Analysis on Various Interpretations of Herman Melville's Moby Dick

It takes him 20 years, his wife does non recognize him, and many people die as a result, both during the Trojan War and the journey home. Ahab also achieves his goal, just now at an even greater cost his life and the lives of his crew, spare Ishm'l.

Melville has no hero in the traditional sense, choosing instead to collect his epic via Ishm'l's narrative. Melville keeps the reader enthralled with an exciting adventure bosh while addressing larger themes such as trustworthy versus darkness and the meaning of life. As Alfred Kazin wrote, "It is Ishm'l who tries to sum up the whole concept in a single book and yet keeps at the center of it adept American whaling voyage" (Chase 40). That is similar to Homer, who captures the valor of the Greek people by telling the tale of a group of soldiers who go off to fight a war, win, indeed try to come home.

A key difference separates Melville's sound from traditional epic. Whereas all is resolved when Odysseus finally achieves his goal, very small is resolved in Melville's book. Therein lies its brilliance, not altogether as a great story of a fascinating quest, plainly as a meditation on "man's effort to mystify meaning in nature" (Chase 46). Ahab's unyielding determination is contrasted with Starbuck's notion that a battle with nature is a battle with God, and hence anathema to his Quaker faith. Many questions are raised, moreover none are answered. These issues are left for the reader to ponder.

The paramount theme is man's attempt to grapple with nature. As Kazin asserts, "much of the book is concerned?with man's effort to get a grip on external nature, first through visible assault and then by scientific and industrial workmanship" (Chase 48). The orthodoxy of Starbuck is contrasted with the violent assault of Ahab and the meek acceptance of others. Ultimately, none succeed, and the only survivor is Ishm'l, whose uncertainty about every matter "is someways in tune with [nature], with its torrential rhythms" (Chase 48).

Thompson, Lawrance. Melville's Quarrel With God. Princeton:

Another significant relationship exists between Ahab and Fedellah, his personal harpooner. Fedellah is exotic, an "old Oriental" who worships the Zoroaster faith.

usually the captain stays aboard ship when the boats go out, but Ahab is determined to slay Moby Dick with his own hand. Fedellah and his crew depend to symbolize Ahab's dark side. Though the characters are not richly explored, they loom ominously and mysteriously, representing the extent of Ahab's obsession.

Ishm'l, concerned that Queequeg has committed suicide, at last forces his way into the room. There he finds Queequeg "altogether cool and self-possessed" (Melville 87). Ishm'l eventually retires for the night, leaving Queequeg as he found him. When he awakened to find Queequeg in the same position, Ishm'l lectures the harpooner. "[W]hen a man's holiness becomes really frantic; when it is a positive torment to him; and, in fine, makes this earth of ours an uncomfortable inn to lodge in; then I think it high time to take that idiosyncratic aside and argue the point with him" (Melville 89).

Starbuck insists, lest they "waste in one day more oil than we may make good in a year" (Melville 375). An enraged Ahab points a musket at him, reminding his first mate that there is "one God that is gentle over the earth, and one Captain that is lord over the Pequod" (Melville 376). As Starbuck arises to leave,
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