Take a photo of a barcode or cover
sbotelho 's review for:
Moby Dick: or, the White Whale
by Herman Melville
And I finally got to read this classic. I want to make it clear that I was rooting for the whale. Moby Dick was in her natural habitat, and the whale who is swimming happily doesn't want war with anybody.
Then comes Ahab, this absolute idiot. He is out there trying to kill her, and of course Moby Dick smart as she is, defends herself. He ends up without a leg - and it is hinted, without other male parts as well - and instead of being happy that he got away with his life, decides to go back to take revenge on Moby Dick.
Ahab is paranoid, obsessed and manipulates the crew to get revenge on Moby Dick, even though the only one he should blame for his status is himself. So no sympathy for him or the fools that followed him in this doomed endeavour.
I have to compliment Herman Melville for his totally subtle homosexual undertones. It wouldn't be acceptable at the time, so he puts hints everywhere: from the "marriage" and sleeping in the same bed of Ishmael and Queequeg, to the many commentaries and allusions about the male sexual organ and at times it is hilarious. This is a book about men and their adventures, how important it is for them to be together and their relationships. The few women are mentioned in the beginning of the novel: brief and they have no personality or impact on the story whatsoever, not even as an inspiration for the men.
There are long analysis of the whale - the different kind of whales, their nature, how they are seeing in history, and he tries hard to show the noble nature of whaling. It didn't work for me - in the end of the day, the whales are wonderful beings and I do understand that at this time they needed their oil for lamps, but still, it was a horrible profession to hunt those wonderful mammals, kill them through a lot of suffering for them and then take the few portions of them that are of use to them and throw all of their meat away. Just leave the poor animals alone already!
Melville explores themes such as fate: Ahab manipulates the Prequod crew and their superstitions to make sure they follow him in his craze quest for revenge. Also religion: Ishmael is a biblical name, the 3 day final confrontation with Moby Dick remites to Biblical themes like Jonah spending 3 days inside the belly of the big fish and Christ resurrecting after 3 days inside the tomb. Ahab is also a Biblical name: in the Bible he was one of Israel's wicked king and Jezebel's husband. Fedallah has a prophecy that Ahab misinterpret as he will be successful on his quest and in the end we understand that it is not so and it's fascinating to see Ahab understanding that the prophecy meant the opposite and still he cannot refrain himself for going until death through the course he set himself to, bringing the entire crew with him with the exception of Ishmael.
The pairing of the workers in the Prequod is quite interesting: Starbuck represents New England and, just as this region depends on the Chinese/South Sea trade, he depends on Queequeg. Stubb represents the American West, and his power derives from his subordination of the Native American Indian, Tashtego. Flask represents the South and both controls and depends upon the African, Daggoo.
I think the book is amazing but very long. Melville goes on and on about the details of the whales, differences and for a great part of the book, nothing really happens. However, I was rooting for the whale and I loved that this book had a happy ending.
Then comes Ahab, this absolute idiot. He is out there trying to kill her, and of course Moby Dick smart as she is, defends herself. He ends up without a leg - and it is hinted, without other male parts as well - and instead of being happy that he got away with his life, decides to go back to take revenge on Moby Dick.
Ahab is paranoid, obsessed and manipulates the crew to get revenge on Moby Dick, even though the only one he should blame for his status is himself. So no sympathy for him or the fools that followed him in this doomed endeavour.
I have to compliment Herman Melville for his totally subtle homosexual undertones. It wouldn't be acceptable at the time, so he puts hints everywhere: from the "marriage" and sleeping in the same bed of Ishmael and Queequeg, to the many commentaries and allusions about the male sexual organ and at times it is hilarious. This is a book about men and their adventures, how important it is for them to be together and their relationships. The few women are mentioned in the beginning of the novel: brief and they have no personality or impact on the story whatsoever, not even as an inspiration for the men.
There are long analysis of the whale - the different kind of whales, their nature, how they are seeing in history, and he tries hard to show the noble nature of whaling. It didn't work for me - in the end of the day, the whales are wonderful beings and I do understand that at this time they needed their oil for lamps, but still, it was a horrible profession to hunt those wonderful mammals, kill them through a lot of suffering for them and then take the few portions of them that are of use to them and throw all of their meat away. Just leave the poor animals alone already!
Melville explores themes such as fate: Ahab manipulates the Prequod crew and their superstitions to make sure they follow him in his craze quest for revenge. Also religion: Ishmael is a biblical name, the 3 day final confrontation with Moby Dick remites to Biblical themes like Jonah spending 3 days inside the belly of the big fish and Christ resurrecting after 3 days inside the tomb. Ahab is also a Biblical name: in the Bible he was one of Israel's wicked king and Jezebel's husband. Fedallah has a prophecy that Ahab misinterpret as he will be successful on his quest and in the end we understand that it is not so and it's fascinating to see Ahab understanding that the prophecy meant the opposite and still he cannot refrain himself for going until death through the course he set himself to, bringing the entire crew with him with the exception of Ishmael.
The pairing of the workers in the Prequod is quite interesting: Starbuck represents New England and, just as this region depends on the Chinese/South Sea trade, he depends on Queequeg. Stubb represents the American West, and his power derives from his subordination of the Native American Indian, Tashtego. Flask represents the South and both controls and depends upon the African, Daggoo.
I think the book is amazing but very long. Melville goes on and on about the details of the whales, differences and for a great part of the book, nothing really happens. However, I was rooting for the whale and I loved that this book had a happy ending.