Ahab and the Images of Ancient Rome in Herman Melville's Moby-Dick

The Ideal of and the Reality of America -Ahab Title and the Images of Ancient Rome in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick-；or，The Whale

Author(s) 西浦,徹

Citation 文芸研究, 129: 187-206

URL http://hdl.handle.net/10291/18174

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Issue Date 2016-03-26

Text version publisher

Type Departmental Bulletin Paper

DOI https://m-repo.lib.meiji.ac.jp/

Meiji University 187 187

The ldeal of and the Reality of of America:

Ahab and the Images of Ancient Rome in in Herman Melville's Moby-Dick; or ，The Whale

Toru Nishiura

One of Herman Melville's masterpieces ，Moby-Dicl 己was published in 185 1. We can regard Chapter 41 of this novel ，“ Moby Dick" as one of the core core chapters of this work: the chapter title has the same as that of the nove l， and the chapter is filled with meaningful words. In Chapter 41 ， the the narrator ， Ishmael lists the rumors about the white whale ，Moby Di ck ，and the information on the past of Ahab ， the captain of the Pequod. Pequod. Moreover ， Ishmael tries to unveil Moby Dick ，and investigate the the mentality of Ahab. Preliminarily Ishmael remarks ，“ This is m uch ; yet yet Ahab's larger ，darker ， deeper part remains unhinted" (1 85) ，1 and then then somewhat suddenly starts to narrate about the ruins of Rome. The motive of this essay is to clear the image of ancient Rome in Chapter 41 of of Moby-Dick. This essay tries to examine one of the characteristics of Ahab ， the relationship between him and the images of ancient Rome ， and explore the meaning of it. It seems that the passage on ancient Rome in Chapter 41 has not been fully discussed ye t. In this essay ，1 find a new interpretation of Ahab. In In Chapter 41 of Moby-Dick ，Ishmae l' s description of ancient Rome is is as follows:

Winding far down from within the very heart of this spiked Hotel de Cluny where we here stand - however grand and wonderful ， now quit it; -and take your way ， ye nobler ， sadder souls ， to those 188 188 vast vast Roman halls of Thermes; where far beneath the fantastic towers ers of man's upper earth ， his root of grandeur ， his whole awful essence sence sits in bearded state; an antique buried beneath antiquities ， and throned on torsoes! So with a broken throne ， the great gods

mock that captive king; so like a Caryatid ， he patient sits ，uphold~ ing ing on his frozen brow the piled entablatures of ages. Wind ye down there ， ye prouder ， sadder souls! question that proud ， sad king! A family likeness! aye ，he did beget ye ， ye young exiled royalties;

and from your grim sir 巴 only will the old State-secret come. (1 85- 86) 86)

The note of. the Norton edition of Moby-Dick explains that “this spiked Hotel Hotel de Cluny" in quotation above is the “ Medieval building in the Paris Paris Latin Quarter ，built above two-thousand-year-old Roman ruins" (157). (157). As earlier studies on this passage ， William B. D i11 ingham ， Richard

H. H. Brodhead ，and John Wenke advocate theirowntheories. 2 These theo ・ ries ，however ，discuss the narrative of Ishmael or the consciousness of Ahab in the chapter ，and do not focus upon the image of ancient Rome. In In .his study ， Exiled Royalties.. Melville and the Life We lmagine ， Robert Milder Milder gives the main chapter ，“ Exiled Royalties" in which he also treats treats the quotation above. In the chapter ，“ Exiled Royalties ，" Milder picks picks out the words ， the “nobler ， sadder souls ，" the “exiled royalties ，" the captive “captive king ，" the “ spiked Hotel de Cluny ，" and the "root of grandeur ，" and says ，“ [Thomas] Carlyle had broached a similar idea in S， α rtor Resartus Resartus when he declared that ‘in every the wisest Soul lies a whole world world of internal Madness ，an authentic Demon-Empire; out of which ， indeed ， his whole world of Wisdom has beeri creatively built together ， and now rests there ， as on its dark foundations' does a habitable flowery Earth-rind'" Earth-rind'" (98). In his book ， Milder discusses Ahab in the “captive king" king" passage ， in the relationship with Romanticism and Romantics ， Carlyle ， George Gordon Byron ，and othersfrom the psyehological per- spective ，and Milder's wide-ranging study stimulates us to research succeedingly. succeedingly. These are the preceding studies on Chapter41 of Moby- 189 189 Dick. Dick. This essay focuses upon the image of ancient Rome in the passage in in the relationship with Ahab ，and it is a different point from the pre-

