Darren in NC
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Moby Dick's shipwreck of the Essex
This is more of a movie trivia post with some history clarifications. I just saw the movie, In the Heart of the Sea, directed by Ron Howard. It supposedly is the story behind the inspiration of Moby Dick, Herman Melville's classic tale. There are some mild spoilers here, so don't keep reading if you plan to see the movie.
Melville's book is inspired by the true story of the whaling ship - the Essex - which left Nantucket in late 1819 for a long voyage to the warm waters off western South America. The ship's fatal blow was from an enormous whale seemingly seeking revenge after the crew killed its mate. The crew was left to survive in the smaller boats normally used to harpoon their prey. After a horrible experience for months, two survivors told their story after being rescued. The first mate Owen Chase, published his story soon after. His account inspires much of what Melville put into Moby Dick.
But Tom Nickerson, who was the cabin boy on the Essex, was persuaded to tell his story decades later. Moby Dick has long been published. The publisher who persuaded him to tell the story never published his manuscript. It was actually stored in a chest, and wasn't brought to light until 1960, then later published in 1984. This account from Nickerson is the basis for the book, In the Heart of the Sea. It is this book that also serves as the basis for the movie.
Interestingly enough, Ron Howard's "story-behind-the-story" movie is somewhat fiction, too. It portrays Melville meeting with Nickerson decades later, and being retold the story. The movie unfolds in flashback form as the former cabin boy recalls the events. Melville then uses this account as the basis of his book. Of course, none of this ever happened. Melville only had read Chase's account. He never had access to Nickerson's account.
Even so, the movie was well done and is worth seeing. For those of us who love shipwrecks and the ocean, it is a welcome diversion from the rest of the world events today.
This is more of a movie trivia post with some history clarifications. I just saw the movie, In the Heart of the Sea, directed by Ron Howard. It supposedly is the story behind the inspiration of Moby Dick, Herman Melville's classic tale. There are some mild spoilers here, so don't keep reading if you plan to see the movie.
Melville's book is inspired by the true story of the whaling ship - the Essex - which left Nantucket in late 1819 for a long voyage to the warm waters off western South America. The ship's fatal blow was from an enormous whale seemingly seeking revenge after the crew killed its mate. The crew was left to survive in the smaller boats normally used to harpoon their prey. After a horrible experience for months, two survivors told their story after being rescued. The first mate Owen Chase, published his story soon after. His account inspires much of what Melville put into Moby Dick.
But Tom Nickerson, who was the cabin boy on the Essex, was persuaded to tell his story decades later. Moby Dick has long been published. The publisher who persuaded him to tell the story never published his manuscript. It was actually stored in a chest, and wasn't brought to light until 1960, then later published in 1984. This account from Nickerson is the basis for the book, In the Heart of the Sea. It is this book that also serves as the basis for the movie.
Interestingly enough, Ron Howard's "story-behind-the-story" movie is somewhat fiction, too. It portrays Melville meeting with Nickerson decades later, and being retold the story. The movie unfolds in flashback form as the former cabin boy recalls the events. Melville then uses this account as the basis of his book. Of course, none of this ever happened. Melville only had read Chase's account. He never had access to Nickerson's account.
Even so, the movie was well done and is worth seeing. For those of us who love shipwrecks and the ocean, it is a welcome diversion from the rest of the world events today.
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