The best explains the symbolism behind Melville’s comparison of Ahab to a solid bronze cast in Chapter 28 of Moby D is Melville is symbolizing the inflexible nature of Ahab’s character. The main theme in the novel "Moby D " is about the relationship between nature and humans.
EXPLANATION
The novel tells the story of a sailor named Ishmael who is in Ahab's obsessive search. The captain of the Pequod whaling takes revenge on Moby D. On a previous voyage, a giant white sprm whale bit Ahab's knee.
Moby D contributed to American Renaissance literature. The work is in the final phase of Romanticism until the beginning of Symbolism. Until the time of the death of its author (in 1891) Moby D was never published commercially. Yet, Moby D has become a good learning material for Renaissance literature.
In the 20th century, Moby D got the title "Great American Novel". D. H. Lawrence called this novel "one of the strangest but most beautiful works in the world" The opening sentence in the Moby D novel "Call me Ismail" became one of the most famous literary sentences in the world. Â
Melville began writing Moby D in February 1850, the writing process took 18 months. A year earlier he drafted a story. The writing process was interrupted in August 1850 due to the essay "Mosses from an Old paste". He dedicated this novel to his best friend Hawthorne "as a sign of Melville's admiration for his genius".
What inspired the writing of this novel was the Melville whaling trip in 1841. The novel also refers to whaling literature, other literary works such as Shakespeare and the Bible. The white whale is modelled on the famous albino (Mocha D) whale that is difficult to catch. The final part of the book is based on the story of the sinking of Essx in 1820.
In general, this novel tells the story of whaling for its oil. Of course, tell the details of life on a whaling boat with a crew that has a variety of cultures, classes and social status, good and evil nature, and the faith of God. In addition to using narrative prose, Melville uses literary styles and tools ranging from poetry, song, and to Shakespeare's stage writing style.
LEARN MORE
If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, we recommend you to also take a look at the following questions:
• In Herman Melville’s Moby D, what happened to Ahab in his previous encounter with Moby D?
KEYWORD: Herman Melville, Ahab, Moby D, the story of Moby D Â
Subject: English
Class: 10-12
Subchapter: Literature