Moby Dick

by Herman Melville · 1851

Moby‑Dick; or, The Whale is Herman Melville’s 1851 novel in which the wandering sailor Ishmael recounts Captain Ahab’s monomaniacal quest for revenge against the great white sperm whale that maimed him. Set aboard the whaling ship Pequod, the narrative roams the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, blending high‑seas adventure with deep philosophical inquiry. Though a commercial failure at its release, the work later rose to become a cornerstone of American literature, celebrated for its vivid prose, complex symbolism, and its capacity to embody themes ranging from obsession and man‑versus‑nature to imperialism and existential doubt.