Ecological Study In Moby Dick

Moby-Dick is the masterpiece of Herman Melville, who is a famous mid-nineteenth-century American writer. Melville allegorically and vividly depicts the cruel killing of whales by Captain Ahab and the sailors on the whaling ship, and their tragically being drowned in the sea. This thesis intends to explore Moby-Dick on the basis of ecological study. Ecology is an interdisciplinary field which studies life and environment, human and nature, society and earth, spirit and material. Exploring and criticizing ecological ideology reflected in classical works is an important task of ecological literary. This thesis attempts to exam man/nature relationship, spiritual crisis and disharmony in social development from the angle of ecological view.Through the analysis of the relationship between man and nature, the first part reveals Melville's natural ecological attitude and how man and nature can co-exist in harmony. Through the interpretation of Ahab's spiritual world, the second part uncovers Melville's meditation on man's puzzlement and conflict of mind caused by industrial civilization. Through the discussion of inequality and isolation among social members, the third part exposes the disharmony of social ecology in capitalist society. The novel demonstrates the writer's consideration over ecological crisis and indicates that to respect nature and keep spiritual harmony is the right road to get out of corner.