The Quarter Deck Analysis

A detailed Summary of The Quarter Deck Analysis


Transcendentalism is a philosophy that emphasizes conditions of knowledge through experience; also the philosophy of truth and respect for nature and the inner spirit. Thoreau and Emerson are the two most influential writers of transcendentalist movement. Anti-transcendentalism is transposed in Ahab of Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick. Ahab is an extremely obsessive person. He is obsessive about his own power and supremacy over both mankind and nature.

Ahab displays overzealous obsession when he says: "... Aye, Aye! And I'll chase him round Good hope, and round the horn, and round the Norway maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give him up..." (Page 317). This direct quote exhibits Ahab's obsession for capturing Moby-Dick, which often overwhelms his rationalizing thought process. His ideals of right vs. wrong and good vs. evil become secondary to the capture and slaughter of his "Great White Whale." He interprets the great white whale's purpose of existence


to be a pathway to glory through the slaughter of it. This ideal is contrary to God's purpose of creating Moby-Dick. He intended the great white whale to be a symbol of his and nature's power, majesty, supremacy, and unconquerability. God and nature's power is a supernatural force whereas God gave Moby-Dick physical power and therefore supremacy over the seas. Many transcendentalists, romanticists and intellectuals have already recognized, analyzed, and have been inspired by many of the characteristics of God and nature would find the same glory in Moby-Dick God's "Great White Whale."

One of the main ideals of transcendentalism is the respect of the power of nature. Transcendentalists recognize that they are on the same level as nature, and together humans and nature form the base of transcendentalism with God serving as the peak, ruling over all. Ahab mistakenly attempts to transpose himself as above nature and even God. He says: "... I'd strike the sun if it insulted me. For could the sun do that,

Some common words found in the essay are:
Who's Truth, Who's Page, Aye I'll, White Whale, God Moby-Dick, Moby-Dick Ahab, God I'd, Analysis Transcendentalism, Thoreau Emerson, Whale Aha, white whale, fair play, power supremacy, page 317, nature's power, god nature,

Approximate Word count = 683
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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