Difference between revisions of "Moby-Dick"
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| − | + | {{infobox book | |
| − | '''''Moby-Dick''''' (full title: '''''Moby-Dick | + | | image = Mobydicktitlepage.jpg |
| + | | caption = Title page of the first edition | ||
| + | | name = Moby-Dick | ||
| + | | author = [[Herman Melville]] | ||
| + | | language = [[English]] | ||
| + | | yearpublished = 1851 | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | '''''Moby-Dick''''' (full title: '''''Moby-Dick; or, the Whale''''') a [[novel]] by [[Herman Melville]] published November 14, 1851, is considered one of the finest novels in the [[English]] language. Initially a sales flop, it was not recognized as a great literary work until the 1920s. Totaling 212,758 words, this novel is longer than most. | ||
| − | The initial reviews of the novel were critical. It sank into obscurity until the 1920s, when the "rediscovery" of Moby-Dick took place. It was led by scholar and critic Raymond Weaver, who published a scholarly biography of Melville in 1921. The publication of a 1930 edition with illustrations by [[Rockwell Kent]] was a major event, which boosted the popularity of the work. | + | The facts (which take up about 1/3 of the text, the remaining 2/3 of the book is more of an encyclopedia of the American whaling industry) concern an obsession by one Captain Ahab to hunt and kill an albino whale named Moby-Dick, in revenge for the whale's prior attack on Ahab leaving him with only one leg. The novel addresses the human struggle for meaning, happiness, and salvation. Historians view ''Moby-Dick'' as the epitome of American [[Romanticism]]. "Call me Ishmael" (the narrator) is the famous beginning of the book, who is named after a person in the [[Book of Genesis]]. Captain Ahab, the central figure in the novel, is named after the demonic ruler who worshiped idols in {{bibleref|1Kings|16:28–22:40}}. Moby-Dick has many biblical references. |
| + | |||
| + | The [[Starbucks]] coffee chain is named after Starbuck, Captain Ahab's first mate in ''Moby-Dick.''<ref>[http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/Company_Factsheet.pdf Starbucks company factsheet (PDF)]</ref> The Starbucks owners also considered naming the chain "Pequod", after the ship in ''Moby-Dick''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The story begins with a lengthy onshore prelude. Ishmael decides to enlist as a [[sailor]]: | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{quotation|Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off--then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | He leaves [[Manhattan]] for [[Nantucket]], then the whaling center of America. He takes lodging in an inn where he must share a bed with another sailor. Significantly, he chooses not to object to his bedmate's race or religion. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Captain Ahab and the crew fail in their attempt to kill Moby-Dick and only Ishmael survives the attempt. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Reception == | ||
| + | The initial reviews of the novel were critical. It sank into obscurity until the 1920s, when the "rediscovery" of ''Moby-Dick'' took place. It was led by scholar and critic Raymond Weaver, who published a scholarly biography of Melville in 1921. The publication of a 1930 edition with illustrations by [[Rockwell Kent]] was a major event, which boosted the popularity of the work. | ||
Now, more than 150 years after its publication, it is less popular among teachers. The shifting popularity of the novel may reflect the shifting views toward Christianity in American schools, as the novel's invocation of religion was perhaps too superficial for schools in the 1850s but too much for schools today. | Now, more than 150 years after its publication, it is less popular among teachers. The shifting popularity of the novel may reflect the shifting views toward Christianity in American schools, as the novel's invocation of religion was perhaps too superficial for schools in the 1850s but too much for schools today. | ||
| − | + | == Use of infinity == | |
| + | ''Moby-Dick'' uses [[infinity]] 13 times, with great effect as here: | ||
| + | {{cquote|Best, therefore, withhold any amazement at the strangely gallied whales before us, for there is no folly of the beasts of the earth which is not [[infinity|infinitely]] outdone by the madness of men.}} | ||
| − | [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]] | + | == Melville and Hawthorne == |
| + | [[File:512px-Moby Dick final chase.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Moby Dick, as illustrated in a 1902 edition]] | ||
