"it is said that a long string of small metal circles
welded together by a blacksmith is more likely to
be pulled apart if one of the small metal circles is
not as strong as the rest of the small metal
circles
"a chain is only as strong as its weakest link"
why is the shorter version more effective?
it makes the idea clearer
it is more concise
it is more easily understood
it creates a stronger image

It creates a stronger image

Explanation:

I hope you find this helpful, have a great day! :3

first of all the mood needs to be defined: it is obviously a mood of deceitful relief and serenity. why? because the cape horn is one of the most violent maritime regions of earth and although it has been left behind, it is a personification of ahab’s delirium and the fact that the end of the passage speaks about it about being “hidden” but “raving” immediately conveys the feeling the calm is not permanent but fleeting.

furthermore, the oxymoron “mild stun'sails” is the first instance of such feeling as the adjective “mild” is associated with “stunned” underscoring the fleeting nature of this “tranquil” moment. and the contrasts keep piling up, with the opposition between “dark den” and “blessed light and air” to end with the final conclusion that leaves the reader with the uneasy knowledge that this is just a reprieve.