C 巴ding studies. In the passage quoted above ， both the words and th 巴 contents contents are quite difficult to understand and the passage does not seem to fit in withthe contex t. Therefore ，we can presume that Melville intended intended to convey some important message to the readers. This essay starts starts with the examination of the significant words in the quotation in detai l. The phrase in the quotation above ，“ his root of grandeur ， his whole awful awful essence" seems to be the description of Captain Ahab. In that part ， Ishmael uses the metaphysical expression and it causes the readers to to be confused ， but it is natural to think that Ahab is described here because because of the following phrase ，“ throned on torsos." In this novel ，it is repeatedly repeatedly mentioned that Ahab is with one leg and therefore the “torso" naturally naturally reminds us of him. Moreover ，when we see the phrases ， the captive “captive king" and the “proud ， sad king ，" we remember Ahab again. In

Chapter Chapter 16 ，“ The Ship ，" Ishmael explains that th 巴 name of the Pequod's captain ，. Ahab is derived from the king in the First Book of Kings in the Old Old Testamen t. In Chapter 30 ，“ The Pipe ，" Ishmael ca l1 s Ahab who is sitting sitting on the chair which is made of whale bones as “a Khan of the plank ，and a king of the sea ，and a great lord of Leviathans" (1 29). Moreover ， in .Chapter 34 ，“ The Cabin- Table ，" the ordinary eating scene of of Ahab and his mates is described ，and Ishmael ca l1 s Ahab as “King Ahab" (1 50) because of his absolute authority on the ship. We can find other other parts where Ahab is compared to a king ，and the image of a king that that Ahab has is emphasized repeatedly in thenove 1. Thus ， the passage ， his “his root of grandeur ， his whole awful essence sits in bearded state; an antique antique buried beneath antiquities ，and throned on torsos ，" describes the the important characteristics of Ahab. To consider the relationship between Ahab and the Roman statue in in Chapter 41 ，let us refer to Chapter 28 ，“ Ahab." In this chapter ， the narrator narrator and concurrently one of the sailors of the Pequod ， Ishmael de- picts picts Captain Ahab who appears before him for the first time. ln the 190 190 scene ， Ishmael says ，“ His [Ahab'sJ whole high ， broad form ，seemed made of solid bronze ，and shaped in an unalterable mould ，like Cellini's cast cast Perseus" (1 23). In the same chapter ， Ishmael states that “ [sJo pow- erfully erfully did the whole grim aspect of Ahab affect me" and “Ahab stood before before them with a crucifixion in his face; in aII the nameless regal overbearing bearing dignity of some mighty woe" (124). Thus ， in Chapter 28 ，we find find sev 巴ral words that have the same meanings as ones in Chapter 41: “ [hJ is whole high broad form" and “ his root of grandeur ，"“ the whole grim aspect of Ahab" and “your grim sire ，"“ with a crucifixion in his face" face" and “he patient sits ，" and “ the nameless regal overbearing dignity of of some mighty woe" and “ question that proud ， sad king!" Therefore ， the the characterization of Ahab in Chapter 28 helps us to confirm that the Roman statue represents Ahab in Chapter 41. There is a phrase ，“ the great gods mock that captive king" in the quotation quotation from Chapter 41. We can understand that this passage is on Ahab more deeply by examining these words. The word ，“ captive" reminds the readers of Ahab's talk about Moby Dick in Chapter 36 ，“ The Quarter-Deck." Quarter-Deck." In this chapter ，he says ，“ How can the prisoner reach outside outside except by thrusting through the wa ll? To me ， the white whale is is that wall ，shoved near to me" (1 64) to the chief mate ， Starbuck and the the readers. The “captive king" in Chapter 41 is identified as Ahab who ca lI s himself “ the prisoner." Moreover ，“ the great gods" in the “captivε king" king" passage is related to the characteristics of Ahab ，and also the essence essence of the whole work. To interpret the “ gods" in Melv iIl e's works ，