| + | Herman Melville dedicated his book to [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]], as they were contemporaries who, in 1850, lived near each other in the Massachusetts Berkshires. On August 5, 1850, which was shortly prior to Melville penning ''Moby-Dick'', he met Nathanael Hawthorne who was already his idol.<ref>https://voegelinview.com/across-the-great-sea-moby-dick-and-the-problem-of-suffering/</ref> They got together for the first time for a hike up Monument Mountain, leading to a brief friendship, but later had a falling out (the cause of which is unknown). Hawthorne was an early admirer of Melville's writing. In one of Hawthorne's books, a story-teller talking to children in the Tanglewood region, tells them about all the distinguished literati living in the area, and says: | ||
:But, here in Lenox, I should find our most truthful novelist, who has made the scenery and life of Berkshire all her own. On the hither side of Pittsfield sits Herman Melville, shaping out the gigantic conception of his 'White Whale,' while the gigantic shape of Graylock[sic] looms upon him from his study-window.<ref>Hawthorne, Nathaniel (1852), ''A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys:'' "Bald-Summit. After the Story." [http://www.eldritchpress.org/nh/wb6c.html Online]</ref> | :But, here in Lenox, I should find our most truthful novelist, who has made the scenery and life of Berkshire all her own. On the hither side of Pittsfield sits Herman Melville, shaping out the gigantic conception of his 'White Whale,' while the gigantic shape of Graylock[sic] looms upon him from his study-window.<ref>Hawthorne, Nathaniel (1852), ''A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys:'' "Bald-Summit. After the Story." [http://www.eldritchpress.org/nh/wb6c.html Online]</ref> | ||
| − | Melville called his house in the Berkshires "Arrowhead." He lived there from 1850 to 1862. It has been preserved by the Berkshire Historical Society, which offers tours to visitors. The Society has managed to preserve not only the house, but the view of Mount Greylock from his study window. From this angle of view, the mountain resembles the profile of a sperm whale, and was one of the inspirations for his story.<ref>[http://www.mobydick.org/hm.html Herman Melville's Arrowhead] (Berkshire Historical Society website | + | |
| + | == Berkshire home "Arrowhead" == | ||
| + | Melville called his house in the Berkshires "Arrowhead." He lived there from 1850 to 1862. It has been preserved by the Berkshire Historical Society, which offers tours to visitors. The Society has managed to preserve not only the house, but the view of Mount Greylock from his study window. From this angle of view, the mountain resembles the profile of a sperm whale, and was one of the inspirations for his story.<ref>[http://www.mobydick.org/hm.html Herman Melville's Arrowhead] (Berkshire Historical Society website); [http://www.mobydick.org/images/landscape.jpg Mt. Greylock] as viewed today from Arrowhead.</ref> | ||
The story was also suggested by the true story of the whaleship ''Essex,'' which Melville himself describes within the novel: | The story was also suggested by the true story of the whaleship ''Essex,'' which Melville himself describes within the novel: | ||
:In the year 1820 the ship Essex, Captain Pollard, of Nantucket, was cruising in the Pacific Ocean. One day she saw spouts, lowered her boats, and gave chase to a shoal of sperm whales. Ere long, several of the whales were wounded; when, suddenly, a very large whale escaping from the boats, issued from the shoal, and bore directly down upon the ship. Dashing his forehead against her hull, he so stove her in, that in less than "ten minutes" she settled down and fell over.<ref>Melville, Herman, ''Moby-Dick,'' chapter 45</ref> | :In the year 1820 the ship Essex, Captain Pollard, of Nantucket, was cruising in the Pacific Ocean. One day she saw spouts, lowered her boats, and gave chase to a shoal of sperm whales. Ere long, several of the whales were wounded; when, suddenly, a very large whale escaping from the boats, issued from the shoal, and bore directly down upon the ship. Dashing his forehead against her hull, he so stove her in, that in less than "ten minutes" she settled down and fell over.<ref>Melville, Herman, ''Moby-Dick,'' chapter 45</ref> | ||
| − | + | == Almost No Women == | |
| + | There are nearly no women in ''Moby-Dick''. Captain Ahab's wife is referenced indirectly as having had an influence on Ahab, and there is an implication that her demise may have led to Ahab's fixation on the whale. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Only a few additional women are mentioned: a Nantucket tavern keeper's wife in Nantucket, and Tahitian women discovered in the South Pacific. Their characters are not developed by Melville. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Trivia == | ||
