The novel Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville follows the adventures of Ishmael set in the 1800s. The story starts off with Ishmael looking to escape onto a whaling voyage, where we are acquainted with the Pequod and her crew. The story then follows the vengeful quest of Captain Ahab to capture Moby-Dick, a white whale that had originally bitten off his leg. The vast majority of the story tells of various happenings aboard the Pequod, the nine gams, and the final three days of fighting. This novel explores a variety of thematic topics, and is heavily reliant on various biblical topics and peoples.
Revenge is clearly the central theme in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. Almost the entire story centers on Captain Ahab’s inane quest for revenge after Moby Dick bit off his leg. The voyage’s original purpose was purely commercial; however, after Ahab has his leg bitten off by Moby Dick, it turns to a means of acquiring revenge. Even Captain Ahab himself recognizes this, stating that “like cures like; and for this hunt, my malady becomes my most desired health” (Melville, Chapter 129). Captain Ahab becomes sleepless at night, with dreams and hopes of revenge keeping him awake. Ishmael, as well as many other crew members also recognize this, and speak little to nothing of it. Starbuck questions Ahab's desires, declaring ''I came here to hunt whales, not my commander's vengeance. How many barrels will thy vengeance yield thee even if thou gettest it, Captain Ahab? T'will not fetch thee much in our Nantucket market.'' (Melville, Chapter 36). Captain Ahab seemingly is willing to sacrifice everything for revenge, and brushes off the owners’ will as useless, emphasizing how the true owner of a ship is its captain. Eventually, Starbuck realizes this, and declares Captain Ahab to be ungodly and insane.
Friendship, loneliness, loyalty, and kindness all come into play throughout the novel. The novel starts off with friendship, when Ishmael is acquainted with Queegqueg in a crowded hotel. Their friendship lasts throughout the voyage, up until the final moment, until Ishmael is the only person surviving the wreck. In stark contrast with friendship, Ishmael is also a symbol of loneliness; despite making friends throughout his journey, he will eventually lose those friends, ending up alone as he was at the very beginning. Loyalty and kindness can be seen throughout the crew in varying degrees. The entire crew is loyal to Captain Ahab, despite their differences and potential conflicts between them. Starbuck, one of the most outspoken critics of Captain Ahab’s decisions, still remains loyal to Captain Ahab, and only goes as far as warning him and suggesting alternatives. The crew members have never disrespected Captain Ahab, and look up to him at all times. Kindness comes into play in relationships between the crew, as is seen throughout the story. Captain Ahab himself even displays kindness towards Pip, the most neglected and disrespected character aboard the Pequod, inviting him into his cabin and reassuring him of his safety.
It is also worth noting the important role that religion played in Moby Dick. Most obviously, we see that a variety of character names are sourced from the Bible itself. Captain Ahab was named after King Ahab from the bible, and Ishmael also realizes this at the beginning of the story when he first hears Ahab’s name. In various ways, Captain Ahab and King Ahab both share similarities. Both have been extremely successful in the past. It is also implied that Captain Ahab is a believer in pagan mythology, as is also King Ahab. Ishmael was named after Ishmael from the Book of Genesis, symbolizing exiles in society. Much like the biblical Ishmael, Melville’s Ishmael is constantly alone, kept away from the world. Moby Dick itself is also a symbol, symbolizing God or some other religious power. Moby Dick gives Ahab two chances to reconsider his actions and turn back, however, as Ahab does not, stops sparing him and the crew.
The novel Moby-Dick; or, The Whale is a work both focused on biblical concepts while also conveying themes of revenge, friendship, loyalty, and kindness at the same time. It introduces interesting characters such as Captain Ahab, and connects the real world with the religious world.
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