HERMAN MELVILLE 1819 - 1891 HERMAN MELVILLE 1819 - 1891

Melville’ career began with largely Melville’ career began with largely autobiographical, well-received autobiographical, well-received adventure stories about his adventure stories about his experiences as a sailor in the South experiences as a sailor in the South Seas. Seas.

Though he published eleven prose Though he published eleven prose books, along with shorter pieces and books, along with shorter pieces and books of poems, it was only thirty books of poems, it was only thirty years after his death that people years after his death that people began to realize just what it was he began to realize just what it was he had managed to achieve.had managed to achieve.

The original design of The original design of Moby DickMoby Dick made sense within the romantic made sense within the romantic tradition. tradition. • Melville wanted to write a romantic text Melville wanted to write a romantic text

on the whale fishery, giving much exotic on the whale fishery, giving much exotic information, derived from encyclopedias information, derived from encyclopedias and world literature. and world literature.

• The characters were to be colorful and The characters were to be colorful and picturesque.picturesque.

The result was a novel with MIXED The result was a novel with MIXED STYLES:STYLES:

• FICTIONAL ADVENTUREFICTIONAL ADVENTURE• STORYSTORY• HISTORICAL DETAILHISTORICAL DETAIL• SCIENTIFIC DISCUSSIONSCIENTIFIC DISCUSSION

The novel’s plot is built on one basic The novel’s plot is built on one basic conflict – AHAB vs. THE WHALE. conflict – AHAB vs. THE WHALE.

It is essentially the story of Ahab It is essentially the story of Ahab and his quest to defeat the and his quest to defeat the legendary Sperm Whale Moby Dick.legendary Sperm Whale Moby Dick.• Ahab seeks revenge because of an Ahab seeks revenge because of an

unfortunate accident involving Moby unfortunate accident involving Moby Dick.Dick.

ELEMENTS OF THE QUEST ELEMENTS OF THE QUEST MYTHMYTH

CHALLENGECHALLENGE

The heroThe hero LEAVES SOCIETY LEAVES SOCIETY• (his goals are always noble, he is (his goals are always noble, he is

always on the side of goodness, his always on the side of goodness, his enemies are always evil)enemies are always evil)

UndergoesUndergoes TRIALS TRIALS• (PHYSICAL TESTS –(PHYSICAL TESTS – slaying a dragon, slaying a dragon,

battling powerful opponents, rescuing battling powerful opponents, rescuing maidens in distress etc.)maidens in distress etc.)

Having completed his quest the Having completed his quest the hero hero RETURNSRETURNS to society to bring to society to bring about spiritual about spiritual TRANSFORMATIONTRANSFORMATION and restore the perfect human and restore the perfect human community community

AHAB’S QUEST AHAB’S QUEST • not heroismnot heroism;; he is ready to he is ready to

sacrifice his whole crew for his sacrifice his whole crew for his personal goal - his revengeful personal goal - his revengeful obsession to find and kill Moby Dickobsession to find and kill Moby Dick

For Ahab, the defeat of Moby Dick will For Ahab, the defeat of Moby Dick will represent redemption and a means of represent redemption and a means of achieving clarity and peace. achieving clarity and peace. • Claiming that Moby Dick is “chiefly what I Claiming that Moby Dick is “chiefly what I

hate” gives the whale greater significance for hate” gives the whale greater significance for Ahab, who finds that the whale represents all Ahab, who finds that the whale represents all of the mysteries of his life. of the mysteries of his life.

TheThe quest to find Moby Dick is both an quest to find Moby Dick is both an external conflict between Ahab and the external conflict between Ahab and the whale as well as an internal conflict within whale as well as an internal conflict within Ahab for a sense of peace and happiness.Ahab for a sense of peace and happiness.

Melville constructed Ahab as a mad, Melville constructed Ahab as a mad, imperial figure, who thinks himself imperial figure, who thinks himself the equal to Godthe equal to God

OTHER CHARACTERSOTHER CHARACTERS

ISHMAEL ISHMAEL • the narrator of the novel the narrator of the novel • a simple sailor on the Pequod who a simple sailor on the Pequod who

undertakes the journey because of his undertakes the journey because of his affection for the ocean and his need to affection for the ocean and his need to go to sea whenever he feels “hazy about go to sea whenever he feels “hazy about the eyes”. the eyes”.

