Herman Melville's Moby Dick

"Call me Ishm'l" is the opening line of one of the greatest American novels, Moby Dick. Herman Melville's tale of the quest for the "Great White Whale" provides a vehicle for the author to explore the larger themes such as man's place in the universe, though critics have long debated just what Melville was trying to accomplish. This paper will analyze those various interpretations and whether they capture Melville's intent.

Melville, in writing the book, attempted to create an American epic. The traditional definition of an epic is an extended narrative, usually a poem, which celebrates the heroic tradition of a people. The English poem Beowulf and the Greek poems Iliad and Odyssey are classic examples of epics.

Melville's work captures the spirit of those epics in its grandeur, its tragic components, and its heroism. At a time when people rarely ventured out of their town, Melville's Ishm'l embarks on a great journey halfway around the world. The tragic figure of Captain Ahab looms over the narrative. Heroism also abounds, as the crew surmounts the danger that constantly confronted seamen in the age of sailing ships.

Similarly, Homer's tale of the Trojan War and the resulting journey home reflects many of these characteristics. Homer portrays many acts of heroism, led by his central character, Odysseus. But Odysseus, despite all of his positive traits, also is a flawed man. Ultimately Odysseus reaches home, but his "odys

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ville 421). Ahab's showing of humanity to Starbuck prompts the first mate to beg the captain, "let us fly these deadly waters! let us home!" Starbuck tells of his family, and how they await his return. But Ahab must continue his quest, for reasons even he does not understand. "[W]hat cozzening, hidden lord and master, and cruel, remorseless emperor commands me; that against all natural lovings and longings, I so keep pushing, and crowding, and jamming myself on all the time; recklessly making me ready to do what in my own proper, natural heart, I durst no so much as dare?" Starbuck departs in despair (Melville 422-23). Ahab's single-mindedness and Starbuck's prudence play against one another throughout the book. The voyage ends tragically, seemingly vindicating Starbuck. One literary critic argued that for Melville, "death was the ultimate indignity" (Thompson 129). Melville, though, offered no judgments. Neither Starbuck nor Ahab is right or wrong. While the prudence of Starbuck is required to recognize which fights can and cannot be won, the Ahab's single-mindedness is necessary at times. Melville's Use of Contrapuntal Relationships Though Ahab and Starbuck represent the primary conflict of Moby Dick, several other ch

Category: Literature - H