the tropes (like sharing a single bed) felt akin to the romance novels I love to read. Those who also enjoy reading romance novels might have also felt a click of awareness at the familiarity of this trope, and the romantic connotations of being thrust into the space of a total stranger, and the intimacy that results from this forced proximity. Ishmael’s growing positive regard for Queequeg also does little to stifle the feeling that his fondness does not strictly stem from friendliness, but rather a deeper appreciation and attraction. Although he at first considers Queequeg to be ugly and severe, Ishmael begins to warm up to his features and regular presence, regarding him as “by no means disagreeable(p.55),” his eyes as “fiery black and bold, there seemed tokens of a spirit that would have dared a thousand devils,(p.56)” and his head as “phrenologically” excellent. I am left in total shambles at this not-so-shy and growing affection within Ishmael.

This fascination and blossoming romantic interest, is also reciprocated by Queequeg who is “pleased, perhaps a little complimented,(57)” at Ishmael returning as his bedfellow, and proclaims them “married(57),” which supposedly means “bosom friend.” However, I wonder if, through Ishmael’s naïvety and innocence, Melville means to push the boundaries between the prescribed ideals of marriage, between man and woman, by having Ishmael and Queequeg partake in each other’s space, friendship, and religions and questioning “But what is Worship – to do the will of god – that is worship. And what is the will of God? – to do to my fellow man what I would have my fellow man do to me– that is the will of God.” 

Through this internal questioning of the overarching goal of worship and the will of God, Ishmael decides to “turn Idolater (58),” in order to unite with Queeqeg. The steps that he goes through with Queeqeg, and the intimacy that grows between them in this scene, is also reminiscent of a marriage ceremony, an official union that occurs between lovers, which makes me question how Ishmael could possibly see this ceremony as an act simply between “bosom friends”, and not one of lovers. Of course, there is much I don’t understand about queer romance and the expression of coded homoeroticism during this era, but I can not deny that the relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg is a romantic one, insofar as we have read in these chapters. I hope to read much more of their relationship, and hope that it lasts into the days of their voyage!

question your values in order to understand more about yourself

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Chapters 4 through 12 had a few recurring themes such as questioning your own values, questioning the religious values imposed upon you, and even queer tendencies within seamen. Although these themes are beautifully presented and questioned throughout the chapters, I was in awe of the way Ishmael opened up to the reader about changing/challenging personal values and being more self aware in general. In chapter 10, A Bosom Friend, Ishmael is grappling between his own religious values and those of his dear friend Queequeg. Ishmael describes a spiritual like feeling toward his friend and rather than dismissing it, he practiced the art of opening up and accepted this curiosity.

“I began to be sensible of strange feelings. I felt a melting in me. No more my splintered heart and maddened hand were turned “I began to feel myself mysteriously drawn towards him. And those same things that would have repelled most others, they were the very magnets that thus drew me…Christian kindness has proved hollow courtesy.” (Melville, 57)

Ishmael was willing to question his own values and felt peace in not allowing what is expected of him to keep him from understanding more about himself and his new friend Queequeg. He found beauty in the unknown.That can be reflected in his love for the ocean. The ocean is filled with the unknown and sets Ishmael free in a way even prior to sailing on the boat. Ishmael can freely question his values and the religious values imposed on him. Things aren’t so simple and settled like on land but free and ever changing like taking to sea.

Chapter Ten

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In these chapters of Moby-Dick, Melville offers us a deeper look into the relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg. We could interpret their connection as more than a simple growing friendship; there are elements of a romantic bond, as described by Melville. This interpretation is particularly interesting given the cultural context of the 19th century, where queer relationships were rarely, if ever, represented openly in literature. Seeing such intimacy written in this novel, in this way, can show how people at that time resisted or ignored the possibility of a queer narrative. In modern day, we are more exposed to queer narratives and can easily point out when artwork is queer; unlike in the 19th century, when representation was kept minimal.

Chapter 10 especially emphasizes both the physical and emotional closeness between Ishmael and Queequeg. Ishmael describes how Queequeg “pressed his forehead against mine, clasped me around the waist, and said that henceforth we were married.” (Melville 57) The way that Melville worded this is striking, not only for its tenderness, but also for implying a relational permanency between the two with the term “married”. Later, Ishmael continues, “thus, then, in our hearts’ honeymoon, lay I and Queequeg — a cosy, loving pair.” (Melville 28) These scenes show the intimacy between the two sailors, hinting at a relationship rooted in devotion to one another. 

What makes this chapter especially significant is not only the intimate dedication between Ishmael and Queequeg, but also the way their bond has been understood—or dismissed—over time. Some readers see their relationship as purely platonic, reflecting the deep companionships sailors often formed, while others interpret the affectionate and even erotic language as evidence of a queer connection. How readers respond to these passages depends greatly on the cultural lens of the time. In the 19th century, queerness was rarely acknowledged; the term “homosexuality” itself was not coined until the late 19th century, as early as the 1960s, according to the Stanford Encyclopedia — about 10 years after the release of Moby-Dick. This does not mean that queer relationships did not exist, but rather that society lacked the language and openness to recognize them. Reading Moby-Dick today, in a time when queer relationships are more visible and celebrated, allows us to see possibilities in Ishmael and Queequeg’s intimacy that may have been overlooked in earlier years. This contrast across time highlights how literature can be reinterpreted by different audiences, reflecting changed understandings.