Moby-Dick

764 Pages

Adventure stories
Ahab, Captain (Fictitious character)
Mentally ill
Psychological fiction
Sea stories
Ship captains
Whales
Whaling
Whaling ships

Summary

Moby-Dick; or, The Whale by Herman Melville is a novel that explores the adventures of the monomaniacal quest of Captain Ahab to seek revenge on Moby Dick, the white whale that on a previous voyage destroyed Ahab's ship and severed his leg at the knee. Although the novel starts as a straightforward narrative of a whale hunt, it deepens into a complex exploration of fate, obsession, and humanity's struggle against the unfathomable powers of nature. The story is narrated by Ishmael, a sailor aboard the whaling ship Pequod, who offers philosophical reflections on his experiences and the nature of the universe. The book blends realism with romanticism and contains detailed descriptions of whaling and philosophical asides.

Famous Quotes

Call me Ishmael. - Ishmael

From hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee. Ye damned whale. - Captain Ahab

It is not down on any map; true places never are. - Ishmael

Chapters

Chapter 1 - CHAPTER I.LOOMINGS →

Chapter 2 - CHAPTER II.THE CARPET-BAG →

Chapter 3 - CHAPTER III.THE SPOUTER-INN →

Chapter 4 - CHAPTER IV.THE COUNTERPANE →

Chapter 5 - CHAPTER V.BREAKFAST →

Chapter 6 - CHAPTER VI.THE STREET →

Chapter 7 - CHAPTER VII.THE CHAPEL →

Chapter 8 - CHAPTER VIII.THE PULPIT →

Chapter 9 - CHAPTER IX.THE SERMON →

Chapter 10 - CHAPTER X.A BOSOM FRIEND →

Chapter 11 - CHAPTER XI.NIGHTGOWN →

Chapter 12 - CHAPTER XII.BIOGRAPHICAL →

Chapter 13 - CHAPTER XIII.WHEELBARROW →

Chapter 14 - CHAPTER XIV.NANTUCKET →

Chapter 15 - CHAPTER XV.CHOWDER →

Chapter 16 - CHAPTER XVI.THE SHIP →

Chapter 17 - CHAPTER XVII.THE RAMADAN →

Chapter 18 - CHAPTER XVIII.HIS MARK →

Chapter 19 - CHAPTER XIX.THE PROPHET →

Chapter 20 - CHAPTER XX.ALL ASTIR →

Chapter 21 - CHAPTER XXI.GOING ABOARD →

Chapter 22 - CHAPTER XXII.MERRY CHRISTMAS →

Chapter 23 - CHAPTER XXIII.THE LEE SHORE →

Chapter 24 - CHAPTER XXIV.THE ADVOCATE →

Chapter 25 - CHAPTER XXV.POSTSCRIPT →

Chapter 26 - CHAPTER XXVI.KNIGHTS AND SQUIRES →

Chapter 27 - CHAPTER XXVII.KNIGHTS AND SQUIRES →

Chapter 28 - CHAPTER XXVIII.AHAB →

Chapter 29 - CHAPTER XXIX.ENTER AHAB; TO HIM, STUBB →

Chapter 30 - CHAPTER XXX.THE PIPE →

Chapter 31 - CHAPTER XXXI.QUEEN MAB →

Chapter 32 - CHAPTER XXXII.CETOLOGY →

Chapter 33 - CHAPTER XXXIII.THE SPECKSNYDER →

Chapter 34 - CHAPTER XXXIV.THE CABIN-TABLE →

Chapter 35 - CHAPTER XXXV.THE MAST-HEAD →

