| Herman Melville is one of the greatest writers in American literary history in the nineteenth century. His representative work Moby Dick is regarded as the national epic of America. Melville tells us a whaling story in which Captain Ahab leads his crewmen on Pequod in search of a White Whale. Pequod is very powerful and sails across the sea. Equipped with a crew of brave sailors, who are full of pioneering spirit and come from other parts of the world, Pequod sets out its journey to conquer the vast ocean, which is quite similar to the Westward Movement. To some extent, its voyage represents America's expansionist spirit. The process from land to sea is one of the imperialist expansions. Pequod displays the imperialist's ambition to conquer the vast ocean. Besides, the problems about wealth loot, racial discrimination, territorial expansion and the contrast between western civilization and pagan civilization are also depicted in this novel. Melville is a thoughtful and complicated writer. He takes a critical attitude towards America's expansionism and imperialism; however, he does not establish a clear rupture from the imperialist ideology. Thus we can regard Moby Dick as an imperialist text beyond its time. It embodies the America-centered political idea and foreshadows the nation's imperialist ideology.This thesis is based on the theory of Post-colonialism and combines the perspective of Orientalism and Cultural imperialism to investigate America's imperialist ambition. It mainly includes six parts, that is, introduction, conclusion and four chapters.Chapter one introduces Melville's political stand. The nineteenth-century America witnessed complicated social changes:slavery, Westward Movement and overseas involvement. Under such a social background, Melville wrote Moby Dick. Melville was also influenced by the social background like most of his contemporaries. He hailed the greatness of America and became a singer of American democracy and freedom; however, he is quite critical. He criticizes the nation's territorial expansion. Melville has a keen insight of America's empire-building ambition. Although he is ambivalent concerning the imperialist ideology, yet his critique is obvious in Moby Dick.Chapter two analyzes the Euro-American centered world geographical structure. It gives a detailed description to demonstrate the "Other" images of the vast ocean and other lands. They function as a place for the imperialists to loot wealth and pursue huge profits. The Americans have an insatiable appetite for the territory and wealth. This part is America's imperialist ambition embodied in economic aspects.Chapter three analyzes the Euro-American centered world civilization. Through the contrast of western civilization and pagan civilization, Melville reveals the racial discrimination in his day. In Melville's writing, Pequod shoulders a mission to spread civilization and democracy to the other parts of the world, in fact, which is the typical American democracy in place of the old imperial paradigm. Melville satirizes America's "noble" civilization and democracy. In addition, Melville depicts Fedallah, who represents the ugly, irrational, mysterious oriental image, while on its opposite, it is the rational, civilized and advanced occidental image. Melville's depiction of Fedallah helps to reinforce the ugly and mysterious Asian images in the Westerner's mind. Obviously, this orientalist prejudice comes from the Westerners'prejudice, which is the inevitable choice of different cultures.Chapter four introduces America's powerful opponent, Moby Dick, in its process to overseas expansion. Pequod is very advanced and filled with rich resources, a symbol of powerful American navy force. In the end, Pequod meets its tragic ending. To some extent, it suggests that anyone who wants to become the empire of the world must pay great sacrifices. Melville arranges such an ending which has much warning significance to America's imperialist ambition in the nineteenth century.All in all, Moby Dick basically foreshadows a powerful America's imperialist image. Although it is difficult to describe the subtle relationship between Moby Dick and America's imperialism, yet as an important cultural text, this novel plays a certain role in the construction of America'imperialist ideology... |
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