mddm (3): below, to cabin

[lorentzen-nicklaus]

 "'gentlemen, 'twould oblige me if you'd find ways to be useful below.' the drum 
 begins its beat. they have grown up, english boys never far from the sea, with 
 tales of its battles and pirates and isles just off the coasts of paradise. 
 they know what 'below' promises." (37)

 although the ref to "tales" is, probably, indicating in the first place a   
 specific media-ontology (like we all have seen airplane hijacking on the   
 screen), it is also refering to a kind of socialization (or: enculturing) into 
 being good passengers when there's trouble. dixon & mason know that elaborated 
 or distinctive talk is not useful here, and they know ("yet active", 39) about 
 the importance of precise timing. in this regard they strongly differ from the 
 aristocratic passengers shakespeare tells us about in the tempest's first  
 scene: 

         "(enter alonso, sebastian, antonio, ferdinand, gonzalo, and others.)

       alon.: good boatswain, have care. where's the master? play the men.

       boats.: i pray now, keep below.

       ant.: where's the master, boatswain?

       boats.: do you not hear him? you mar our labour; keep your cabins: you do 
       assist the storm.

       gon.: nay, good, be patient.

       boats.: when the sea is. hence! what care these roarers for the name of 
       king? to cabin: silence: trouble us not.

       gon.: good; yet remember whom thou hast aboard.

       boats.: none that i more love than myself [here m&d's sentence "are you 
       two really that important?", 39, comes again to my mind. kfl]. you are a 
       counsellor: if you can command these elements to silence, and work the 
       peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more; use your authority. 
       if you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself 
       ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap. 
       --cheerly, good hearts. -- out of way, i say. (exit.)"


kfl