This document provides a summary of the novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville. It includes background information on the author and characters, as well as a brief overview of the plot which follows Captain Ahab's obsessive quest for revenge against the white whale Moby Dick who previously destroyed his ship and severed his leg. The summary concludes by reflecting on how the narrative suggests that while Ahab and his crew failed to understand Moby Dick, there are great mysteries in life that will continue to elude and fascinate humanity for centuries to come, such as the power and mysteries of the sea.

1. Bengaluru north university
Subject : American literature
Topic : Moby Dick by Herman melville
Submitted by : ANANDA P N
MA 1ST YEAR
Dept, of English
PH NO : 9019424311
Email : anandapn90@gmail.com

2. MOBY DICK
HERMAN MELVILLE

3. HERMAN MELVILLE
BORN : August 1st 1819, New York, USA
DIED : September 28th 1891
Occupation : Novelist, Short story writer, Teacher, poet, customs inspector.
Genres : Travelogue, captive narrative, nautical fiction, gothic romanticism

4. MOBY DICK
What is Moby dick?
1.Moby dick is a novel that tells the story of Ishmael a sailor who joins the
Crew of whaling ship Pequod, captained by the vengeful and obsessive.
2. Moby dick is a name of a whale.
3. Moby dick is a Novel.

5. What is epilogue?
Epilogue
An epilogue is a section or a concluding part that appears at the end of a literary work
such as a book, play, or movie. It is often used to provide a glimpse of what happens to
the characters after the main events of the story have been resolved.
In general, an epilogue is used to bring closure to the work and provide a sense of
completeness to the reader or audience. It is usually distinct from the main story
and provides a different perspective or tone than the rest of the work.

6. Characters
1.Ishmael: The narrator of the story, who signs up for the whaling voyage to
escape from civilization and experience the thrill of the sea.
2. Captain Ahab: The captain of the Pequod, who is obsessed with hunting and
killing the white whale, Moby Dick. His obsession drives the plot of the novel.
3. Queequeg: A harpooner and Ishmael's close friend and bunkmate on the
Pequod. Queequeg is a tattooed South Pacific Islander and a skilled whaler.
4. Moby Dick: The white whale that Ahab is obsessed with hunting and killing.
Moby Dick is a symbol of nature's power and the unknowable mysteries of the
universe.

7. Background
 The novel tells the story of Captain Ahab's obsessive quest
for revenge against a giant white sperm whale named Moby
Dick, which had destroyed Ahab's ship and severed his leg on
a previous voyage.
 The novel tells the story of Captain Ahab's obsessive quest
for revenge against a giant white sperm whale named Moby
Dick, which had destroyed Ahab's ship and severed his leg on
a previous voyage.

8. Summary of Moby dick
The narrator, Ishmael, reflects on the fact that
although Ahab and his crew were obsessed with
finding and killing Moby Dick, they ultimately failed
to understand the whale's true nature. He goes on
to suggest that in the same way, there are great
mysteries in life that we can never fully
comprehend, and that the pursuit of knowledge
and understanding is a never-ending quest.

9. The final lines of the epilogue are particularly
famous: "Now small fowls flew screaming over
the yet yawning gulf; a sullen white surf beat
against its steep sides; then all collapsed, and
the great shroud of the sea rolled on as it
rolled five thousand years ago." These lines
suggest that although Ahab and his crew are
gone, the sea and its mysteries continue
unchanged, and will continue to fascinate and
elude us for centuries to come.

10. Theme
1. Obsession and its destructive effects
2. Humanity's relationship with nature
3. Morality and questions of good and evil
4. Fate and free will
5. The purpose of existence
6. The power and mystery of the sea
7. Isolation and alienation
8. Revenge and its consequences
9. The nature of heroism
10.The pursuit of knowledge and
understanding
11.The complexities of race and identity

11. THANK YOU