Relationship between Humans and Nature in Melville’s Moby Dick

余奕汶

【Abstract】Herman Melville，with Moby Dick as his masterpiece，is a famous romantic writer.Moby Dick is a “bright pearl” in the literary treasury of the world.By allegorically depicting the cruel killing of whales by the Captain Ahab and other sailors in his whaling ship，and their tragically being drowned in the sea，the writer reveals that if humans are too self-centered，we will inevitably be punished by nature.Start with the three states that humans get along with nature in Moby Dick，my thesis aims at exploring the transformations of the relationship between humans and nature as well as the edification that humans may gain from the tragic story.

【Key Words】Moby Dick； Herman Melville； harmony； humans and nature； ecology

I.Introduction

Herman Melville is one of the most famous mid-nineteenth-century American writers.His masterpiece Moby Dick which is acknowledged as a classic work in the history of American literature reaches the peak of the writing of the American novels in the 19th century.Through the mouth of Ishmael，one of the sailors on the whaling ship Pequod and the only survivor，Melville vividly depicts the cruel killing of the whales by the Captain Ahab and other sailors on his whaling ship，and their tragically being drowned in the sea.By depicting these，Melville reveals that if humans are contemptuous over nature and other beings in nature，they will inevitably be punished by nature.

Start with the three states that humans get along with nature in Moby Dick，the purpose of this paper is to explore the transformations of the relationship between humans and nature as well as the edification that humans may gain from the tragic story.In doing this，I hope to awake people to realize that the greatest urgency for us to do is to respect nature，make the best of nature and establish a harmonious relationship with nature.

This paper is to be divided into four sections.The first section mainly focuses on the harmony between humans and nature in Moby Dick.Then，in the second section，I will argue the conflicts between humans and nature in Moby Dick.In the third section Id like to deal with the split between humans and nature in Moby Dick.The fourth section will be devoted to the discussion of the edification gained form Moby Dick.

II.The Harmony between Humans and Nature in Moby Dick

Can humans and nature both survive，or does one have to give way to the other？ Herman Melville gives us a definite answer in the beginning of Moby Dick that it is quite possible for we humans to establish a harmonious relationship between humans （here refers to the Pequod and its sailors） and nature （here refers to the ocean and all the creatures living in it）.

The novel Moby Dick is full of descriptions of the sea，which is not only the setting of the story but also a part of nature.Through the mouth of Ishmael，Melville expresses his high valuation on the power of nature and its beauty.At the beginning of the novel Moby Dick，Melville depicts a depressive young man named Ishmael.Taking no interest in being on shore，he decides to sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.Therefore，Ishmael becomes the spokesman of Melville in depicting the beauty and power of nature in this novel.Wherever Ishmael is，he is always observing the beauty of the sea and the whales.He thinks highly of the amicability of the whales.For example，in chapter 87 “Grand Armanda”，Ishmael humanizes the whales.Whale babies and mothers appear humans in their nursing and in their obvious affection.He describes the scene：

For suspended in those watery valts floated the forms of the nursing mothers of the whales，and those that by their enormous girth seemed shortly to become mothers.The lake，as I have hinted，was to a considerable depth exceedingly transparent； and as human infants while suckling will calmly and fixedly gaze away from the breast，as if leading two different lives at the time； and while yet drawing mortal nourishment，be still spiritually feasting upon some unearthly Reminiscence.（Melville，1999：321）

Ishmael describes the whales not only as children and mothers，but also as husbands，wives and even grandfathers.Certain humanity seems to sink into certain animal behaviors，which usually fills us with a feeling of love.

In this scene，the relationship between humans and nature is harmonious.The freshness of the wind along the coast，the bright sunshine of mid-ocean，and the liveliness of the creatures swimming in the sea，all these factors make the tranquil ocean look like a paradise.Humans and nature constitute a unity and be in harmony.

