In Moby Dick, by Herman Melville, Ahab, the Captain of a whaling ship, is portrayed as an obsessive individual because of his for retribution in an almost fanatical fashion. The sailors, who joined the crew expecting to be part of a normal whaling expedition, were soon enticed with money by Ahab for sighting and capture of one particular giant white whale, Moby Dick. As the novel progresses Ahab turns into a violent and unruly man caring only about his desire for revenge. Ahab's single minded pursuit of retribution ends his own life and the lives of his crew when ironically the hunter becomes the hunted.
Ahab establishes himself as an authority figure by welcoming the men aboard and explaining the opportunities that lie in the journey ahead of them. The sailors know they are on an expedition to hunt and kill whales yet, Ahab tries to entice the sailors to look for one particular whale. He offers a "gold ounce" to anyone who sites the whale and kills it (Melville 155). Ahab riles the crew up allowing them to "drink and pass" as a token of his appreciation for accepting his offer to look for the whale (Melville 158). Ahab ensures that the sailors know he is the sole and only captain of the ship. The crew "[cross] their lances before [him]" to show their honor and respect for his authority (Melville 159). Ahab is invigorated with the thought of power and wants "God to hunt them all" if Moby Dick is not brought to his death (Melville160). Ahab feels he controls the ultimate destiny of the crew and Moby Dick. Ahab wants to be "prophet and the fulfiller" of Moby Dick (Melville 161). Ahab "kept his magnet at Starbuck's brain" so he could not deter other sailors away from his cause (Melville 204).
Ahab's authoritative and violent personality provokes him to make rather inexcusable decisions. Ahab is so fixated on killing Moby Dick that he decides against helping others when they request his assistance.
Just as many people fear God they also feared Moby Dick. Moby Dick possesses an array of symbolic meanings for a variety of individuals. ... Melville shows that Moby Dick is capable of great violence. ... Moby Dick is symbolic of nature. ... It is evident that Moby Dick holds a great deal of power. ...
Biblical and Mythological Allusions in Moby Dick An allusion is a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art. ... In Moby Dick, Herman Melville frequently uses biblical and mythological allusions. ... Melville not only used a number of biblical allusions in Moby Dick, but he also used many mythological allusions. ... Another mythological allusion Melville used in Moby Dick is mentioned of the Fares. ... The allusions in Moby Dick are to commonly known people and conflicts. ...
This being the case, it makes sense for Moby Dick to be white. ... He's lucky Moby Dick didn't kill him outright! ... Moby Dick was an exceptionally intelligent whale. ... While Moby Dick went out of his way to avoid hurting a human again, Ahab went insane hunting down Moby Dick to avenge himself. ... He joined the Parsee in his watery grave trailing Moby Dick. ...
Furthermore, while on their journey to find Moby-Dick, the phenomenon of St. ... Lastly, Ahab's treatment of Moby-Dick is very brutal. ... He talked of killing Moby-Dick in all his waking hours. ... In this book, Moby-Dick is portrayed as being godlike. ... Ahab is closely linked with evil in Moby-Dick. ...
The Redeeming value of Moby Dick Moby Dick was, in the physical, written to tell a story of the ever-allusive white whale. ... Moby Dick, in all actuality represents the idea of Christianity and purity. It could even be said that Moby Dick represents the figure of Christ. ... Ahab's main objective was to discredit and destroy Moby Dick. ... This is the redeeming value of Moby Dick....
The underlying themes to Moby Dick, by Herman Melville, are far-reaching and studied in many academic areas. ... When this idea is brought to Moby Dick, many interpretations can be made. ... I see the ways of Moby Dick, like those of a god, as being unknowable to man. ... In reality it can be true, and in Moby Dick it is certainly true. ... Ahab exploits the crew to have them share his idea of their fate, to find and destroy Moby Dick. ...
The American Classic ~Moby Dick~ The story of Moby Dick is truly an American literary classic. ... Moby Dick was first published in 1851 and to this day is still being studied by many scholars. There is much to be learned from the theme of this novel, as in any book, there is a message or a "moral of the story" type lesson you can learn from Moby Dick that keeps not only the new age scholars interested, but the average reader as well. "Moby Dick is not a dream but a work of imaginative art, and this means that it is the product of a complex creative process- (Arvin; 278). ... So in concl...
Moby Dick Synopsis Melville's novel Moby Dick tells us a strange journey of an ordinary seaman named Ishmael, who decided to go on a whaling voyage in Massachusetts during the 1840s. ... As the ship was destroyed by the Moby Dick, it sinks. ... Individualism in Moby Dick. ... Shulman indicates that in Melville's novel Moby Dick, he questions traditional answers about where evil comes from. ... Moby Dick is a great example of nature's destructive way. ...
Annotated Bibliography The Shining and Moby Dick LoBrutto, Vincent. ... In Search of Moby Dick, Great Britain, Abacus, 2000. ... His record of this adventure was read by Melville, and incorporated into the greater story of Moby Dick. ... In the "Introduction" to the Oxford World Classics edition of Moby Dick, 1988. ... By using such analysis of The Shining as a type of voyage, this may offer another line of comparison to Moby Dick. ...
Moby Dick, a Man's Obsession Herman Melville's idea of human obsession as demonstrated in Moby Dick is clearly a sign that it shall be man's downfall. ... Throughout the years many have studied Moby Dick is hopes to find the true meaning, or just deep literary value the book provides. ... Which of course was the captains fault for being obsessed Moby Dick. ... He has two sides to him, and the darker one was released whenever Moby Dick was mentioned. ... Melville must have sensed this too, because not long after he wrote Moby Dick he wrote Moby Dick, or the whale, which is pret...