let let us refer to a study on Moby 圃 Dick and other works. In his discussion onMoby ♂ ick ， Arimichi Makino pays attention to the words of Hamlet by W iIl iam Shakespeare's Hamlet ，"The time is out of joint" 0.5. 186) ， and states the following opinion.

In In other words ，“ the heavenly logic" that is to be the indicator of persons' persons' behavior has given the authority and the responsibility

into into the hands of th 巴“ gods" who carry out God's will and interpret it it rationaIIy and arbitrarily on earth ，clergymen ， admirals Cdictato- 191 191

rial rial persons) ，lawyers ，politicians ， the persons who have priority to common sense ，and others ， because “God" who originated “ the heavenly enly logic" keeps silence. As a result ，“ God" and “ the system of God" have degenerated into the ones that reinforce the secular power on earth which is greedy for “money." This This situation is the truth of the world which intuitive Shake- speare speare who created Hamlet and Lear expresses by the words ，“ [tJhe time time is out of joint" and the truth of “America" from Melv il1 e's point of of view. The Hamlet of America ，Pierre tries to practice the original doctrine doctrine of Christianity but is oppressed by the earthly power that abuses abuses Christianity ，fails ，and dies between “ the heavenly time" and “ the earthly time." On the other hand ， in his self-destructive strug- gle ， the Lear of America ，Ahab suggests .t hat Heaven and earth are severed severed but connected at the joint between them ， that is ，“ the heavenly enly time" and “ the earthly time" are out of joint ， but they are connected nected deceptively by the arbitrary interpretation by the “gods ，" the the persons in power on earth who are agents of God ，and it has become the “ wall" that makes the persons who pursue the truth prisoners." “prisoners." Therefore the deceitful phantom ，Moby Dick that appears pears with its looks like an agent of God before Ahab inevitably changes into “Leviathan ，" the monster that has abnormal features and inside. (1 53-54)

