| | Moby-Dick is an 1851 novel by Herman Melville. The novel describes the voyage of the whaling ship Pequod, led by Captain Ahab, who leads his crew on a hunt for the whale Moby-Dick. |
| | The language is highly symbolic and many themes run throughout the work. |
| | The narrator's reflections, along with complex descriptions of the grueling work of whaling and personalities of his shipmates, are woven into a profound meditation on hubris, providence, nature, society, and the human struggle for meaning, happiness, and salvation. |
| | Moby-Dick is often considered the epitome of American Romanticism. |
| | At the beginning of the book we are presented with the narrator, Ishmael. |
| | Ishmael has set his mind to join a whaling vessel, and he arrives in the town of New Bedford, Massachusetts. |
| | He seeks lodging at an inn called the Spouter, where he is lodged with a mysterious harpooner. |
| | This harpooner, a tattooed cannibal named Queequeg, quickly becomes a friend to Ishmael. |
| | The two decide to enlist together in the crew of the Pequod, a ship held jointly by three men, known as Captain Peleg, Captain Bildad and Captain Ahab. |
| | As Ishmael and Queequeg sign their names, although they have yet to meet Captain Ahab who will be commanding the ship. |
| | Captains Peleg and Bildad are left behind on shore with a purely financial interest in the voyage. |
| | As the ship sets sail, we are introduced to the other main characters: the three mates, Starbuck, Flask and Stubb, and the two remaining harpooners, Dagoo and Tashtego. |
| | Ahab, however, remains unseen. |
| | We are told that he is below decks and is not feeling well. After several days, Ishmael finally spots the one-legged Ahab standing on the quarter-deck. |
| | Ahab broods and behaves erratically. He paces the deck, the ivory heel of his false leg making a thudding noise. |
| | When Stubb suggests to Ahab that something be done to dampen the sound, Ahab flies into a rage and calls Stubb a dog. |
| | When Stubb objects to this insult, he says “Then be called ten times a donkey, and a mule, and an ass, and begone, or I’ll clear the world of thee!” |
| | The peculiar attitude of Ahab continues. He throws his pipe off the ship. He asks his crew to yell more loudly if they should spot a white whale. |
| | At length, Ahab draws the crew together and announces that a gold coin will be awarded to the crewman who first spots a ‘white-headed whale with a wrinkled brow and a crooked jaw.’ |
| | He then hammers a nail through the coin and into the ships mast. |
| | Tashtego, it turns out, has heard of this white whale before. |
| | He gives the creature a name, saying that some call him “Moby-Dick.” Starbuck reveals that Moby-Dick is the whale who took Captain Ahab’s leg. |
| | The Captain is finally pressed to reveal that in his mind there is no purpose to this voyage other than Ahab’s own vengeance against Moby-Dick. |
| | Over the main part of the story, we are presented with many scenes of the everyday whaling life. |
| | The Pequod lowers its boats, which then chase after and harpoon whales. |
| | In a series of dramatic adventures with various whales, and (often humorous) encounters with other whaling vessels, Melville paints a scene of life on board a whaling ship in the mid 19th century. |
| | The journey comes to its dramatic and tragic end when the Pequod sailing despite dark portents, catches sight of Moby-Dick. |
| | For three days, the Pequod does battle with the white whale. |
| | Moby-Dick shatters the Pequod’s boats, and finally charges the ship itself. |
| | The Pequod is sunk, and Ahab and all the crew disappear under the waves. |
| | Ishmael is the only survivor of the tragedy, and is left floating on the surface of the ocean, rescued briefly afterwards by a passing whaler. |