Not P but Moby-Dick (62)

[Michael Bailey]

More literally, & particularly with respect to “unfulfilments” and
“prophets” -

“Oh [what a shame] that Biblical description should prove false”

Job isn’t considered a prophetic book per se but
“prophets” can here be rather loosely interpreted to mean “the writers of
the Bible”

Imagistically, the whale hanging there contradicts the word of God & by
extension casts doubt upon the whole of religion




On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 12:03 PM Michael Bailey <
michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com> wrote:

> (Mike Jing)
> What exactly does "Oh! that unfulfilments should follow the prophets." mean
> > here? What would be a more explicit paraphrase?
>
>
> Ian Livingston:
> “(drily) "Oh, what a shame," even Leviathan is shamed with cowardice by
> our
> skill, courage, and technology.
>
>
> Imho that’s perfect - the “drily” captures a sarcastic tone that redeems
> the passage from straightforward, unseemly triumphalism
>
>
>
>
>