Previous Chapter: Moby Dick Chapter 38: Dusk (summary)
This is Moby Dick Chapter 39: First Night-Watch (summary).
Vocabulary Words found in this chapter: Moby Dick Chapter 39: First Night-Watch (Vocabulary Words)
Stubb was alone at the foretop1the platform at the head of a ship’s foremast (the mast nearest the bow of a ship) repairing a brace. After hearing a little from the conversation between Ahab and Starbuck, he said he saw the same look he had the other evening on Starbuck’s eyes.
Funnily, Stubb said he’ll just laugh away about whatever’s coming to all of them. He reasoned it is the wisest and easiest thing to do when you can’t really do anything about an impending doom.
Again, he calls himself “wise” and titles himself with it. He doesn’t know all that may come, but said that whatever may come, he’ll just laugh through it like mad. Additionally, he likened his happiness to a frigate’s2a light boat propelled originally by oars but later by sails. pennant3a flag or banner longer in the fly than in the hoist.. He even composed a song out of his insanity:
We’ll drink to-night with hearts as light,
To love, as gay and fleeting
As bubbles that swim, on the beaker’s brim,
And break on the lips while meeting.
After a while, Starbuck called him. While he replied to Starbuck’s call and came down, he mumbled that he’s his superior and that Starbuck has his own superior, too.
End of Moby Dick Chapter 39: First Night-Watch (summary).