QUEEQUEG QUEEQUEG • harpooner from New Zealand, son of a Maori harpooner from New Zealand, son of a Maori

king who renounced the throne to travel and king who renounced the throne to travel and learn about Christian society learn about Christian society

• NOBLE, BRAVE, HONORABLE, gives Ishmael a NOBLE, BRAVE, HONORABLE, gives Ishmael a sense of serenity and ease (SAVAGERY vs. sense of serenity and ease (SAVAGERY vs. CIVILIZATION)CIVILIZATION)

• Queequeg juxtaposes sharply with Ahab - while Queequeg juxtaposes sharply with Ahab - while Queequeg is so completely in control of himself Queequeg is so completely in control of himself that he can even will himself cured, Ahab is so that he can even will himself cured, Ahab is so subject to his obsessions that he cannot make subject to his obsessions that he cannot make any decisions independent of them.any decisions independent of them.

STARBUCK STARBUCK • chief mate of the Pequod, voice of chief mate of the Pequod, voice of

reason and practicality, openly opposes reason and practicality, openly opposes Ahab’s suicidal follyAhab’s suicidal folly

FEDALLAH FEDALLAH • oriental / Asiatic – mysterious, sinister oriental / Asiatic – mysterious, sinister

figure, devil in disguise, has prophetic figure, devil in disguise, has prophetic dreamsdreams

FATHER MAPPLE FATHER MAPPLE • left sailing for the ministry – sermon that left sailing for the ministry – sermon that

considers the tale of considers the tale of JONAH JONAH and the Wand the WHALEHALE (both JONAH and AHAB flout God through (both JONAH and AHAB flout God through arrogance and disobedience)arrogance and disobedience)

THE WHALETHE WHALE

legendary, mythic qualitylegendary, mythic quality

Whaling described as a ROYAL Whaling described as a ROYAL ACTIVITYACTIVITY• (whales were considered prizes (whales were considered prizes

significant enough to be a dowry. Oil significant enough to be a dowry. Oil used in the coronation of kings is sperm used in the coronation of kings is sperm whale oil)whale oil)

In the nineteenth In the nineteenth ccentury whaling was a entury whaling was a huge industry, with America dominating the huge industry, with America dominating the international scene. international scene.

Petroleum was not discovered until 1859 – Petroleum was not discovered until 1859 – importance of whale oil. importance of whale oil.

In 1844 $120 million was tied up in whaling. In 1844 $120 million was tied up in whaling. Whaling was especially significant in the Whaling was especially significant in the American economy in the middle of the American economy in the middle of the nineteenth century, when the industry was nineteenth century, when the industry was competing with textiles. competing with textiles.

Whaling finally became America-dominated, Whaling finally became America-dominated, and considerable national pride is evident in and considerable national pride is evident in Melville’s depictions.Melville’s depictions.

The struggle against Moby Dick The struggle against Moby Dick lasts lasts THREE DAYS THREE DAYS

• On the first day, Ahab spies the whale On the first day, Ahab spies the whale himself, and the whaling boats row himself, and the whaling boats row after it. Moby Dick attacks Ahab’s after it. Moby Dick attacks Ahab’s boat, causing it to sink, but Ahab boat, causing it to sink, but Ahab survives the ordeal when he reaches survives the ordeal when he reaches Stubb’s boat. Stubb’s boat.

Despite this first failed attempt at Despite this first failed attempt at defeating the whale, Ahab pursues defeating the whale, Ahab pursues him for a second day. him for a second day. • On the second day of the chase, roughly On the second day of the chase, roughly

the same defeat occurs. the same defeat occurs.

When Ahab and his crew finally When Ahab and his crew finally reach Moby Dick… (you’ll have to reach Moby Dick… (you’ll have to read to find out the ending read to find out the ending ))