Name: Moby Dick
Author: Herman Melville
ISBN: 9780199535729

Moby Dick

Herman Melville

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Author Description

This classic story of high adventure, manic obsession and metaphysical speculation was Melville's masterpiece. This edition includes passages from Melville's correspondence with Nathaniel Hawthorne, in which the two discuss the philosophical depths of the novel's plot and imagery.About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Menrva's Summary

THE PULSE

A vengeful sea captain drives his crew toward destruction in a relentless pursuit of a legendary white whale. Ishmael, a sailor seeking escape from the land, joins the crew of the Pequod, only to find himself under the command of Captain Ahab, a man consumed by a singular, monomaniacal goal. The narrative unfolds through Ishmael's first-person perspective, blending detailed maritime observations with philosophical inquiries into the nature of existence and the indifference of the natural world. As the ship traverses the oceans, the physical reality of whaling life clashes with the metaphysical weight of Ahab's obsession, leading the crew toward an inevitable confrontation with the leviathan.

INSIDE THE PAGES

First-person narration by the character Ishmael
Extensive technical descriptions of whaling practices and cetology
Use of dramatic, Shakespearean-style soliloquies for character development
Non-linear digressions into history, art, and philosophy
Symbolic representation of the white whale as an inscrutable force
Detailed depiction of 19th-century maritime hierarchy and labor
Shift in tone from observational realism to existential allegory
Epistolary elements through the inclusion of historical correspondence

THE COLLECTIVE ECHO

Readers frequently highlight the contrast between the technical, encyclopedic chapters on whaling and the intense, character-driven drama of Ahab's descent into madness. Discussion often centers on the novel's complex symbolism, with critics debating whether the white whale represents a divine entity, a manifestation of evil, or a blank slate for human projection. The pacing is often noted for its deliberate, slow-building intensity that mirrors the vastness of the sea itself. Scholars and casual readers alike appreciate the depth of the prose, which balances gritty nautical realism with profound meditations on fate and human limitation.

Page Count:
527

Publication Date:
2008-05-15

Publisher:
Oxford University Press

ISBN-10:
0199535728

ISBN-13:
9780199535729

Literary Fiction

Adventure

classic

Adventure fiction

Philosophical

Fiction psychological

Sea Story