Themes, Relation to Psychology, and Influence of Herman Melville's Works

Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Code/Title
Instructor
Date
Herman Melville
Introduction
Herman Melville is popularly known for his literary masterpiece, "Moby-Dick (1851)", the novel that remained unknown until the dawn of the 20th century as the foundation of contemporary American literature. Moby-Dick has since ranked as one of the top American works of literature due to its reflection of many themes richly embedded with political, biological, historical, classical art, mythological, and religious dimensions, among several other leitmotifs that echo Melville's life and experiences (Coffler 107). Other titles that Melville wrote include "Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life" (1846)", "Pierre; or, The Ambiguities (1851", and "Billy Budd (An Inside Narrative) (1924)" among others. In discussing the novel "Moby-Dick," this paper highlights some of the frequent themes in many of Melville's works, their relevance and value today, how his work is related to psychology, and the impact of his writing among people today.
Themes, Relevance, and Value Today
Herman Melville's literary work captures several thematic concerns that have remained relevant and of value in modern societies. The author concentrated on subjects ranging from historical, political, race, and power dimensions to mythological and religious inquiry to reflect his life and experiences (Yadav and Yadav 232). In Moby Dick and "Benito Cereno," Melville portrays the racial attitudes among the whites and their relationship with people of color. The racist beliefs held by the white characters in Moby Dick display the structure to maintain social power. By the close of the book, the author successfully shows the essential savagery of the human race, regardless of color.
The gargantuan White Whale or the "Moby Dick" is allegorical to humanity's incessant search for the truth, which none is successful in understanding. Despite the crew's efforts, the whale kills them all to indicate it is undefeatable (Schlarb 87). While Ishmael talks of the association between whiteness and nobility and leadership of royalty, he also notes that white fails lucidity as color and cannot naturally exist in its purest form. Melville explores these questions and complex questions about the belief in deities that have taken center stage in modern debates about secularity and atheism.
While discussions about god(s) have been around for millennia, there is no truth about yet about the subject, and humanity has relied on theories and hypotheses to justify inner desires and thirst for truth. Like the white whale that symbolizes god, efforts to understand the deity are often in vain (Schlarb 87). Melville shows man's desperate quest to prove god implies in his writing that he should be left alone and respected.
How Melville's Work is Related to Psychology
Captain Ahab is Herman Melville's protagonist in "Moby Dick" who by all means expresses an intense and nonsensical obsession and desires to revenge on the White Whale, even if it will cost his life (...