Moby Dick

Feb 01 2010

Herman Melville’s Religious Implications

Published by admin at 2:56 am under Religion and the Bible

Throughout Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, there is a plethora of religious and

Biblical allusions and references that manifest. Almost all of the names of the characters

in this novel are religious by nature. The main character of the story, Ishmael, was an

outcast/drifter, who was dismissed in the Bible. Elijah is the character who warns both

Queequeg and Ishmael that Ahab is a dangerous man and he is not to be perturbed.

Elijah, in the Bible, was the “Prophet of Doom” (Chapter 19). Ahab, himself, is

described as a “grand, ungodly, God-like man.” Ahab, in 1 Kings 18: 18-39 in the Bible,

was the one who provoked the Lord of Israel. In addition, I find it interesting how

Queequeg is regarded as a savage cannibal because he is a pagan and does not fit into

New Bedford, Massachusetts. This very fact symbolizes the fact that

Captain Ahab wants to provoke the crew to attack and kill the sperm whale.

Furthermore, Moby Dick, the extremely large whale, is referred to as the Leviathan in the Bible. The Leviathan has had many

attributes according to Job Chapter 41, Psalm 104: 25, 26 and Isaiah 27:1. For example, in the Bible, the Leviathan is regarded is

such a manner: “No one is so fierce that he would dare stir him up.” This quote further supports the fact that Moby Dick is greatly

feared by the whole whaling community in New Bedford, Massachussets. Another great quote that best characterizes Moby Dick is

“Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail; nor does spear, dart, or javelin. He regards iron as straw, and bronze as rotten

wood. The arrow cannot make him flee; sling stones become like stubble to him. Darts are regarded as straw; he laughs at the reat

of javelins” (Psalms 104: 26). This epic quote shows how Moby Dick is nigh invulnerable to all forms of attacks by harpooners,

sailors and the like. Furthermore, Moby Dick is regarded as a powerful force to be reckoned with. As you can see, Herman Melville’s

Moby Dick is teeming with religious and biblical implications and allusions that all influence the plot and the deep meaning of the

story.

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