Biblical Archetypes In Moby-Dick

The primary concern of the present thesis is with the archetypal qualities of Moby-Dick. Melville constantly uses several hundred biblical names, references, allusions and quotations in the novel. According to Frye's definition of archetype, there exist archetypal images, figures, narrative patterns and themes. The biblical archetypes practice vital roles in the novel. The seemingly fragmentary and casual archetypes form a universal structural relevance, which determines the interior consistence of the theme of Moby-Dick, creates the distinctive aesthetic function. The assignment of this thesis goes into three parts, which is further divided into six chapters. The first part (Chapter I & Chapter II) gives a comprehensive view of the necessity, importance and feasibility of the study of the archetypal qualities in Melville's Moby-Dick. This part also provides a survey of the critical status quo of the archetypes in the novel by the predecessors. Not satisfied with these fragmentary, isolated studies on the archetypes, I examine the present archetypal system in which the recurrent biblical archetypes can be explained relevantly. Frye's archetypal critical theory is presented, too. Although the thesis is a tentative study, it is not a blind leap in the dark. The second part, including Chapter III, IV, V, is the core of the thesis. Using the critical strategy of Archetypal Criticism, considering the textual content of Moby-Dick, the second part elucidates the internal structure of the archetypal system. The part is classified into three chapters: archetypal character types, archetypal narrative patterns and archetypal theme. Each of them is an autonomous unit, but it has its relevance with one another. In this part, the multiplicity of the biblical archetypes in Moby-Dick is inquired. By doing so, the suggestion of the hidden and more important theme of the novel is revealed. Melville shows his ingenuity by presenting the theme through different counterparts that are supported by a series of repeated archetypes in the novel. What the counterparts tell us is that Melville's tale is one of theanguish of his time, the tension between man's self-reliance and religious beliefs. The third part of the thesis is my tentative conclusion. The Bible is one of the most important archetypes of Moby-Dick. The importance of the biblical archetypal system lies in its aesthetic function in Moby-Dick. Great work draws its strength from former literature. In Moby-Dick the archetypes are kindled and brought to bear upon the conscious outlook of Melville's time. So it touches something in the soul of every American. Ahab's tragedy is not one man's, for he is only a representative of human beings who are self-assertive and self-reliant. It is the sense of defeat of the human race in confrontation with God.