- description
- # CHAPTER 55. Of the Monstrous Pictures of Whales.
## Overview
This entity is a section of the novel "Moby-Dick; or, The Whale," titled "CHAPTER 55. Of the Monstrous Pictures of Whales." It spans lines 10487 to 10669 of the source file.
## Context
This chapter is part of "Moby-Dick; or, The Whale," which was extracted from the file "[moby_dick.txt](arke:01KG89J198KE6FY8WPVJQQRCZ6)" and is included in the "[Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW)" collection. It follows "[CHAPTER 54. The Town-Ho’s Story.](arke:01KG8AM7XGZ4T4TFG8A5JFJAZX)" and precedes "[CHAPTER 56. Of the Less Erroneous Pictures of Whales, and the True Pictures of Whaling Scenes.](arke:01KG8AM7XEJTHWA7R3YZ7TZ3Y3)". This section is also noted as being within "[BOOK III. (_Duodecimo_), CHAPTER III. (_Mealy-mouthed Porpoise_)](arke:01KG8AK83BA227D6NY5BT040FM)".
## Contents
This chapter critically examines historical and artistic depictions of whales, arguing that most are inaccurate and fantastical. The narrator begins by stating his intention to present a more truthful representation of the whale. He discusses ancient sculptures, religious art, and scientific illustrations from various sources, including Indian pagodas, European paintings by artists like Guido and Hogarth, and early whaling voyage accounts. The chapter highlights specific examples of misrepresentations, such as whales with perpendicular flukes or disproportionately large eyes. It critiques the scientific drawings derived from stranded or skeletal remains, asserting that the true form of a whale can only be appreciated at sea. The narrator concludes that accurately depicting the whale is an impossible task, and the best way to understand it is through direct experience, though this carries significant risks.
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- 2026-01-30T20:51:03.944Z
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- description_title
- CHAPTER 55. Of the Monstrous Pictures of Whales.
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- 10669
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:29.272Z
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- 10487
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- title
- CHAPTER 55. Of the Monstrous Pictures of Whales.