If If we check the situation where the “ gods" become the wall that en- closes closes Ahab and makes him a prisoner thus ，we will find that Ahab and the the images of ancient Rome represent the chief theme of this nove l. We can see the relationship between Ahab and ancient Rome also in in other parts of Moby-Dic た For example ， in Chapter 108 ，“ Ahab and the Carpenter ，" Ahab says ，“ 1 am so rich ，1 could have given bid for bid with the the wealthiest Pratorians at the auction of the Roman empire" (472). In Chapter Chapter 130 ，“ The Hat ，" a sea hawk that is approaching the Pequod cir- cles cles over Ahab ， snatches his hat ，and goes away. In this part ，a king of ancient ancient Rome ，Tarquin is compared with Ahab: “An eagle flew thrice 192 192 round Tarquin's head ，removing his cap to replace it ，and thereupon Tanaquil ， his wife ，declared that Tarquin would be king of Rome" (539). Moreover ， in Chapter 87 ，“ The Grand Armada ，" Ishmael says ，“ For a long time ，now ， the circus.running sun has raced within his fiery ring ，and needs needs no sustenance but what's in himself. So Ahab" (38 1). In these sentences ，Ahab and ancient Rome are not related directly. However ， in just just the prior paragraph ，th 巴 battle between Ahab and Moby Di ck is mentioned. mentioned. therefore ，when we read the quotation above ，we evoke the image in which Ahab and Moby Dick fight in the Colosseum in ancient Rome. It seems that Melville hints of the Colosseum and an arena in ancient ancient Rome by the words ，“ circus" and “ring."g In In Moby-Dick ，Ahab is compared and related to various persons and things. things. The number of comparisons is large ，and ιmoreover ，w 巴 still might might discover more new ones in our future studies. Therefore ， here 1 willlist willlist the comparisons that are relatively easy to find and understand. The name ，Ahab itself is derived from the king who appears from Chap- ter ter 16 to 22 of the First Book of Kings as Captain Peleg and Ishmael explain explain in Chapter 16 of Moby.Dick. In Chapter 31 ，“ Queen Mab ，" Ahab appears appears in Stubb's dream ， the second mate of the Pequod ， as “a pyramid" (1 31)， and in Chapter 44 ，“ The Chart ，" Ishmael described old Ahab: “God help help thee ， old man ， thy thoughts have created a creature in thee; and he whose intense thinking thus makes him a Prometheus; a vulture feeds upon that h巴 art for ever; that vulture the very creature he creates" (202). (202). Moreover ， in Chapter 99 ，“ The Doubloon ，" Ahab looks at the coin that that is nailed to the mainmast of the Pequod ，and says ， thing thing ever egotistical in mountain-tops and towers ，and al1 other grand and lofty things; look here ，- three peaks as proud as L ucifer. The firm tower ， that is Ahab; the volcano ， that is Ahab; the courageous ， the un- daunted ，and victorious fowl ，that ，too ，is Ahab; all are Ahab" (431). In the the dialogue between him and Starbuck in Chapter 132 ，“ The Symphony 仏" Ahab calls himself ，“ Guinea-coast slavery of solitary command!" (543). These These comparisons seem to be meaningful severally ，.and therefore we are are always given variable images of him. Among them ，however ， the 193 193 re1ationship re1ationship between Ahab and ancient Rome is one of the issues that we shou1d regard as most important ， because Ahab is skillfully connected nected with ancient Rome again and again as we have seen. To exp10re the meaning of the connection between Ahab and ancient cient Rome ，1et us refer to Bartleby ，a main character of Me1ville's short story ，“ Bartleby ， the Scrivener" that was published in 1853 ， on1y two years years after the pub1ication of Moby-Dick. Also in “Bartleby ， the Scriv- ener ，" we find some allusions to ancient Rome: The lawyer ， the em- ployer ployer of Bartleby has a bust of Marcus Tullius Cicero in his office ， the main stage of the short story (2 1)， and Bartleby is compared to Gaius Marius in the ruin of Carthage (27-28). Inhis essay ，Tsutomu Yasuda ana1yzes ana1yzes such points and identifies Bartleby as an ancient Roman. Yasuda states that in “Bartleby ， the Scrivener ，"“ the images of ancient Rome which Me1ville uses on purpose are not negative ones at all" (47) ， and refers to one of Me1ville's lectures ，“ Statues in Rome." Then Yasuda quotes ，“ Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!" (45) ， the narrator's cry uttered in the the end of this short nove l， and concludes that “it seems that into the words ，Melv i11 e put his praise for Bartleby who finishes his short life as humanity 1ike a nob1e ancient Roman" CYasuda 49). In a series of Me1ville's Me1ville's works ，it is possib1e to regard Ahab and Bart1eby as the characters acters of the same kind ， because they have “ the common points ， the alienation alienation from the earthly socia1 system ， the independent pursuit of truth ，and the rebellion against the phantomlike ‘wal l''' CMakino 14 1). Therefore ， as Bartleby who can be as identified an ancient Roman ，it is possible possible to consider that Ahab has the characteristics of ancient Rome. To think of the relationship between Ahab and ancient Rome ，1et us consult consult the record of “ Statues in Rome ，" a 1ecture by Me1ville. He vis- ited ited Rome in 1857 ，and saw various buildings and works of art CParker 324-27). 324-27). In the same year ，he went back to the United States ，and of- fered fered the lecture ，"Statues in Rome" (Parker 349-73). Of course ，“ Statues in in Rome" is the manuscript of the lecture that the audience can understand stand easily then and there. On the other hand ，Moby-Dick is a long and profound nove1 that includes metaphysical themes ， persons and events 194 194 of of a11 ages and countries ，and Melville's great technique of writing. For that that reason ，we might question whether we can trust the description of

