Analysis of Moby Dick - Essay Example

Moby Dick – Critical Analysis Question: Moby Dick is a religious allegory. Why does Melville so many characters after Biblical figures, and how do their Biblical associations affect our impressions of these characters? Is there any Biblical/religious symbolism in this novel other than the character names? Introduction: Moby Dick is one of the most popular novels in American Literature written by Herman Melville. The author Herman Melville is trying to denote the between science and religion through this fiction. This continuous conflict is shown through the two major characters, Ishmael and Ahab. It is the symbol of Melville’s own personality and outlook, which is divided into two contradictory minds; one is logical and empirical while the other mind is completely religious. It is a dilemma or inner conflict of the writer’s mind. Ishmael is Melville’s religious self while Ahab is his scientific self who wants to give up all religious faiths. One of the characteristics of Moby Dick is its religious interpretation in an allegorical manner. The religious views in this novel are very forward. Melville has depicted various religious traditions. Sometimes he mocks some exaggerated religious views. He has used the blanket term Paganism in his novel. He wants to indicate that many times pagans are more ethical than Christian people. God’s Appeal to Menkind: Melville also has used lot of Biblical symbolism while giving the names to his characters. The name of the narrator is Ishmael, which is also very significant. The word Ish-ma-el means “God shall hear”. Ishmael is a representative of a religious disciple, and he is not an extremist in his religious faith. At the same time, he does not deny God or look at God as his enemy like Ahab. Being close to God, he has seen as an optimistic character while Ahab’s character has a dark shade due to his blindness and hatred towards God. It is the appeal of God to live the life in harmony with nature. Ahab represents the rebellious step of the author’s mind to defy all religious protocol. O Nature and O soul of man! How far beyond all utterance are your linked analogies!” -(Moby Dick p.248) Immortality of Soul and Mortality of Body There are certain characters that denote the importance of soul. The character of Queequeg for example is an amiable Polynesian harpooner. Queequeg is a God-like figure, with good heart, kindness, generosity, courage and extreme dignity. The protagonist Ishmael’s opinion about him was not good initially. It was because of his appearance. He seemed to be very obnoxious. He felt him a barbarian and a cannibal type of person, but after coming close to him, he came to know the civilized nature of Queequeg. He also realized that the spirit of the person is important and not his outward appearance or his body. Ishmael states, “You cannot hide the soul.” The spirit or soul is the only immortal thing according to Ishmael, In the beginning Ishmael recounts the reader some perils, which are dangerous to the body and the soul as well. He thinks that he is inviting a risk by going on a whaling voyage, but he is not feeling sorry and he is not shaking with the idea of death. The unknown enemies can destroy the ship; they can destroy his body, but the soul can never be perished as it is immortal. The novelist gives the reference of polytheism, where many deities are worshipped. It is the direct reference to Hinduism and Hindu Philosophy. It is mentioned in the Holy book of Hindus, Bhagawat Gita. The following sermons describe the immortality of the soul. The original verses are in Sanskrit and the English connotation is given below: Sanskrit : "nainam chindanti shastrani nainam dahati pavakah na chainam kledayanty apo na sosayati marutah" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 23) English: God says, “ The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.” Sanskrit: "na jayate mriyate va kadacin nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah ajo nityah sasvato ’yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire" (Bhagwat Gita: Chapter Two verse 20) English: In the above paragraph God says that the soul is never born nor dies at any time. Soul has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. Soul is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. Soul is not slain when the body is slain." Practical/Logical Religious Outlook: Ishmael is against extremity in religious practices. He calls the religious practice not more than a formality. According to him religion is for the comfort and mental solace. Hence the unnecessary religious practices are not important. He strongly believes in unseen forces. Religion has many times been forced on the people all over the world. Sometimes the people are threatened to embrace a particular religion or sometimes they are induced for accepting the religion which they actually do not belong to. The