Death Omens in Moby-Dick
From the beginning of book there is a significant amount of foreshadowing to the fate of the Pequod. What we are hearing is Ishmael’s account of the story so we are not sure whether these details are added in by him or if they were always present prophesizing the fate of the Pequod. In the beginning, they stay at an inn run by a Mr. Coffin. Also early on they are warned against traveling with Ahab by Elijah’s prophecies about Ahab. Once on board the ship, particularly as we get later into the novel, it becomes very clear to the reader that the voyage will not end well. Queequeg’s abrupt illness and recovery serve as one warning, and seemed to just function as a way to get the coffin on the ship. After Pip’s change, his insanity makes him a prophet of doom for the ship. He tells them that the ship will sink and nothing will be left but the coin on the mast. From the introduction of Ahab’s secret stowaway crew, it becomes clear that there is something sinister that will occur.
I agree that there are a lot of omens in Moby Dick. These omens are particularly poignant and I think the reader could figure out that this voyage would not end well. When Queequeg almost died, I didn’t really understand the purpose. Then, when Ishmael gets saved by floating on the coffin I realized what the purpose was. It wasn’t only an omen, it was to reinforce the idea that Queequeg and Ishmael’s relationship extended beyond Queequeg;s death. We never really finished talking about what their relationship was in class and I think this ended, Ishmael being saved by the coffin, is actually a reaffirmation that the two had a deep love for each other.