Statues “Statues in Rome" as a reference when we discuss Moby-Dick. On “Stat ・ ues ues in Rome ，" however ， William 1. Vancesays ，“ His [Mel ville 司 unchar- act 巴ristic simplicity of faith and banality of statement may have owed something something to the popular genre he was attempting to master; yet one cannot cannot doubt that he fundamenta11y believed in his basic message ， which which was simply in favor of a civilization that fosters the impractical rewards rewards of the beautiful" (363). Therefore ，1 think that we can trust Melville's Melville's words in “Statues in Rome" though they are plain and might seem to be slightly pretentious.

In In the 1巴cture ，Melv il1 e states the significant theme that is common to to his most important novels. He offers his opinion on the statue of Laocoon: Laocoon:

In In a niche of the Vatican stands the Laocoon ， the very semblance of a great and powerful man writhing with the inevitable destiny which he cannot throw of f. Throes and pangs and struggles are given given with a meaning that is not withheld. The hideous monsters embrace embrace him in their mighty folds ，and torturehim with agonizing embraces. embraces. The Laocoon is grand and impressive ， gaining half its significance significance from its sym bolism - the fable that it represents; otherwise wise it would be no more than Paul Potter's “ Bear Hunt" at Amster- dam. (403)

The characteristics of Laocoon in Melville's explanation above agree with with that of Ahab in Moby-Dick to a remarkable degree. “ [T] he inevitable ble destiny" of Laocoon reminds us of that of Ahab. In Chapter 134 ， "The "The Chase - Second Day" of Moby-Dick ，Ahab says to Starbuck ，“ This whole whole act's immutably decreed. 'Twas rehearsed by thee and me a bil- lion lion years before this ocean ro11ed. Fool! 1 am the Fates' lieutenant; 1 act act under orders" (56 1). Laocoon who is “writhing with the inevitable destiny destiny which he cannot throw off" seems to be the motif of Ahab who 195 195 is “ the Fates' lieutenant" and his acts have been “immutably decreed." 1n 1n Moby-Dick ， the description that implies that Ahab and the Pequod have to submit to fate is repeated: “The hideous monsters" in the account count of Laocoon's statue also can be identified with the white whale ， Moby Dick ，and the situation where “[tJ he hideous monsters" torture Laocoon is c1 0sely associated with that in which Moby Dick torments Ahab.

