Chapter 71 - The Jeroboam's Story Practice Quiz — Moby-Dick; or, The Whale
by Herman Melville — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter 71 - The Jeroboam's Story
What ship does the Pequod encounter in Chapter 71?
The Jeroboam of Nantucket.
Why does Captain Mayhew refuse to board the Pequod?
Because the Jeroboam has a malignant epidemic on board and he fears infecting the Pequod's crew.
Who is Gabriel?
A former Neskyeuna Shaker who declares himself the archangel Gabriel aboard the Jeroboam and gains fanatical control over most of the crew.
What did Gabriel command the captain to do when his "insanity broke out"?
He commanded the captain to jump overboard.
What did Gabriel declare about Moby Dick?
He pronounced the White Whale to be the Shaker God incarnate and warned that no one should hunt it.
Who is Macey?
The chief mate of the Jeroboam who insists on hunting Moby Dick and is killed by the whale.
How does Macey die?
Moby Dick strikes him bodily into the air; he flies about fifty yards in an arc and falls into the sea, sinking forever.
What happens to the boat and oarsmen when Macey is killed?
Not a chip of the boat is harmed, nor a hair of any oarsman's head.
What does Gabriel shout after Macey's death?
"The vial! the vial!" — and he calls off the crew from further hunting.
What is the "seventh vial" Gabriel carries?
A vial he carried in his vest-pocket that was supposed to be charged with laudanum, connected to his prophecy of apocalyptic doom.
When Ahab asks if he intends to hunt Moby Dick, what does Ahab answer?
"Aye."
What does Ahab find in the ship's letter-bag?
A mouldy, tumbled, damp letter addressed to Mr. Harry Macey — the dead chief mate of the Jeroboam.
How does Starbuck try to pass the letter to the Jeroboam's boat?
He splits the end of a long cutting-spade pole and inserts the letter to hand it across without the boat coming closer.
What does Gabriel do with the letter?
He snatches it, impales it on a boat-knife, and flings it back onto the Pequod, where it falls at Ahab's feet.
What does Gabriel say to Ahab about the letter?
"Nay, keep it thyself; thou art soon going that way."
What biblical figure does the ship name "Jeroboam" allude to?
King Jeroboam of Israel (1 Kings 11–14), who led Israel into idolatry and suffered divine punishment for ignoring prophetic warnings.
Why couldn't the crew get rid of Gabriel?
When the captain planned to put him ashore, Gabriel threatened unconditional perdition on the ship, and the crew said they would all leave if Gabriel was removed.
What effect did the epidemic have on Gabriel's power?
It increased it — he claimed the plague was at his sole command and would not be stayed except at his pleasure.
How does the chapter foreshadow Ahab's fate?
Gabriel warns Ahab to "think of the blasphemer — dead, and down there" and tells him he is "soon going that way," directly predicting Ahab's destruction by Moby Dick.
How did the Pequod's crew first learn about Gabriel?
From the Town-Ho's company, who told them about the strange man aboard the Jeroboam.