Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Melville was ahead of his time on Same Sex Marriage

Also, from page 51 of my copy of Moby Dick, Melville reveals to us that Marriage is more a state of mind and a powerfully bonded relationship than some supposedly preverted sexual act:

"He seemed to take to me quite as naturally and unbiddenly as I to him; and when our smoke was over, he pressed his forehead against mine, clasped me round the waist, and said that henceforth we were married; meaning, in his country's phrase, that we were bosom friends; he would gladly die for me, if need should be. In a countryman, this sudden flame of friendship would have seemed far too premature, a thing to be much distrusted; but in this simple savage those old rules would not apply."

on to page 52:

"How it is I know not; but there is no place like a bed for confidential disclosures between friends. 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."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for clearing up the confusion on Melville and Moby Dick.

I was always wondering