| + | * In 2007, a fifth-grade elementary school class in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, petitioned the state legislature to designate ''Moby-Dick'' the official state book.<ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/05/01/in_pittsfield_a_mighty_hope_for_a_great_tale/ In Pittsfield, a Mighty Hope for a Great Tale], ''The Boston Globe,'' May 1, 2007</ref> | ||
| + | * Progressive [[heavy metal]] band [[Mastodon (band)|Mastodon's]] 2004 album ''Leviathan'' was based loosely on the story of ''Moby-Dick'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Film Version == | ||
| − | + | A famous 1956 screen adaptation was directed by John Huston and starred Gregory Peck, with a skillful screenplay by [[Ray Bradbury]]. When it was released, ''New York Times'' reviewer Bosley Crowther devoutly recommended it as "one of the great motion pictures of our times." He said it was "composed like a symphony" and that "Space does not possibly permit us to cite all the things about this film that are brilliantly done or developed."<ref>Crowther, Bosley (1956), "Screen: John Huston and Melville's White Whale, ''The New York Times,'' July 5, 1956, p. 18</ref> | |
| − | == | + | Video: |
| − | + | ||
| + | *[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMPW4R727QQ Moby Dick (1956): Gregory Peck's best scene. Captain Ahab dies hunting Moby-Dick] | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Quote == | ||
| + | |||
| + | *"...to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.” - Herman Melville, Moby-Dick | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | + | {{reflist|1}} | |
| + | |||
| + | == External links == | ||
| + | * [http://www.powermobydick.com Annotated full-text version at Power Moby-Dick] | ||
| + | * [https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/2701 Full text available at Project Gutenberg] | ||
| + | * [https://librivox.org/moby-dick-by-herman-melville Moby Dick, or the Whale], by Herman Melville - Audiobook at [[LibriVox]] | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Novels]] |
Latest revision as of 01:17, July 1, 2024
| Moby-Dick | |
|---|---|
 Title page of the first edition | |
| Author | Herman Melville |
| Year Published | 1851 |
| Language | English |
Moby-Dick (full title: Moby-Dick; or, the Whale) a novel by Herman Melville published November 14, 1851, is considered one of the finest novels in the English language. Initially a sales flop, it was not recognized as a great literary work until the 1920s. Totaling 212,758 words, this novel is longer than most.
The facts (which take up about 1/3 of the text, the remaining 2/3 of the book is more of an encyclopedia of the American whaling industry) concern an obsession by one Captain Ahab to hunt and kill an albino whale named Moby-Dick, in revenge for the whale's prior attack on Ahab leaving him with only one leg. The novel addresses the human struggle for meaning, happiness, and salvation. Historians view Moby-Dick as the epitome of American Romanticism. "Call me Ishmael" (the narrator) is the famous beginning of the book, who is named after a person in the Book of Genesis. Captain Ahab, the central figure in the novel, is named after the demonic ruler who worshiped idols in 1Kings 16:28â22:40 . Moby-Dick has many biblical references.
The Starbucks coffee chain is named after Starbuck, Captain Ahab's first mate in Moby-Dick.[1] The Starbucks owners also considered naming the chain "Pequod", after the ship in Moby-Dick.
The story begins with a lengthy onshore prelude. Ishmael decides to enlist as a sailor:
Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off--then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.
He leaves Manhattan for Nantucket, then the whaling center of America. He takes lodging in an inn where he must share a bed with another sailor. Significantly, he chooses not to object to his bedmate's race or religion.
Captain Ahab and the crew fail in their attempt to kill Moby-Dick and only Ishmael survives the attempt.
Reception
The initial reviews of the novel were critical. It sank into obscurity until the 1920s, when the "rediscovery" of Moby-Dick took place. It was led by scholar and critic Raymond Weaver, who published a scholarly biography of Melville in 1921. The publication of a 1930 edition with illustrations by Rockwell Kent was a major event, which boosted the popularity of the work.
