This seminar will allow curious participants to consider how one extraordinary author, Herman Melville, poses some of the most profound questions that human beings have pondered. Join us in reading this work and coming to your own conclusions.
Most of us know the plot of Moby Dick: a sea captain is obsessed with the whale who bit off his leg, and he pursues him with maniacal determination until an epic battle ends the book. But very few of the book’s 500 pages contain action relating to Ahab’s quest. In fact, most chapters deal with unique aspects of life on a whaling vessel. Why is Moby Dick considered one of the greatest works of American fiction? Why are readers entranced by chapters describing every part of the boat; every task of the crew; and every stage in the capture, killing, and dissecting of whales? Why do we care about a whale’s anatomy or its symbolism in the Bible, about the significance of whiteness in literature, about the relationships among members of an all-male crew who represent all the world’s races and cultures? At its heart, Moby Dick is a meditation on what it means to be human.
The required text is Moby Dick. The Oxford World’s Classics edition has a useful introduction, but any edition is okay. Participants may wish to consult other sources on their topics, or may find material on the internet.
P.O. Box 105 · 202 Plain Road · North Hatfield, MA 01066 · 1(413) 542-4031