FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOBY-DICK SCENTED CANDLE
Q: Did you read Moby-Dick in order to make this candle? I’ve heard it’s pretty long.
A: I read Moby Dick in high school, and I think I remember it pretty well.
Q: Does it smell like a whale?
A: It smells exactly like a whale. As Herman Melville noted in Chapter 94, whales sometimes smell “literally and truly, like the smell of spring violets.” So that is what this candle smells like. (If you think whales DON’T smell like spring violets...just how is it that you know what whales smell like, anyhow?!)
Q: Is the wax boat on the candle’s surface based on Melville’s highly detailed description of the Nantucket whaler Pequod?
A: Yes, sure.
Q: Moby-Dick is famously exhaustive in its descriptions of whales and whaling. How did Melville learn so much about whaling?
A: He worked on whaling vessels around the world for four years before writing Moby-Dick. This is just one example of Melville doing more research for Moby-Dick the novel than we did for the Moby-Dick the candle.
Q: What is your favorite part of Moby-Dick?
A: Well, Chapter 1 is the part I’ve read the most times, so let’s say Chapter 1.
Customer Reviews
Customer Reviews
I bought this candle to give as a consolation gift to my sister-in-law, as my brother and I are traveling to the Moby Dick reading marathon in January and she claims to be unable to join us. I will report back with her response. From what I can see and smell so far, this candle is easily as good as a weekend trip to New Bedford and listening to the entirety of Moby Dick being read aloud, plus it's a lot cheaper (unless you live in New Bedford).
I read the novel every year in some form so the candle was a must (not a musk, although there is some of that in its scent too) It looks so nice on my desk when I am reading or writing that I couldn’t light it. Therefore, I had to buy a second one just for the act of seeing The ship go down. And even then, my hand with the flame hesitated before touching the wick.
PS. I wish your descriptions had more detail about what fragrances we might expect to encounter. For example, does burning the White House of 1812 smell like a house is burning?
I got this for my dad for his birthday-- he loves classic books and Moby Dick is one of his favorites. He couldn't stop gushing over the detail and the funny references. Also it smells amazing! Just like a whale, haha! It's perfect; thank you
This candle smells so good, for real.
I’ll be eager to see which takes longer, reading the book or burning the candle. I did actually read the book. But, since I wasn’t timing myself, it might be quite some time before I can provide discerning candle buyers with any accurate answer. The candle itself is very nice. The smashed Pequod and the whale making his triumphant escape. So now that you know the end you can buy the candle and say you read the book! SPOILER ALERT Ishmael on Queequeg’s coffin would have completed it (hint, hint Kate).