Moby Dick is an epic adventure novel by Herman Melville, published in 1851. It tells the story of Captain Ahab, the monomaniacal captain of the whaling ship Pequod, who is obsessed with hunting down Moby Dick, a giant white whale that took his leg on a previous voyage. Ishmael, the novel's narrator, is a young sailor who joins the Pequod's crew. He is quickly drawn into Ahab's madness, as the captain becomes increasingly consumed by his quest for revenge. The novel follows the Pequod's journey as it hunts for Moby Dick, ...
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Moby Dick is an epic adventure novel by Herman Melville, published in 1851. It tells the story of Captain Ahab, the monomaniacal captain of the whaling ship Pequod, who is obsessed with hunting down Moby Dick, a giant white whale that took his leg on a previous voyage. Ishmael, the novel's narrator, is a young sailor who joins the Pequod's crew. He is quickly drawn into Ahab's madness, as the captain becomes increasingly consumed by his quest for revenge. The novel follows the Pequod's journey as it hunts for Moby Dick, and explores themes of good and evil, man's relationship with nature, and the limits of human ambition. Moby Dick is considered one of the greatest American novels ever written. It is a complex and challenging book, but it is also a thrilling and unforgettable read. It is a must-read for anyone interested in classic literature, adventure stories, or the sea. Here are some of the things that make Moby Dick so special: The characters: Ahab is one of the most iconic characters in literature. He is a complex and fascinating figure, who is both admirable and terrifying. Ishmael is also a well-developed character, who serves as our guide through the novel's world. The rest of the crew is also a rich and diverse group, who come from all over the world. The setting: The novel is set on the open ocean, which is a vast and dangerous place. Melville's descriptions of the sea are both beautiful and terrifying, and they help to create a sense of awe and wonder. The themes: Moby Dick explores a wide range of themes, including good and evil, man's relationship with nature, and the limits of human ambition. These themes are still relevant today, and they make the novel a thought-provoking read. The language: Melville's writing is beautiful and evocative. He uses a wide range of literary devices, including metaphors, similes, and personification, to bring his story to life. If you're looking for a classic adventure novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it, then Moby Dick is the book for you.
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Add this copy of Moby Dick to cart. $38.05, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2023 by Paper and Pen.
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This book was just like new & in excellent condition.
dekesolomon
Oct 31, 2009
Whaling is a deep subject.
A lot of people can't understand Moby-Dick. And I think, to an extent, nobody can fully understand this book who doesn't know at least a little about the transcendentalist movement in American literature.
Transcendentalism, to Thoreau and Emerson, et al., was the idea that one can get to know God by studying nature. Thoreau was transcendentalism's greatest proponent. That's what 'Walden Pond' was all about.
Melville used Ahab and the whale to show (to put it as simply as possible) that one thing we learn when we study nature is that God isn't necessarily a creature we'd like to be closely acquainted with. When little Pip, the cabin boy, falls out of the whaleboat -- to take one example -- he sinks down and down, then he goes down a little farther, then farther still, and then he sinks some more until, bye and bye, he sank so far down in the ocean that he 'saw God's foot on the treadle of the loom.' At that point his mind snapped and when he finally broke surface, he was as crazy as a crap-house mouse. Having seen God, he became a madman, and his derangement was permanent.
Ahab is crazy because he, too, has met God -- and the damned thing took his leg off. He was not happy about losing his leg. He has sworn vengeance on God (manifest in the unstoppable power of the whale) and he will have it if it kills him -- as of course it finally does. Ahab's rage against God reflects the human creature's rage to order the insane universe (God) in which we live.
I mean, that vein is deep and rich. Moby-Dick gives us plenty of room to think and plenty of material to think about, and if we bother to think about it we'll be thinking for a long while. How about the scene where the men sit in a circle around a tub, squishing spermaceti between their fingers? Is there a circle-jerk going on there? Is there a hint at the homosexuality that was so common in all-male crews who spent months and years at sea?
In sum, I believe the novel has at least three purposes and at least two of those are didactic. On the one hand it discourses on transcendentalism, on the nature of God and the nature of man and the relationship between them. On the other hand, it discourses on the life of the whalers. We learn from reading Moby-Dick a very great deal about life and work on a wooden, wind-powered, Yankee whaling vessel. You can read it one way, you can read it the other way, or you can read it as a straight-up, meaningless adventure yarn. No matter how you read it, it's a whale of a tale and it's one that always yields more to those who re-read it.
I give it five stars because I think it earns every one of 'em.
abc20
Aug 6, 2007
Where to start with Moby Dick...
Had to read this book for English. The opening was really interesting, and it wasn't too bad until they were on the boat and Melville goes on and on about whale parts. I was warned about this in advance, so I just skimmed over those parts. It's really a great classic story if you can get beyond Melville's style at times.
