Despite the countless arguments from scholars of the Pequod and its crew representing an image beyond humanity, Melville provides much evidence in Moby-Dick with regard to the humanities of the crew as a reflection of American political life. The American political life and relationship to the world of the 1850s in Moby-Dick can be found within the Pequod’s crew, predominantly Captain Ahab, and their interactions with the various whaling ships throughout their voyage. The Pequod’s crew—with all its "democratic dignity"—comprises a "deputation from all the isles of the earth” (Melville 126: 132). The Pequod is a model of a democracy and American political life, embracing the different cultures from all over the world aboard the ship. However,
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Scholars have also considered Ahab as either evil or the devil incarnate (May 279). In most of these scholarly articles, Ahab is simply portrayed as not one of us. He is foreign and represents behavior that is outside the parameters of everyday American society. Captain Peleg’s descriptions of Ahab as a “grand, ungodly, god-like man, above the common” supports these claims, however Melville makes a special effort to emphasize that he is not an otherworldly force, but rather an ordinary human being (Melville 88). For example, seconds after Peleg describes Ahab in those divine terms, he emphasizes Ahab’s “humanities.” He says Ahab is a “good captain” and “a good man” with a family; “he has a wife—not three voyages wedded—a sweet, resigned girl” and “by that sweet girl that old man has a child (89). Ahab may seem unfamiliar at first, but Melville positions him as a familiar, ordinary man. In fact, Melville stresses that Ahab has roots with a well-established class of American citizens from Daniel Webster’s address to the Senate that describes whale fishery in Nantucket as a “peculiar portion of the National interest…adding largely every year to the National wealth by the boldest and most persevering industry” (xlix). Nantucket, Ahab’s home, is one the oldest and successful industries in America. In his Speeches and Forensic Arguments, Webster notes that “the progress of this branch of industry, which is in the highest degree honorable to the spirit of enterprise which has animated the people of that place for than a century and a half. They are well entitled to public encouragement” (Webster 436). Melville assures us that Ahab has roots from a legitimate and encouraged occupation within America. In addition to this occupational root, Melville gives us a genealogical root for Ahab in chapter 24, The Advocate.
Scholars have also considered Ahab as either evil or the devil incarnate (May 279). In most of these scholarly articles, Ahab is simply portrayed as not one of us. He is foreign and represents behavior that is outside the parameters of everyday American society. Captain Peleg’s descriptions of Ahab as a “grand, ungodly, god-like man, above the common” supports these claims, however Melville makes a special effort to emphasize that he is not an otherworldly force, but rather an ordinary human being (Melville 88). For example, seconds after Peleg describes Ahab in those divine terms, he emphasizes Ahab’s “humanities.” He says Ahab is a “good captain” and “a good man” with a family; “he has a wife—not three voyages wedded—a sweet, resigned girl” and “by that sweet girl that old man has a child (89). Ahab may seem unfamiliar at first, but Melville positions him as a familiar, ordinary man. In fact, Melville stresses that Ahab has roots with a well-established class of American citizens from Daniel Webster’s address to the Senate that describes whale fishery in Nantucket as a “peculiar portion of the National interest…adding largely every year to the National wealth by the boldest and most persevering industry” (xlix). Nantucket, Ahab’s home, is one the oldest and successful industries in America. In his Speeches and Forensic Arguments, Webster notes that “the progress of this branch of industry, which is in the highest degree honorable to the spirit of enterprise which has animated the people of that place for than a century and a half. They are well entitled to public encouragement” (Webster 436). Melville assures us that Ahab has roots from a legitimate and encouraged occupation within America. In addition to this occupational root, Melville gives us a genealogical root for Ahab in chapter 24, The Advocate.