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1、Herman Melville Herman Melville and Moby DickHerman Melville (1819-1891)Works 1.Redburn 1849 2.Typee 1846 3.Omoo 1874 4.Moby Dick 1851 5.Mardi 1849 6.White Jacket 1850 7.Pierre 1852 8.Billy Budd 1924 LifeLife Melville was born in New York City.Both his parents came from well-to-do families,but later
2、 their family business failed.Melvilles childhood was happy to the age of 11,when his father died in debt.n Melville was born into a slightly eccentric,established New England family.nHis father Alan imported clothes and other goods from France,providing Herman with a comfortable and happy childhood
3、 in New York.nAfter Hermans father died in 1832,the family relied on financial assistance from his mothers wealthy family and Herman left school to go to work.nHerman educated himself while working a variety of jobs throughout teens.nIn 1839,Melville began his affair with sea when he joined the crew
4、 of the St.Lawrence and set sail for Liverpool England.nIn 1840,Melville set sail aboard the Acushnet,a whaling ship headed for the South Pacific.The rough conditions of the sea toughened the romantic New Englander and he took such a liking to sea life that he sailed around the globe four years aboa
5、rd various ships.n Melville was welcomed home by his family who was entertained by his tales of the high seas and encouraged him to write them down.Herman wrote Typee quickly in 1845,and published it the next year.Typee became a critical and financial success nin 1847,Melville married Elizabeth Shaw
6、,daughter of the Chief Justice of Massachusetts.nTo make himself more financially stable for his impending marriage,Melville sought a position with the U.S.Treasury and took on extra work writing book reviews.nMoby Dick published in November 1851,received poor reviews and did not sell.nDespite this
7、continued output and the fact his earlier novels continued to be reprinted and sold fairly well,Melvilles literary reputation was in rapid decline.nHis death from a heart attack on September 28,1891 went entirely unheeded by the general public.nMelvilles literary reputation remained in decline until
8、 he was rediscovered in the 1920s,when a generation,disillusioned by the Great War began to appreciate the depth of Melvilles spiritual struggles and the modern experimental style of his stories.nType of work:symbolic novelnFirst publication:1851nSetting:Most of the book takes place on various ocean
9、s,such as the Atlantic,the Indian,and the Pacific,in the early to mid 1800s.However,a good deal of the first part of the novel takes place in New England inside and around Nantucket.Moby DickPrincipal Characters:nIshmael schoolteacher and part-time sailor;a Presbyterian,like Melville,he projects Cal
10、vinistic thinking tempered by his background in literature and philosophy.He discusses such issues as free will,predestination,necessity,and damnation.He is the sole survivor of the Pequod.nCaptain Ahab A man who is obsessed with the killing of a white whale that has maimed him.He has a scar which e
11、xtends from his head to his leg.n Starbuck The first mate,is bold enough to criticize Ahabs vengeance,considers mutiny but fails.n Stubb The second mate who is carefree,indifferent,and fatalistic.nMoby Dick It is the White Whale;the worlds largest creature.It is powerful,legendary image of nature.It
12、 swims peacefully in the sea until disturbed by humans,then shows a terrible fury and anger.For Ahab,Moby Dick is the symbol of evil.Themes of Moby Dick Search for truth：The story deals with the human pursuit of truth and the meaning of existence.Conflict between Good and Evil.Conflict between Man a
13、nd Nature.Isolation between man and man;man and nature;man and society.Solipsism（唯我论）.SymbolsSymbols n The Pequod The Pequod is a symbol of doom.It is painted a gloomy black and covered in whale teeth and bones,literally bristling with the mementos of violent death.It is,in fact,marked for death.Ado
14、rned like a primitive coffin,the Pequod becomes one.SymbolsSymbols Moby Dick Moby Dick possesses various symbolic meanings for various individuals.1)Symbol of nature for human beings,because it is mysterious,powerful,unknown.2)Symbol of evil for the Captain Ahab.3)Symbol of good and purity because o
15、f its whiteness.SymbolsSymbols Voyage of the Pequod Symbol of the pursuit of ideals,adventure,and the hunt in the vast wilderness.Ahab Symbol of solipsism,revenge and then evil.SymbolsSymbols Starbuck Symbol of good and noble.the Doubloon Symbol of the lure of evil and enticements to greed.Sea Symbo
16、l of vastness,loneliness,and isolation.EvaluationEvaluationnMoby Dick is,critics have agreed,one of the worlds greatest masterpieces.To get to know the 19th century American mind and America itself,one has to read this book.nOne of the classics of American Literature and even world literature.nMoby Dick is an encyclopedia of everything,history,philosophy,religion,etc.in addition to a detailed account of the operations of the whaling industry.