Mythological allusions can help elucidate prevalent themes in novels by connecting them to well-known myths. The novel Moby Dick, written by Herman Melville, is a tale that uses a confluence of mythological allusions to help strengthen its message about society. With these allusions the reader begins to understand the topic of discussion and is also exposed to the wisdom and knowledge Melville possess. Throughout the novel, biblical and Greek allusions help exemplify the nature of human defiance and persistence seen through the futile attempt to undermine nature through Ahab, Elijah, Jonah, and the Fates. The first mythological allusions in the novel are the names of two characters, Elijah and Ahab, who are biblical allusions. When Elijah
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Ahab decided to endanger the lives of his members and took it upon himself to fight Moby Dick, even though his shipmates had no idea of his intention to go up against this embodiment of nature. Before Ishmael boarded the Pequod he went to a church where Father Mapple conducted a sermon. At the end of the sermon Father Mapple, “slowly turned over the leaves of the Bible, and at last, folding his hand down upon the proper page, said: ‘Beloved shipmates, clinch the last verse of the first chapter of Jonah— And God had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah’” (Melville 43). The fact that Father Mapple asks the members of the church to consider the last verse of Jonah is eerie due to the implication of Jonah in the Bible. In the Bible, Jonah directly refuses a request from the Lord and tries to escape from him on a ship. On the voyage, massive gales assail the ship and the crew becomes worried due to the incredible amount of danger. When Jonah tell them that God is angry with him, they try to keep him on the ship until they are forced to throw himself to save the ship. Jonah is promptly swallowed by a whale as God’s way of teaching Jonah a lesson. This allusion bears resemblance to the situation in Moby Dick because Jonah tries to defy nature and is as unsuccessful in attempt as Ahab is. The sermon by Father Mapple foreshadows the result of the journey that Ishmael faces though biblical
Ahab decided to endanger the lives of his members and took it upon himself to fight Moby Dick, even though his shipmates had no idea of his intention to go up against this embodiment of nature. Before Ishmael boarded the Pequod he went to a church where Father Mapple conducted a sermon. At the end of the sermon Father Mapple, “slowly turned over the leaves of the Bible, and at last, folding his hand down upon the proper page, said: ‘Beloved shipmates, clinch the last verse of the first chapter of Jonah— And God had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah’” (Melville 43). The fact that Father Mapple asks the members of the church to consider the last verse of Jonah is eerie due to the implication of Jonah in the Bible. In the Bible, Jonah directly refuses a request from the Lord and tries to escape from him on a ship. On the voyage, massive gales assail the ship and the crew becomes worried due to the incredible amount of danger. When Jonah tell them that God is angry with him, they try to keep him on the ship until they are forced to throw himself to save the ship. Jonah is promptly swallowed by a whale as God’s way of teaching Jonah a lesson. This allusion bears resemblance to the situation in Moby Dick because Jonah tries to defy nature and is as unsuccessful in attempt as Ahab is. The sermon by Father Mapple foreshadows the result of the journey that Ishmael faces though biblical