Moby Dick; Or, The Whale
Herman Melville
CHAPTER 1. Loomings.
Call me Ishmael. Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having
little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on
shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of
the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the
circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever
it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself
involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear
of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an
upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me
from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking
people’s hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon
as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical
flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship.
There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men
in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings
towards the ocean with me.
There now is your insular city of the Manhattoes, belted round by wharves
as Indian isles by coral reefs—commerce surrounds it with her surf.
Right and left, the streets take you waterward. Its extreme downtown is
the battery, w ...
Total Pages:
462
Book Details & Editions
About the author
Herman Melville
"Moby Dick; Or, The Whale" by Herman Melville is a novel written in the mid-19th century. The story follows Ishmael, a sailor on a whaling voyage, who seeks adventure and escape from his gloomy life on land. As he embarks on this journey, he becomes drawn into the complex world of whaling and is introduced to the ominous figure of Captain Ahab, whose obsession with a legendary white whale ultimately drives the narrative. At the start of the novel, Ishmael introduces himself and shares his philosophy about the sea as a remedy for his melancholic disposition. He muses on the magnetic pull of the ocean, describing not only his own urge to set sail but also the collective longing of city dwellers for the water. Ishmael's journey takes him to New Bedford, where he experiences a series of humorous and strange encounters while seeking lodging before joining a whaling ship. As he navigates his way through the town, he is introduced to Queequeg, a tattooed harpooner with a mysterious past, setting the stage for a unique friendship that unfolds amidst the backdrop of whaling adventures. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
