白鲸Moby Dick作品分析

MobyDick(1851)——HermanMelvilleHermanMelville（1819—1891）wasanAmericannovelist,shortstorywriter,essayist,andpoet.AlthoughMelvillehasbeenregardedthroughoutmostofthetwentiethcenturyasoneofAmerica’smostpowerfulliteraryartists,particularlyforhismasterpieceMoby-Dick,hewaslargelyunrecognizedinhislifetime.AboutTheAuthorMobyDickTypeofwork:symbolicworkFirstpublication:1851Setting:Mostofthebooktakesplaceonvariousoceans,suchastheAtlantic,theIndian,andthePacific,intheearlytomid1800’s.However,agooddealofthefirstpartofthenoveltakesplaceinNewEnglandinsideandaroundNantucket.MainCharactersIshmael（以实玛利）—thenarrator,alsoamemberofthecrewoftheWhalerPequod.Ahab(亚哈伯)—theegomaniacal（自大疯狂的）captainoftheWhalerPequod.MobyDick—thegreatwhitewhale.Starbuck—thefirstmate（大副）ofthePequod.Queequeg（标枪手魁魁格)—Starbuck’sskilledharpoonerandIshmael’sbestfriend.PequodwhaleshipTip：星巴克(Starbucks)得名MobyDick中的人物名称，书中爱喝咖啡的大副就叫Starbuck。Ishmael,thenarrator,havinglittlemoneyandfindinglifeonshoregrim,decidestogotosea.HesignsaboardthewhalingshipnamedPequod.It’scaptain,Ahab,isatall,broadmanseeminglymadeofbronze.Hehasawhiteleg,madefromthejawofaspermwhale,becausehisownlegistornawaybyMobyDick—ahugewhitewhale.PlotSummaryAfterloosinghislegheisdeterminedtopursueMobyDickandkillit.Hehangsadoubloononthemastasarewardforanyonewhosightsthewhitewhalefirst.Eventuallythewhitewhaleappears，andthePequodbeginsitsdoomedfightagainstit.Onthefirstdaythewhalesmashesawhaleboat.Thesecondday，anotherboatisswamped，thecaptain’sivorylegissnappedoff.Whenthethirddaycomes,Ahabandhiscrewmanagetoharpoonthewhale,butitcarriesthePequodalongwithittoitsdoom.AllonboardgetdownedexpectIshmael,whoisrescuedbyanotherwhalerandsurvivestotellthestory.PlotIshmaelyearnsforawhalingadventureMeetsQueequegSignwiththewhaleshipPequodCaptainAhabappearsOnlypurposeofAhabiskillingMobyDickStarbuckargueswithAhabSeveralsinisteromensappearFindMobyDickTwofightsbetweenMobyDick&thecrewFirstone:MobyDickescapesSecondone:AllthecrewdieexceptIshmaelMeaningsofMobyDicktotheCharactersFirst,astoCaptainAhab,MobyDickisevil,istheonehewantstotakerevengeon,anditishisswornenemy.AhabvowedtoavengeandkillMobyDickforrippinghisleg,soheconsideredMobyDickashisaimofconquest.HeheatMobyDick,thinkofitnothingbuttheembodimentofevil,itmakeshimfurious,painful,andmessedupallhislife.InordertochaseandhuntdownMobyDick,Ahababandonedhisfamily,evensacrificedallsailors’life.ToAhab,MobyDickistheevilhemustdefeatanddestroy.Second,astothefirstmateStarbuck,MobyDickisthesymbolofthepowerofjuggernaut.HeisclearthatMobyDickisnotanormalwhaleasthosetheyhadmet,itcandestroytheshipandkillallpeopleontheship.HetriedtopersuadeCaptainAhabtogiveupchasingMobyDick,buthefailed.Thoughhepredictedtheirtragicfate,hecandonothingtostopit.Therefore,inStarbuck’seyes,MobyDickisahorribleguillotine.Third,astothesecondmateStubb,MobyDickisagoodchanceforhimtomakeprofit.Inthattime,blubber,spermacetiandwhaleboneplayaveryimportantroleinpeople’sdailylife,sowhalingwaslucrativeandbecametheeconomicpillarindustries.SoastoStubb,MobyDickishistooltomakemoney.Lastly,astoIshmael,MobyDickisthesymbolofnature.Inthe42chapter,IshmaelthinksthatthewhitenessofMobyDickisthepresentfromnature.InIshmael’seyes,MobyDickisbothgorgeousandevil.Itcanbepeaceful,kindandbeautiful,however,italsocanbebrutal,cruelandcrazy.Likehiswhiteness,it’snotonlythesymbolofpurityandinnocencebutalsothesymbolofdeathandevil.MeaningsofMobyDicktoReadersAstoMelville,MobyDickisthesymbolofnature,oneofthemostcommoninterpretationsofthewhaleisinitscomparisonstonature.Melvilledepictsthewhaleasbeinggracefulandpeacefulinitsnaturalhabitat,muchlikenatureingeneral.Heshowsthatwhenanoutsideforceinterruptsthetruecourseofnature,itcanresultinviolenceandunexpectedactionsofeitherofthetwo.Thewhaleisalsosimilartonatureinthatitisboundbynaturallaws,butthatwithintheselawstheyarecapableofbeingpowerfulandimmortal,atthesametimebeingtemperateandpeaceful.SymbolismThelandTheseaThePequodThevoyageAhabAhab'sPipeStarbuckTheDoubloonQueequeg'sCoffinMobyDickLand:asymbolfsafetySea:asymbolofadventureanddangerThePequod:asymbolofthehumanworldThevoyage:tendstoimplythevogageofmindsearchingfortruthandknowledgeoftheforcesworkingintheuniversethatcontrolmenandtheirdestiny.Starbuck:asymbolofgoodandnoble.theDoubloon:asymbolofthelureofevilandtheenticementstogreedAhab:asymbolofsolipsism,revengeandthenevilAhab'sPipe:ThepipethatCaptainAhabsmokesthroughoutthevoyagerepresentshappinessinAhab'slife.OncehetossesitovertheedgeoftheshipinhispursuittofindMobyDick,allhishappinessislost.Queequeg'sCoffinQueequeg'scoffinalternatelysymbolizeslifeanddeath.Queequeghasitbuiltwhenheisseriouslyill,butwhenherecovers,itbecomesachesttoholdhisbelongingsandanemblemofhiswilltolive.Heperpetuatestheknowledgetattooedonhisbodybycarvingitontothecoffin'slid.Thecoffinfurthercomestosymbolizelife,inamorbidway,whenitreplacesthePequod'slifebuoy.WhenthePequodsinks,thecoffinbecomesIshmael'sbuoy,savingnotonlyhislifebutthelifeofthenarrativethathewillpasson.MobyDickametaphorforthehumangralationshipwiththeChristainGod:Godisunknownandcann