Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

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Chapter 25 - Postscript

Chapter 25 - Postscript from Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

In behalf of the dignity of whaling, I would fain advance naught but substantiated facts. But after embattling his facts, an advocate who should wholly suppress a not unreasonable surmise, which might tell eloquently upon his cause- such an advocate, would he not be blame-worthy?

It is well known that at the coronation of kings and queens, even modern ones, a certain curious process of seasoning them for their functions is gone through. There is a saltcellar of state, so called, and there may be a castor of state. How they use the salt, precisely- who knows? Certain I am, however, that a king's head is solemnly oiled at his coronation, even as a head of salad. Can it be, though, that they anoint it with a view of making its interior run well, as they anoint machinery? Much might be ruminated here, concerning the essential dignity of this regal process, because in common life we esteem but meanly and contemptibly a fellow who anoints his hair, and palpably smells of that anointing. In truth, a mature man who uses hairoil, unless medicinally, that man has probably got a quoggy spot in him somewhere. As a general rule, he can't amount to much in his totality.

But the only thing to be considered here is this- what kind of oil is used at coronations? Certainly it cannot be olive oil, nor macassar oil, nor castor oil, nor bear's oil, nor train oil, nor cod-liver oil. What then can it possibly be, but the sperm oil in its unmanufactured, unpolluted state, the sweetest of all oils?

Think of that, ye loyal Britons! we whalemen supply your kings and queens with coronation stuff!

Frequently Asked Questions about Chapter 25 - Postscript from Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

What happens in Chapter 25 (Postscript) of Moby-Dick?

In Chapter 25, Ishmael adds a brief postscript to his defense of whaling's dignity from the previous chapter. He notes that at the coronation of kings and queens, the monarch's head is ceremonially anointed with oil. After eliminating several alternatives—olive oil, macassar oil, castor oil, bear's oil, train oil, and cod-liver oil—he concludes that the coronation oil must be sperm whale oil, "the sweetest of all oils." He ends by proudly declaring that whalemen supply royalty with their coronation stuff.

Why is Chapter 25 of Moby-Dick called "Postscript"?

The chapter is titled "Postscript" because Ishmael deliberately separates it from the preceding Chapter 24 ("The Advocate"), which presented substantiated facts in defense of whaling. Chapter 25 contains what Ishmael admits is merely a "not unreasonable surmise"—speculation rather than proven evidence. By labeling it a postscript, Melville draws attention to the distinction between fact and conjecture while still allowing Ishmael to make his most dramatic rhetorical point.

What is the significance of sperm oil in Chapter 25 of Moby-Dick?

Sperm oil serves as the chapter's central symbol connecting the common labor of whaling to the highest rituals of monarchy. By arguing that sperm whale oil is used to anoint kings and queens at their coronations, Ishmael elevates the whaling profession to a position of supreme importance—whalemen literally supply the substance that consecrates royalty. The oil also represents a democratic leveling: the product of dangerous, unglamorous maritime labor becomes the holiest anointing substance in the land.

What rhetorical strategies does Ishmael use in Chapter 25 of Moby-Dick?

Ishmael employs several rhetorical strategies in this short chapter:

Legal advocacy framing—he positions himself as an advocate presenting a case, even acknowledging where his evidence is speculative
Process of elimination—he systematically rules out six alternative oils before arriving at sperm oil
Rhetorical questions—"How they use the salt, precisely—who knows?" and "What then can it possibly be?"
Direct address—his closing exclamation "Think of that, ye loyal Britons!" turns the reader into a jury
Satirical humor—comparing a king's head to "a head of salad" and mocking men who use hair oil

How does Chapter 25 of Moby-Dick connect to the theme of the dignity of whaling?

Chapter 25 is the culmination of Ishmael's argument for whaling's nobility, begun in Chapter 24 ("The Advocate"). While the previous chapter cited historical facts and economic data, this postscript makes the boldest claim of all: that whaling's product is so precious it is used in the most sacred ceremony of the British monarchy. By linking the rough labor of the sea to the coronation of kings, Ishmael argues that whalemen deserve the highest respect. The chapter's placement as a "postscript" gives this speculative claim a sense of dramatic afterthought—a final, devastating point saved for maximum rhetorical impact.