Now, more than 150 years after its publication, it is less popular among teachers. The shifting popularity of the novel may reflect the shifting views toward Christianity in American schools, as the novel's invocation of religion was perhaps too superficial for schools in the 1850s but too much for schools today.
Use of infinity
Moby-Dick uses infinity 13 times, with great effect as here:
| â | Best, therefore, withhold any amazement at the strangely gallied whales before us, for there is no folly of the beasts of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men. | â |
Melville and Hawthorne
Herman Melville dedicated his book to Nathaniel Hawthorne, as they were contemporaries who, in 1850, lived near each other in the Massachusetts Berkshires. On August 5, 1850, which was shortly prior to Melville penning Moby-Dick, he met Nathanael Hawthorne who was already his idol.[2] They got together for the first time for a hike up Monument Mountain, leading to a brief friendship, but later had a falling out (the cause of which is unknown). Hawthorne was an early admirer of Melville's writing. In one of Hawthorne's books, a story-teller talking to children in the Tanglewood region, tells them about all the distinguished literati living in the area, and says:
- But, here in Lenox, I should find our most truthful novelist, who has made the scenery and life of Berkshire all her own. On the hither side of Pittsfield sits Herman Melville, shaping out the gigantic conception of his 'White Whale,' while the gigantic shape of Graylock[sic] looms upon him from his study-window.[3]
Berkshire home "Arrowhead"
Melville called his house in the Berkshires "Arrowhead." He lived there from 1850 to 1862. It has been preserved by the Berkshire Historical Society, which offers tours to visitors. The Society has managed to preserve not only the house, but the view of Mount Greylock from his study window. From this angle of view, the mountain resembles the profile of a sperm whale, and was one of the inspirations for his story.[4]
The story was also suggested by the true story of the whaleship Essex, which Melville himself describes within the novel:
- In the year 1820 the ship Essex, Captain Pollard, of Nantucket, was cruising in the Pacific Ocean. One day she saw spouts, lowered her boats, and gave chase to a shoal of sperm whales. Ere long, several of the whales were wounded; when, suddenly, a very large whale escaping from the boats, issued from the shoal, and bore directly down upon the ship. Dashing his forehead against her hull, he so stove her in, that in less than "ten minutes" she settled down and fell over.[5]
Almost No Women
There are nearly no women in Moby-Dick. Captain Ahab's wife is referenced indirectly as having had an influence on Ahab, and there is an implication that her demise may have led to Ahab's fixation on the whale.
Only a few additional women are mentioned: a Nantucket tavern keeper's wife in Nantucket, and Tahitian women discovered in the South Pacific. Their characters are not developed by Melville.
Trivia
- In 2007, a fifth-grade elementary school class in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, petitioned the state legislature to designate Moby-Dick the official state book.[6]
- Progressive heavy metal band Mastodon's 2004 album Leviathan was based loosely on the story of Moby-Dick
Film Version
A famous 1956 screen adaptation was directed by John Huston and starred Gregory Peck, with a skillful screenplay by Ray Bradbury. When it was released, New York Times reviewer Bosley Crowther devoutly recommended it as "one of the great motion pictures of our times." He said it was "composed like a symphony" and that "Space does not possibly permit us to cite all the things about this film that are brilliantly done or developed."[7]
Video:
Quote
- "...to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.â - Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
References
- â Starbucks company factsheet (PDF)
- â https://voegelinview.com/across-the-great-sea-moby-dick-and-the-problem-of-suffering/
- â Hawthorne, Nathaniel (1852), A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys: "Bald-Summit. After the Story." Online
- â Herman Melville's Arrowhead (Berkshire Historical Society website); Mt. Greylock as viewed today from Arrowhead.
- â Melville, Herman, Moby-Dick, chapter 45
- â In Pittsfield, a Mighty Hope for a Great Tale, The Boston Globe, May 1, 2007
- â Crowther, Bosley (1956), "Screen: John Huston and Melville's White Whale, The New York Times, July 5, 1956, p. 18
External links
- Annotated full-text version at Power Moby-Dick
- Full text available at Project Gutenberg
- Moby Dick, or the Whale, by Herman Melville - Audiobook at LibriVox