Meaning: Creativity, resources, fertility
Depiction: Queequeg, swimming underwater , pulls Tashtego out from below the submerged whale's head through the hole he has cut. He has his sword in one hand, his other hand is dragging Tashtego out by the hair (ouch, but that's how it's written), Tashtego's head, emerging from the whale.
Text: Chapter 78, Cistern and Bucket
Why, diving after the slowly descending head, Queequeg with his keen sword had made side lunges near its bottom, so as to scuttle a large hole there; then dropping his sword, had thrust his long arm far inwards and upwards, and so hauled out poor Tash by the head. He averred, that upon first thrusting in for him, a leg was presented; but well knowing that that was not as it ought to be, and might occasion great trouble;—he had thrust back the leg, and by a dexterous heave and toss, had wrought a somerset upon the Indian; so that with the next trial, he came forth in the good old way—head foremost.
Depiction: Queequeg, swimming underwater , pulls Tashtego out from below the submerged whale's head through the hole he has cut. He has his sword in one hand, his other hand is dragging Tashtego out by the hair (ouch, but that's how it's written), Tashtego's head, emerging from the whale.
Text: Chapter 78, Cistern and Bucket
Why, diving after the slowly descending head, Queequeg with his keen sword had made side lunges near its bottom, so as to scuttle a large hole there; then dropping his sword, had thrust his long arm far inwards and upwards, and so hauled out poor Tash by the head. He averred, that upon first thrusting in for him, a leg was presented; but well knowing that that was not as it ought to be, and might occasion great trouble;—he had thrust back the leg, and by a dexterous heave and toss, had wrought a somerset upon the Indian; so that with the next trial, he came forth in the good old way—head foremost.
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| Frank Stella, Cistern and Buckets (1990) |
Comments: This scene, with its express metaphor of midwifery, is perfect for the Empress. Queequeg, always the initiator, uses his creativity to rescue and symbolically rebirth Tashtego after his near-drowning inside the head of the whale.
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