Roger Lathbury
Doubloon from Moby-Dick
Another literary artifact. This is a gold Ecuadorian eight escudo piece from 1843, the one Captain Ahab nails, as an incentive to the crew, to the mast of the Pequod in Chapter 36 of Moby-Dick. Later, in Chapter 99, several of the crew examine the doubloon and speculate about it and its symbols, a sort of serial chorus of interpretations. Presumably the coin is still redolent with "Quito glow" and nailed to the mast, full of verdigris, when the ship drops from sight in the final chapter of the story.
Doubloon from Moby-Dick
Another literary artifact. This is a gold Ecuadorian eight escudo piece from 1843, the one Captain Ahab nails, as an incentive to the crew, to the mast of the Pequod in Chapter 36 of Moby-Dick. Later, in Chapter 99, several of the crew examine the doubloon and speculate about it and its symbols, a sort of serial chorus of interpretations. Presumably the coin is still redolent with "Quito glow" and nailed to the mast, full of verdigris, when the ship drops from sight in the final chapter of the story.