Discuss How Ahab Is Obsessed And How Ahab Is The Victim?

Mid Term Essay
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Mid Term Essay
Moby-Dick is a voyage of the soul; discuss how Ahab is obsessed and how Ahab is the victim?
Moby-Dick is an 1851 novel by Herman Melville. The novel was also adapted into a movie with the same title, which was released in the year 1956 (Brid, 2017). The novel features the protagonist and the title character, Moby-Dick and others including Captain Ahab. In this novel, the author portrays Ahab as the captain of the Pequod, a ship sailing globally while tracking down whales. He is an egomaniac captain and the novel’s most controversial character. He is single-mindedly obsessed with his efforts to pursue the whale. With a mixture of terror and charisma, Ahab persuades the crew members to collaborate with him to pursue the whale. While he is unfair, he is largely portrayed as a dictatorial captain. Additionally, he shows compassion by musing both on his child and wife as well as providing for the mentally ill Pip.
Before delving deeper into Ahab’s obsession, it is important to define the term obsession. According to Kiloby (2012), obsession refers to an unconscious, intense, and persistent body energy accompanied by an involuntary, continuous thought that is difficult to revoke through reasoning or logic. The persistent intensity of the obsession transcends the intensity of mild or moderate cravings. Ahab’s obsession stems from his relentless efforts to pursue the White Whale. As such, readers perceive him as being synonymous with the theme of obsession. While Pequod is meant to pursue all types of whales, Ahab engrossed at locating a single whale referred to as the White Whale. His focus on this particular whale reflects his obsession.
A critical analysis of the novel reveals a close connection between Ahab’s obsession with such Whale and his revenge motif. His pursuit for the Whale is instigated by the fact that the same whale attacked him and amputated his leg. As a consequence, Ahab is portrayed as a victim of the whale with which he is obsessed with. Given that the whale nearly killed him, he is highly obsessed with the intent to revenge by destroying the mammal. However, Ahab’s obsession with revenge eventually results in his death together with his crew members except Ishmael.
What causes Procter to scream “I said God is dead” what does it mean?
In Arthur Miller’s play, “The Crucible,” the reader witnesses John Proctor being accused of practicing witchcraft. As a consequence, he claims that “God is dead” (Miller, 1954, p. 74; Williams College, 2013). Scholars have interpreted this statement differently. Before such an accusation, the Salem Community perceives Proctor as an upright and holy man. However, their perceptions change once he cheats on his matrimonial wife, Elizabeth, with his servant girl called Abigail. While he confesses his infidelity to his wife, he fails to reveal this secret to others. However, Proctor decides to reveal the secret when Elizabeth accuses his wife of practicing witchcraft. As a retaliatory action, he opens up and confesses to the rest about his affair with Elizabeth. His confession was meant to change perception of the judges of the town regardin...