behaviour of Bidad and Peleg is the symbol of the force done on the meek and poor people by the mighty and influential people for accepting a certain religion. Bidad and Peleg are not letting Queequeg to come on the boat until he agrees to convert himself into Catholicism. Ideology of incarnation: Ahab’s character is depicted as an anti-hero. He is courageous, but lack of emotions. He has a strong hatred in his mind against the whale and he is finding a chance to retaliate. It is not actually the hatred for the whale but it is rage against God. The White Whale has been discussed as God and Ahab as the Satanic figure, a Calvinistic heretic in rebellion (Thompson 1952) All visible objects, man, are but pasteboard masks... How can the prisoner reach outside except by thrusting through the wall? To me, the white whale is that wall... That inscrutable thing is chiefly what I hate; and be the white whale agent, or be the white whale principal, I will wreak that hate upon-him (Moby Dick p.144) Ahab is wrongly convinced that God has done unjust to man since the time of Adam. He is not trying to escape from God but he wants to fight with Him. He wants to attack on God. He thinks himself as God. He attempts to design his own fate. He is never ready to kneel down before God. Melville shows the human pride through the character of Ahab. He uses the religious references to show human pride. The reference of Old Testament is there in the book. It is said in Old Testament to feed the stomachs first and then feed the body. It is referred in the incident when Fleece is ordered to deliver sermons to the sharks about the importance of self-control. It is a foolishness to teach philosophy to the people, who are very poor and using complete efforts just to get food. When the stomach is empty, the mind cannot be full with religious thoughts. Religion is useless unless human beings fulfil the basic needs of his body. Theme of Incarnation of God: According to some critics, Moby Dick is the incarnation of God. It is not a character. It is rather a force, the force, which is beyond emotions, thoughts, feelings, and intentions. It has been shown as a representation of God. The White Whale is directly associated with the Hindu ideology of Ten Incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Among these ten incarnations, the first incarnation was that of a fish. (Matsyavatar, Matsya – fish, Avatar – incarnation) God incarnated himself and became a fish (Matsya) to save good things of the world in cosmic deluge. Moby Dick is a force, like God to fight against the deluge. He can never be defeated nor can He be ruined. Ishmael is also terrified by Moby Dick though Moby Dick is not an evil. The Whales also are the symbol of God. According to him the ‘fallible humans cannot understand the complex universe.’ (Herman Melville) Everyone describes the whales as per his/her ideas. The real picture is yet unclear. “Of the Monstrous Picture of Whales”; “Of the Less Erroneous Pictures of Whales and The True Pictures of Whaling Scenens”; Of Whales in Pain; In teeth; In wood; In Sheet-Iron; In Stone; In Mountains; In Stars”(Chap 57) The theme of salvation with Biblical allusions: “Moby Dick is full of allusions to the Bible. A major theme in the Bible is salvation and (in the New Testament) new birth. This essay will summarize what the Bible says on the subject and then show ways in which this applies to Moby Dick”.(James Bair) Though Moby Dick basically says a lot on the “Old Testaments”, some allusions are taken from the New Testament also. The setting of Moby Dick is in the "primitive, pre-Christian universe of Job." (C. Hugh Homan) Salvation in New Testament is defined as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This resurrection of Jesus is for the remission of mankind’s sins. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." (C. Hugh Holman) Melville with the help of religious allegory in Moby Dick throws a light on the contemporary American society with a continuous confusion about the two opposite streams of thoughts, one is science and another is religion. Whenever he portrays the character of Ishmael, he seems to be very calm and tranquil, and when his mind is occupied by the confusion or dilemma, his restlessness and religious doubts reflects in the character of Ahab. References: 1) Herman Melville “Moby Dick,” Plain Label Book Publication 2) C. Hugh Holman, "The Reconciliation of Ishmael: Moby Dick and the Book of Job,," South Atlantic Quarterly, 57(1958)490 3) James Bair “Ishmael’s New Testaments: Salvation in Moby Dick http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1047835/posts 4) Shrimad Bhagwad Gita, A Hindu Holy Book, 5) (Herman Melville: Moby Dick and Other Works by Raychel Haugrud Reiff p.67, Marshall Cavendish publication) 6) Thompson, Lawrence. 1952. Melvilles Quarrel with God. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press Read More