Moby-Dick Questions Ch. 36: What happens to the narrator

What happens to the narrator?  Why does the structure of the novel suddenly become like a stage play?  How does Ahab attempt to win over Starbuck?  What is Starbuck’s first objection, and Ahab’s response?  What is Starbuck’s second objection, and why does he use the word “blasphemy”?  When Ahab responds, what does he mean by “paste board masks, agent and principal, and “inscrutable world?”  How does Ahab win the men over?  Why does Starbuck back down?