Question

read this excerpt from chapter 41 of moby - dick using comprehension strategies.
if such a furious trope may stand, his special lunacy stormed his general sanity, and carried it, and turned all its concentred cannon upon its own mad mark; so that far from having lost his strength, ahab, to that one end, did now possess a thousand fold more potency than ever he had sanely brought to bear upon any one reasonable object.
what is the meaning of this excerpt?
though ahab is physically weakened, his will for revenge has strengthened him.
ahabs anger has increased his physical strength, and he is ready to fire his cannon.
ahab has always been physically strong, but his desire for revenge has weakened him.
though ahab has lost his ability to seek revenge, he still harbors anger and resentment.

Explanation:

The text says Ahab's "lunacy" (here related to his obsession for revenge) "carried" his "sanity" (general rational state) and made him have "a thousand - fold more potency" (strength) for that one end (revenge). It implies that his will for revenge (not physical strength in a literal cannon - firing sense as in the second option) has strengthened him. The third option is wrong as it says the desire weakened him, and the fourth option is wrong as it says he lost the ability to seek revenge.

Answer:

Though Ahab is physically weakened, his will for revenge has strengthened him.