Study notes: Moby-Dick
Ishmael signs on to the whaling ship Pequod and discovers that Captain Ahab has one goal: to hunt down the white whale that took his leg. Melville mixes adventure with chapters on ships, whales, and the sea, and the voyage grows darker as Ahab's obsession takes over the crew.
Themes
Obsession. Nature's power. Friendship across cultures.
People to follow
Ishmael, Queequeg, Captain Ahab, Starbuck, and the white whale.
Talk about
- Why does Ishmael go to sea?
- Is Ahab brave or reckless?
- Why does Melville include so many facts about whales?
Public-domain text. First published in 1851; Herman Melville died in 1891, so this text is in the public domain in the US, Canada, the EU and India. Summary and notes written by ViralScopeHub.