Captain Ahab and Moby Dick Essay -- essays research papers

Captain Ahab and Moby Dick Literary critics draw to a variety of themes and juxtapositions when analyzing Herman Melvilles Moby Dick. Some see the land foreign to the sea or Fate opposed to free will. Most recognition man versus nature or good versus evil. A perspective that seems overlooked though is the perspective of the self and the early(a). The self and opposite is when one discovers the other (something not us) within oneself, when one realizes that one is not a star being alien to anything that is not them. There ar many such(prenominal) relationships throughout the guard, such as that of Ishmael and Queequeg and Ahab and Starbuck. However, this paper will centralize on the essential relationship, which is of Ahab and Moby-Dick. By recognizing the other within ourselves, we are salve from hating the other in itself. Captain Ahab struggled to see Moby-Dick within himself, in this began the books of import problem of the self and the other. Before I get to this pro blem lets embrace the character of Ahabs development up to that point.Chapters early in the book describe Ahab as having lost his leg to Moby-Dick. This character development suggests that Ahab is the victim of an attack by a vicious animal. However, by chapter 36 The backside Deck", Ahab is described as a man infatuated with destroying a great white monster, named Moby-Dick. By chapter 37 Sunset", it is obvious that Ahab is sick and in chapter 44 The Chart", the reader is made aware of Ahabs "monomaniac conceit of his soul." He was so obsessed with Moby-Dick that he couldnt sleep. Ahab must redeem had some ca physical exertion for his feelings toward the whale. It seems that Ahab and many other sailors have been exposed to the history of Jonah, which may have established man and whale as enemies. Also, is chapter 54 The Town-Hos Story" Melville tells of an account of Moby-Dicks capabilities. In this story, Moby-Dick snatches Radney from his ship and t akes him below the oceans surface. However, for some reason Ahab does not strain this story. Melville may be show the reader that the whale can be violent, and by not allowing Ahab to hear this story he (or the reader) wont be able to use this information as an excuse for Ahabs madness. By telling plainly the reader of the Town Hos story, both the characters of Ahab and Moby-Dick are developed further. The character of the whale is set up as a dan... ...k this way Ahab created himself. Just wish well a original and slave relationship the self and the other are linked. There can be no slave without a outstrip and there can be no master without a slave. When a master defeats and creates a slave, the master creates a role as "master" for himself or herself as well. In Melvilles book, Ahab played the role of hunter and Moby-Dick became the hunted. The self/other relationship can be far more complex than what has been offered here. Many racists, sexists and those who canno t tolerate homosexuality do not always conform to the standards. Ahab and Moby-Dick are a special case of the relationship, and they are one that deserves consideration. at a time again when I say self/other I am referring to a type of linkage of two separate beings. It is when one (the self) discovers the other (something not us) within oneself, when one realizes that one is not a case-by-case being alien to anything that is not them. The of import point of this paper is the main problem of the self and the other which is that Captain Ahab struggled to see Moby-Dick within himself. Since he could not see this he hated and became obsessed with Moby Dick and therefore apart of himself.