Written by a well-known American novelist, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter is a story about the trials and tribulations of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid 17th century. Although The Scarlet Letter addresses many characters, the antagonist, Roger Chillingworth, in particular stood out among the rest because of his evil persona. Correspondingly, American gothic novel, Moby Dick, written by Herman Melville, focused its attention on Captain Ahab, the protagonist, and his determination to find the one thing in life he had been searching for. Although Roger Chillingworth and Captain Ahab lived in two completely different atmospheres at distinctive times, they are both evil characters with many similarities such as they both lost
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The source of Ahab’s evil began when a great white whale tore off one his most vital ligaments. After this traumatic event, Ahab gradually became crazier and crazier. His lunatic ways caused him to focus only on himself, always disregarding the crew’s well-being. Ahab was so determined to find the white whale, Moby Dick, that he ventured into icy waters in search of him. He and the crew lost out on money because they had to use the harvested whale oil to keep warm in the cold waters. The crew complained that Ahab would never find Moby Dick because whales did not live in freezing water but he refused to leave. Ahab had begun to act as if Moby Dick was a person he was seeking revenge on rather than a great white whale. Eventually, after many struggles and almost sinking, they retreated from the icy waters and Ahab encountered the whale. In the beginning of the story, it was prophesied that all aboard Ahab’s ship would die except for one. The prophecy was fulfilled when Ahab, along with the rest of the crew except for one, was defeated and killed by the whale. The lone survivor of the Pequod, Ahab’s ship, was a man called Ishmael, the narrator. Because of Ahab’s psychotic wickedness, every crew member aboard the Pequod, except one, never returned home, leaving the story of Moby Dick with a bitter
The source of Ahab’s evil began when a great white whale tore off one his most vital ligaments. After this traumatic event, Ahab gradually became crazier and crazier. His lunatic ways caused him to focus only on himself, always disregarding the crew’s well-being. Ahab was so determined to find the white whale, Moby Dick, that he ventured into icy waters in search of him. He and the crew lost out on money because they had to use the harvested whale oil to keep warm in the cold waters. The crew complained that Ahab would never find Moby Dick because whales did not live in freezing water but he refused to leave. Ahab had begun to act as if Moby Dick was a person he was seeking revenge on rather than a great white whale. Eventually, after many struggles and almost sinking, they retreated from the icy waters and Ahab encountered the whale. In the beginning of the story, it was prophesied that all aboard Ahab’s ship would die except for one. The prophecy was fulfilled when Ahab, along with the rest of the crew except for one, was defeated and killed by the whale. The lone survivor of the Pequod, Ahab’s ship, was a man called Ishmael, the narrator. Because of Ahab’s psychotic wickedness, every crew member aboard the Pequod, except one, never returned home, leaving the story of Moby Dick with a bitter