An Analysis of the Symbolism in Moby Dick

科技信息O外语论坛OSCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY NPORMATION2011年第29 期An Analysis of the Symbolism in Moby DickxU Zhi-yun(Huaiyin Vocational and Technical Health School,Huai' an Jiangsu, 223300)[摘要]The symbols in Hermnan Melvlle's masterpiec Moby Dick have the charcteristics of indefnitenes and mulsi - -sense. Herman Melyilleused the technique of muliple views to achieve the efect of ambiguity and to express the theme of humanisic relationships with nature.[关键词]Symbolsm;An analyis;Moby DickSymboliem is using a person, place, or thing to repreent something its beauty and wonders to the teror and fear that it can bring Althoughelse which is larger and often untouchable. It is used in literature to these two opinions of the whale are quite different from one another, it isallow authors to be objective while still expressing his/her views. Symbols erident in both viewpoints that Moby-Dick holds a great deal of powerin a story can be interpreted dfferently by diferent people .Some and strengh that will be dificult to overcome.symbols stand for things that are obvious while others need a moreMoby -Dick is synbolic of nature. One of the most commonnvolved explanation. In Moby- -Dick, Hernan Melville uses symbolism of interpretations of the whale is in its comparisons to nature. Melvillethe whale to express the theme of humanistic relationships with nature.depicts the whale as being graceful and peaceful in its natural habitat,Not long once at sea, the captain of the ship, Ahab reveals his pln much like nature in general. He shows that when an outside forceto hunt dowm a white whale named Moby Dick. Ahab was veteran sailor, interrupts the true course of nature, it can result in violence anda man that had a heart of stone.?Ahab had a personal grudge against unexpected actions of either of the two. The whale is also similar toMoby Dick.?Moby Dick was responsible for taking off Ahab's leg in a nature in that it is bound by natural laws, but that within these laws theyprevious voyage. Ahab's plan was esentially an unauthorized takeover, are capable of being powerful and inmortal, at the sane time beingwhat the whaling company had not in mind.Ahab was very irational and temperate and peaceful. Ahab views the whale as being similar to natureludicrous; his plan seals the fate for himself and the crew of the Pequod.? in that it is destructive. Ishmael associates the whale to nature in thatIn the trngjie ending of Moby Dick, all of the characters die except for they are both beautiful and wonderful. Starbuck seems to relate Moby-Ishmael. Ishmael survived Moby Dick's attack of the ship with the helpof Dick to nature because of its ability to nourish, and he concentrates ona coffin that his close friend Queequeq built.Ishmael in Moby Dick was a what the whale has to ofer, such as the oil and money he will obtain inspecial character because he closely relates to the author's own life.There klling itare many symbolism's between Ishmael of Moby Dick and HernanIn Moby-Dick, Melville uses the symbolisem of the whale to expressMelille's own life.The name Ishmael can be traced back to the Bible.The the theme of humanistic relationships. The whiteness of the whale in theBiblical story of Ishamel is one of a rejected outcast.This "ejected novel symbolies that the whale can be both tranquil and evil. Theown life. In Hermnan Melville's Moby Dick, lahmael is symbolic of the the word, or as all that is evil and destructive in the word. In this way,author's own life.The novel is an exciting sea story, a repoeitory of Moby-Dick is similar to nature.information about whales and whaling, and a philosophiceal inquiry intoMoby Dick is a trnygic epic, a romance of moral inquiry about thethe nature of good and evil, of man and his fate. The novel is heavily nature of good and evil, and about the power of will to defy fate. It is asymbolic,and readers are often confused by the book ' 8 symbolism.naturalistic story of whale -hunting, yet metapborical and symbolic. Theship on the occan is a aymbol of the whole world with people of everybeing very popular. The scholars hold :that In Herman Milille's Moby land sailing acroes the waters of life in quest of its mystery. The voyage isDick, one such element is the idea of the counterpane, or tapestry, of a metaphor for search and discovery. The ship is one of the Americanhumanity, that is woven throughout the story as a symbol of the world's soul. The ship is also a microcoem of American society. It containsmulticulturalism. Moby Dick was a mixed symbol.The color of the whale representaives of most gocial and ethnic groupe, and their variousin Moby -Dick is a symbol that can be interpreted differently. The reactions to the chase. Moby Dick itself represents tbe mystery of thewhitene6s of the whale can have obvious meaning, such as innocence, universe.purity, and cleanliness. However, to some people the color white can besymbolic of death, solitude, strength, power, and a god-like appearance.Throughout the wodd novel, we may notice that almost everythingTo Captain Ahab, the whale is not only the beast that removed his leg, described in it has its symbolic meaning For instance, a pipe symbolizeshe also becomes a symbol of evil and injustice. Becaue the whale has pleasure, and a rope symbolizes unity and corporation. We may find manyremoved Ahab's leg, Melille sbows that Moby -Dick is capable of great more such images in the book, both people and objects. When analyzedviolence. However, he also shows the whale living peaceflly and from difference they can have different symbolic meanings and the mixedtranquilly at sea until he is atacked by the tshows the symbolic meaning, and the mixed symbolic meanings make the bookthat white can mean both tranquillity and good, as well as terror and evil. social reality of the 19th century; the influence of it is still far- reachingThroughout Moby -Dick, the whale is given divine qualities and The symbolic meaning are sill applicable in the modem society. Poften compared to God. Just as many people fear God they also fearMoby -Dick. The characters in Moby -Dick all seem to have a different[参考文献]outlolok on the symbolism of the whale. To Captain Ahab, the whale[1]陶洁美国文学选读[M].高等教育出版.2002.[2]曹庸,译.白鲸[M]上海译文出版社,1982.vengeance against the whale to kill it. In destroying the whale, Ahab is[3]曹琳<白鯨)中的中国煤化工also destroying his own fears and evils that face him in the world.Ishmael, on the other hand, has quite a diferent interpretation for Moby-TYHCNMH G任编辑:曹明]Dick. He sces the whale昭a representation of nature in all aspects, from247