The thesis is about how sexuality is represented in Melville's "Moby-Dick", which is not explicitly stated but rather through sexual puns and imagery. It explains the underlying concept of gender and sexuality that Melville uses in his novel and why he chose these methods to include sexuality in his work.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. A short statement about sexuality and the role of women in Moby-Dick
3. The appearance of sexuality in Moby-Dick
3.1 Phallic jokes and sexual imagery
3.2 The marriage of Ishmael and Queequeg
4. The purpose of sexual references as criticism of Western society
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the underlying representations of sexuality within Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, arguing that despite the apparent absence of women and explicit sexual activity, the novel is permeated with sexual references that function as a social critique. The study explores how Melville uses symbolic language and male relationships to challenge contemporary social norms.
- The analysis of phallic puns and sexual imagery as rhetorical tools.
- The exploration of homosocial and homosexual dynamics in the relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg.
- The interpretation of masturbation metaphors as expressions of individual and communal bond.
- An investigation into how Melville utilizes these themes to critique Western religion, legal systems, and societal structures.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Phallic jokes and sexual imagery
An important instrument that is used to represent sexuality are phallic puns and symbols, as in the chapters “A Squeeze of the Hand” or “The Cassock”. Melville continuously plays with ambiguity, for example the ambiguous meaning of sperm, which describes a substance which is extracted from a whale’s head but can also mean male semen, or the scene in which Queequeg sits up in bed next to Ishmael “stiff as a pike-staff” (38), stiff either meaning that his body is still inflexible from sleeping or that he is sexually aroused. Another rather obvious example can be found in “Fast-Fish and Loose-Fish”, where Ishmael recounts a story of a lawyer in a case of adultery who talks about a woman that was abandoned by the man who first “harpooned” her, then was “re-harpooned” by another men and now belongs to the second man, “along with whatever harpoon might have been found sticking in her” (Melville 309). Even if this argumentation can by all means be used to refer to a whale that has been literally harpooned by a whaling ship, in this case it is self-evident that the woman was not literally harpooned, but that here the harpoon refers to the men’s genitals.
The biggest phallic pun and sexual symbol is Moby Dick himself. Not just that he is a sperm whale called Moby Dick with a phallic shape, he is also often described in a way that conveys the impression of the sexual act (qtd. in Shulman 509), as in the chapter “The Chase-Second Day” where Moby Dick breaches out of the water: “Rising with his utmost velocity from the furthest depths, the Sperm Whale thus booms his entire bulk into the pure element of air, and piling up a mountain of dazzling foam, shows his place to the distance of seven miles or more” (Melville 415). The whales’ motion of booming upwards and the foam that is produced this way can be seen as the activity of the male genital (qtd. in Shulman 510).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction establishes the premise that Moby-Dick contains hidden layers of sexuality despite the lack of female characters and explicit encounters, setting the stage for an analysis of symbolic and interpersonal dynamics.
2. A short statement about sexuality and the role of women in Moby-Dick: This chapter highlights the absence of women and characterizes the novel's sexuality as predominantly rooted in male-to-male bonds, distinguishing between homosexual and homosocial frameworks.
3. The appearance of sexuality in Moby-Dick: This section details the manifestation of sexuality through symbolic language, focusing on phallic imagery and the intimate, marriage-like relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg.
4. The purpose of sexual references as criticism of Western society: This chapter argues that Melville employs these sexual subtexts to critique Western societal norms, including religious hypocrisy, legal injustice, and traditional definitions of masculinity.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, noting that sexuality in the novel serves as a mediator for deeper social meaning and functions as a powerful tool for promoting an alternative, unifying human experience.
Keywords
Herman Melville, Moby-Dick, Sexuality, Homosexuality, Homosocial, Phallic Imagery, Ishmael, Queequeg, Social Critique, Masturbation, Western Society, Symbolism, Gender, Literature, Sexual Politics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on the hidden representations of sexuality in Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, challenging the superficial assumption that the novel lacks sexual content.
What are the central themes explored in the work?
The central themes include the role of phallic symbols, the homoerotic relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg, and the use of sexual references as a means of social criticism.
What is the central research question?
The research asks in what way Melville broaches the issue of sexuality in his work and what his underlying intentions are in using such methods.
Which methodology is applied to interpret the text?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, drawing upon scholarly interpretations of Melville’s puns and symbolism to uncover hidden social and political critiques.
What aspects of the book are covered in the main body?
The main body examines specific chapters like "A Squeeze of the Hand" and "The Cassock," analyzes the interaction between Ishmael and Queequeg, and discusses the broader critique of Western religion and jurisprudence.
How would you characterize the keywords of this study?
The keywords emphasize the intersection of literary theory, gender studies, and social criticism, specifically regarding Melville’s use of sexual symbolism.
How does the "A Squeeze of the Hand" chapter support the author's argument?
The chapter is used to demonstrate how Melville depicts communal masturbation as a liberating experience that bridges the gap between individuals, contrasting with strict societal norms of the time.
In what way does the relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg symbolize more than just friendship?
The relationship is portrayed as a "marriage" that defies contemporary prejudices and racial barriers, suggesting an alternative, more egalitarian social model based on affection rather than dominance.
How does Melville critique the Christian church through the character of the mincer?
Melville creates a pun connecting the church to the mincer's attire and uses wordplay on "archbishopric" to mock the hypocrisy of an institution that forbids sexual freedom while allegedly engaging in illicit behavior.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2015, The Representation of Sexuality in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick; or: The Whale", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/468277