III.The Conflicts between Humans and Nature in Moby Dick

With the development of industrial civilization，more and more resources of nature are plundered madly by humans to fulfill their dreams of becoming wealth.Melville，through the mouth of Ishmael，exposes his fellowmens greedy exploitation on nature.In Moby Dick，Melville presents us two sorts of conflicts：one is the conflict between Captain Ahab and Moby Dick； and the other is the conflict between the whaling ships and the ocean.

3.1.The Conflict between Captain Ahab and Moby Dick

The conflict between Ahab and Moby Dick threads through Moby Dick thus reveals the implied intention of the author—Ahabs conviction that mans the master of nature and the permeating thought of anthropocentrism exhibited by him is unavoidable and imperative.

The initial attempt or，the primary conflict of revenge taken by Ahab is aroused by his physical disability caused by Moby Dick.On the voyage previous to the one described in the novel，Ahab loses one of his legs which is snapped by Moby Dick.Ever since that fierce battle，he has nursed a wild desire for revenge against the whale.In order to revenge himself，he spares no pains to chase the white whale and leaves no means untried to slay it.“Ahabs attitude toward nature is often referred to as ‘monomania， a tendency to see everything in terms of himself.” （Melville，1999：246） Thus，Ahab，with his monomania vision in mind，is searching rampantly for the trace of Moby Dick.After countless failures，he finally finds the white whale and fights with it.However，the power of nature is incomparable.In the end of this story，Ahab and the rest of the Pequods crew （excepting Ishmael） are all sucked by the sea.Perhaps，it is the punishment for their pride in contesting against nature.

3.2.The Conflict between the Whaling Ships and the Ocean

Except that Ahab kills the white whale for the sake of revenging himself，many other sailors hunt whales for their economic value.Thus，the conflict between the whaling ships and the ocean takes its shape.

With the purpose of making wealth from nature，humans defy their own ethnics and take the risk of being punished by nature.Obviously with a certain purpose，Melville brings together on the Pequod the various tribes of men who go whaling.Altogether the sailors come from at least 17 countries and regions.“The ship was thus an epitome of the entire United States and especially，of its new immigrant population.” （Rubinstein，1988：124） Whoever on the whaling ship Pequod goes to the sea with a certain purpose.Most of them go to the sea to extract profits from nature，just as Melville depicts in Moby Dick：

Nothing will content them but the extremist limit of the land loitering under the shady lee of yonder warehouses will not suffice.No，they must get just as nigh the water as they possibly can without falling in，and there they stand—miles of them—leagues.Inlanders all，they come from lanes and valleys，streets and avenues—north，east，south，and west.（Melville，1999：22）

They hold the vision that they could conquer the sea and make use of it at their pleasure，“for the sea is his； he owns it，as Emperors own empires” （Melville，1999：81）.

In this state，the relationship between humans and nature is no more harmonious.The conflict between whaling ship and the ocean accelerates the extinction of creatures living in the ocean as well as causes further loss and wound when people are hunting them.

IV.The Split between Humans and Nature in Moby Dick

The split between humans and nature in Moby Dick is mainly manifested in two aspects：one is humans hostility towards nature； and the other is natures revenge on humans.

4.1.Humans Hostility towards Nature

In Moby Dick，the representative person who throws deep hatred to nature is the Capital Ahab.He is able to endure physical pain when he loses one of his legs，but he can hardly tolerate the bitter failure and the great shame which is brought about by the white whale.Thus，it is not the physical disability，but the setback of his soul that causes his mad hunt for Moby Dick.In his vision，humans are the master of the whole world.In order to confirm this view，he tries to kill the white whale at all cost.