Chapter 36 - CHAPTER XXXVI.THE QUARTER-DECK →

Chapter 37 - CHAPTER XXXVII.SUNSET →

Chapter 38 - CHAPTER XXXVIII.DUSK →

Chapter 39 - CHAPTER XXXIX.FIRST NIGHT-WATCHFORE-TOP →

Chapter 40 - CHAPTER XL.MIDNIGHT, FORECASTLE →

Chapter 41 - CHAPTER XLI.MOBY DICK →

Chapter 42 - CHAPTER XLII.THE WHITENESS OF THE WHALE →

Chapter 43 - CHAPTER XLIII.HARK! →

Chapter 44 - CHAPTER XLIV.THE CHART →

Chapter 45 - CHAPTER XLV.THE AFFIDAVIT →

Chapter 46 - CHAPTER XLVI.SURMISES →

Chapter 47 - CHAPTER XLVII.THE MAT-MAKER →

Chapter 48 - CHAPTER XLVIII.THE FIRST LOWERING →

Chapter 49 - CHAPTER XLIX.THE HYENA →

Chapter 50 - CHAPTER L.AHAB’S BOAT AND CREW. FEDALLAH →

Chapter 51 - CHAPTER LI.THE SPIRIT-SPOUT →

Chapter 52 - CHAPTER LII.THE ALBATROSS →

Chapter 53 - CHAPTER LIII.THE GAM →

Chapter 54 - CHAPTER LIV.THE TOWN-HO’S STORY →

Chapter 55 - CHAPTER LV.OF THE MONSTROUS PICTURES OF WHALES →

Chapter 56 - WHALES, AND THE TRUE PICTURES OF WHALING SCENES →

Chapter 57 - WOOD; IN SHEET-IRON; IN STONE; IN MOUNTAINS; IN STARS →

Chapter 58 - CHAPTER LVIII.BRIT →

Chapter 59 - CHAPTER LIX.SQUID →

Chapter 60 - CHAPTER LX.THE LINE →

Chapter 61 - CHAPTER LXI.STUBB KILLS A WHALE →

Chapter 62 - CHAPTER LXII.THE DART →

Chapter 63 - CHAPTER LXIII.THE CROTCH →

Chapter 64 - CHAPTER LXIV.STUBB’S SUPPER →

Chapter 65 - CHAPTER LXV.THE WHALE AS A DISH →

Chapter 66 - CHAPTER LXVI.THE SHARK MASSACRE →

Chapter 67 - CHAPTER LXVII.CUTTING IN →

Chapter 68 - CHAPTER LXVIII.THE BLANKET →

Chapter 69 - CHAPTER LXIX.THE FUNERAL →

Chapter 70 - CHAPTER LXX.THE SPHYNX →

Chapter 71 - CHAPTER LXXI.THE JEROBOAM’S STORY →

Chapter 72 - CHAPTER LXXII.THE MONKEY-ROPE →

Chapter 73 - WHALE; AND THEN HAVE A TALK OVER HIM →

Chapter 74 - HEAD—CONTRASTED VIEW →

Chapter 75 - CHAPTER LXXV.THE RIGHT WHALE’S HEAD—CONTRASTED VIEW →

Chapter 76 - CHAPTER LXXVI.THE BATTERING-RAM →

Chapter 77 - CHAPTER LXXVII.THE GREAT HEIDELBURGH TUN →

Chapter 78 - CHAPTER LXXVIII.CISTERN AND BUCKETS →

Chapter 79 - CHAPTER LXXIX.THE PRAIRE →

Chapter 80 - CHAPTER LXXX.THE NUT →

Chapter 81 - CHAPTER LXXXI.THE PEQUOD MEETS THE VIRGIN →

Chapter 82 - CHAPTER LXXXII.THE HONOR AND GLORY OF WHALING →

Chapter 83 - CHAPTER LXXXIII.JONAH HISTORICALLY REGARDED →

Chapter 84 - CHAPTER LXXXIV.PITCHPOLING →

Chapter 85 - CHAPTER LXXXV.THE FOUNTAIN →

Chapter 86 - CHAPTER LXXXVI.THE TAIL →

Chapter 87 - CHAPTER LXXXVII.THE GRAND ARMADA →

Chapter 88 - CHAPTER LXXXVIII.SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLMASTERS →

Chapter 89 - CHAPTER LXXXIX.FAST-FISH AND LOOSE-FISH →

Chapter 90 - CHAPTER XC.HEADS OR TAILS →

Chapter 91 - CHAPTER XCI.THE PEQUOD MEETS THE ROSE-BUD →

Chapter 92 - CHAPTER XCII.AMBERGRIS →

Chapter 93 - CHAPTER XCIII.THE CASTAWAY →

Chapter 94 - CHAPTER XCIV.A SQUEEZE OF THE HAND →

Chapter 95 - CHAPTER XCV.THE CASSOCK →

Chapter 96 - CHAPTER XCVI.THE TRY-WORKS →

Chapter 97 - CHAPTER XCVII.THE LAMP →

Chapter 98 - CHAPTER XCVIII.STOWING DOWN AND CLEARING UP →

Chapter 99 - CHAPTER XCIX.THE DOUBLOON →

Chapter 100 - NANTUCKET, MEETS THE SAMUEL ENDERBY, OF LONDON →

Chapter 101 - CHAPTER CI.THE DECANTER →

Chapter 102 - CHAPTER CII.A BOWER IN THE ARSACIDES →

Chapter 103 - CHAPTER CIII.MEASUREMENT OF THE WHALE’S SKELETON →

Chapter 104 - CHAPTER CIV.THE FOSSIL WHALE →

Chapter 105 - DIMINISH?—WILL HE PERISH? →

Chapter 106 - CHAPTER CVI.AHAB’S LEG →

Chapter 107 - CHAPTER CVII.THE CARPENTER →

Chapter 108 - CHAPTER CVIII.AHAB AND THE CARPENTER →

Chapter 109 - CHAPTER CIX.AHAB AND STARBUCK IN THE CABIN →

Chapter 110 - CHAPTER CX.QUEEQUEG IN HIS COFFIN →

Chapter 111 - CHAPTER CXI.THE PACIFIC →

Chapter 112 - CHAPTER CXII.THE BLACKSMITH →

Chapter 113 - CHAPTER CXIII.THE FORGE →

Chapter 114 - CHAPTER CXIV.THE GILDER →

Chapter 115 - CHAPTER CXV.THE PEQUOD MEETS THE BACHELOR →

Chapter 116 - CHAPTER CXVI.THE DYING WHALE →

Chapter 117 - CHAPTER CXVII.THE WHALE WATCH →

Chapter 118 - CHAPTER CXVIII.THE QUADRANT →

Chapter 119 - CHAPTER CXIX.THE CANDLES →

Chapter 120 - FIRST NIGHT WATCH →

Chapter 121 - CHAPTER CXXI.MIDNIGHT—THE FORECASTLE BULWARKS →

Chapter 122 - CHAPTER CXXII.MIDNIGHT ALOFT—THUNDER AND LIGHTNING →

Chapter 123 - CHAPTER CXXIII.THE MUSKET →

Chapter 124 - CHAPTER CXXIV.THE NEEDLE →

Chapter 125 - CHAPTER CXXV.THE LOG AND LINE →

Chapter 126 - CHAPTER CXXVI.THE LIFE-BUOY →

Chapter 127 - CHAPTER CXXVII.THE DECK →

Chapter 128 - CHAPTER CXXVIII.THE PEQUOD MEETS THE RACHEL →

Chapter 129 - CHAPTER CXXIX.THE CABIN →

Chapter 130 - CHAPTER CXXX.THE HAT →

Chapter 131 - CHAPTER CXXXI.THE PEQUOD MEETS THE DELIGHT →

Chapter 132 - CHAPTER CXXXII.THE SYMPHONY →

Chapter 133 - CHAPTER CXXXIII.THE CHASE—FIRST DAY →

Chapter 134 - CHAPTER CXXXIV.THE CHASE—SECOND DAY →

Chapter 135 - CHAPTER CXXXV.THE CHASE—THIRD DAYEPILOGUE. →