Being lost in deep hatred，Ahab is bent on locating the position of Moby Dick and slaying it，although his crews discourage him from doing so fiercely.In the 109th chapter “Ahab and in the Cabin”，after the first mate Starbuck，who tries to persuade Ahab to ship home invalidly，warns Ahab that “let Ahab beware of Ahab； beware of thyself，old man”.But Ahab doesnt listen to him； he arrogantly exclaims that there was “one captain that is lord over the Pequod.—on deck！” In the last chapter，Starbuck thinks Ahab has “heart of wrought steel” and says to Ahab，“Moby Dick seeks thee not.It is thou，thou，that madly seek him！” （Melville，1999：556） Melville，through the mouth of Starbuck，reveals that humans avaricious selfishness is the real cause of self destruction.But Ahab would rather struggle to death with Moby Dick and stubbornly insists on mans power，which can be seen in his words：

Towards thee I roll，thou all-destroying but unconquering whale； to the last grapple with thee； from hell s heart I stab at thee； for hates sake I spit my last breath at thee.Sink all coffins and all hearses to one common pool！ And since neither can be mine，let me then tow to pieces，while still chasing thee，though tied to thee，thou damned whale！ （Melville，1999：559）

From the above words，we can clear see that：all the emotion that Ahab has towards nature is hostility，rather than respect，let alone love.

4.2.Natures Revenge on Humans

After three days pursuit，Ahab finally kills Moby Dick.But nature does not let its disrespectful invaders pass.Members of the Pequod are tragically drowned in the sea.This is the final results of the conflict between industrial civilization and natural environment.“Natures Revenge” is just a saying of personification.As a matter of fact，everything in natural world always follows the natural law.Unlike humans，they are not aggressive.Just as Starbuck says，“Moby Dick seeks thee not.It is thou，thou，that madly seek him！” （Melville，1999：556） Before humans destruction，the deep sea is the very Garden of Eden to the whales，for they live in it happily and freely.With the development of the whaling industry，humans become focusing only on their own development and thus extracting benefits from the ocean as well as the creatures living in it unreservedly，relentlessly and unscrupulously，which has resulted in serious destruction of ecosystem and has caused the natures revolt.At the end of the novel，the white whale，representing the power of nature destroys everything.“Now small fowls 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.” （Melville，1999：560）

Nature in itself is neither evil nor good.Natures evil or good can only be reflected by neither human evil nor good which decides their fate.Human vice is the key to the door of their grave.Melville realizes that industrious capitalist society itself is the real cause of Ahabs tragedy.Thus，Ahab does not die of the attack of Moby Dick，but dies of the rope which is made in modern industrious civilization.

V.Conclusion：The Edification Gained from Moby Dick

Through the mouth of Ishmael，Melville reflects his fellowmens guilty of nature.Driven by the desire for more wealth，they take nature as a cornucopia and keep on plundering it.At the end of the novel，they cant escape the punishment of the angry nature and inevitably meet their doom together with the monomaniac captain.What causes the tragedy？ In fact，Melville gives us the definite answer in Moby Dick.We can see that it is not the white whale，but the selfishness of human beings that causes the tragic ending of the whaling ship，Pequod which is led by Captain Ahab.

From the tragic ending of Moby Dick，we learn that humans should treat nature and beings in nature equally and morally； respect nature and take full responsibility of nature as well as establish a harmonious relationship with nature.Melvilles view on the relationship between humans and nature transcends his times.Whats more it still has realistic meanings nowadays.The sinking of Pequod and the survival of Ishmael indicates that the extreme seekers，whether for wealth or for vengeance，are punished by nature and bound to be excluded while those who admit the limitations of human capacity and respect nature survive.Melville simply puts that man should have the ability to get along with nature，which means a kind of ability to love life in nature and nature itself.Humans should respect nature and take moderate advantage of natural resources and live harmoniously with other beings in nature.Only if we do this，can we gain the eternal peace in the ecosphere.

In conclusion，humans are co-members of the ecological community，therefore，humans should love and respect nature.It is wrong to destroy the stability，integrity，and beauty of the biotic community.Respect for nature，making proper use of it and taking moral responsibility are the best ways to maintain a harmonious relationship between humans and nature.

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