Especially Especially the image of the tied man ，“ [tJ h巴 hideous monsters em 司 brace brace him in their mighty folds ，and torture him with agonizing embraces" braces" and Ahab seem to be crucia 1. The imagery of tied Laocoon reminds us of the “captive king" in Chapter 41 of Moby-Dick. 1n the same paragraph of Chapter 41 ， the “torsoes" also can be associated with tied tied Laocoδn in that both of them have lost the use of their limbs. Moreover ， they link to Ahab who has lost his leg ，and the situation which he is in: He says ，“ How can the prisoner reach outside except by thrusting thrusting through the wall? To me ， the white whale is that wall ，shoved near near to me" (1 64). Besides ， the imagery of Laocoon looks similar to that of of the main characters in Melville's works except Moby-Dick. 5 Thus ， the figure figure and the story of Laocoon seem to be ones of Melv i11 e's important things things in his creative activity. Apart from that ，in “ Statues in Rome ，" there there are several significant images that appear also in Moby-Dick as this this essay will discuss. From the above ，it seems that Melville had the idea idea of Laocoon when he created the character of Ahab in Moby-Dick. Therefore ，it is not unsuitable to refer to “ Statues in Rome" when we consider consider the images of ancient Rome and Ahab in Moby-Dick. At the end of the lecture ，Melville states that “[tJhese marbles ， the works of the dreamers and idealists of old ，live on ， leading and pointing to to good. They are the works of visionaries and dreamers ， but they are realizations realizations of soul ， the representations of the idea l. They are grand ， beautiful ，and true ，and they speak with a voice that echoes through the ages" ages" (408). The opinion of Melville is very helpful to understand the description description of ancient Rome in Chapter 41 of Moby-Dic k. They have the common point that both of them are explanations on the statue(s) of 196 196 ancient ancient Rome ，and moreover ，we can find the words that have a similar meaning in both ，d巴scriptions: “grandeur" and “grand." Through 'the whole lecture ，“ Statues in Rome ，" Melville praises the statues of ancient

Rome considerably ，therefore the statues of ancient Rome that are re ・ lat 巴d with Ahab also can be regarded as thos 巴that Melville gave a posi- tive tive meaning to. In In “Statues in Rome ，" Melville not only expresses his opinion about the the statues of ancient Rome ， but tries to consider them in connection to the the world he lived in. For example ， in this lecture ，he takes up the statue statue of Julius Caesar and explains that it “ gives a countenance of a businesslike businesslike cast that the present practical age would regard as a good representation representation of the President of the New York and Erie Railroad ， or any other magnificent corporation" (400-401). About “ the bust of Seneca ，" Melville states that “[iJ t is ironlike and inflexible ，and would be be no disgrace to a Wa l1 Street broker" (40 1). If we remember the words in in the same lecture quoted above ，“ they [these marblesJ speak with a voice voice that echoes through the ages" (408) ，we can acknowledge Melv i11 e's attitude attitude that he tried to apply his idea on the statues o. f Rome into the problems problems of the United States in the 19th century.6 There is another point to argue in “Statues in Rome" to clarify Ahab and the images of ancient Rome in Moby-Dick. In the lecture ， the Colosseum Colosseum is mentioned some times. For example ， after he finished conveying conveying his idea on the statues ，Melv i1l e narrates that “ [tJhus to understand derstand the statues of the Vatican it is necessary to visit often the scenes scenes where they once stood - the Coliseum ，which throws itsshade like like a mighty thunder cloud ， the gardens ， the Forum ， the aqueducts. the ruined ruined temples - and remember all that has there taken place" (406- 407). 407). From this passage ，we would understand there was a close association ciation between the statues and the Colosseum in Melville's mind. Con- sidering sidering this ， in the part of Moby-Dick where Melv i11 e mentions the Colosseum ，we can think that the statues of ancient Rome also are hinted. hinted. This essay has pointed out that Ahab is compared to the statue of of Perseus by Cellini in Chapter 28 of Moby-Dick ，and it has close 197 197 relationship relationship to the statue of ancient Rome of Chapter 41 of the same nove l. Melville mentions the statue of Perseus also in his “Statues in Rome." Rome." These matters make us think that the connection between Ahab and ancient Rome is c1 0ser and more importan t. Melv il1 e published Moby 心ick in 1851 ，and he gave his lecture ，“ Stat- ues ues in Rome" in 1857; there is an interval of six years between them. However ， his attitude toward the statue of Ahab in Chapter 41 of Moby-

Dick Dick and his view about the statues in “Statu 師 in Rome" have common points points as this essay has discussed. Furthermore ， in 1853 ， between the publication publication of Moby-Dick and the lecture of “Statues in Rome ，" Melville published published “Bartleby ，th 日Scrivener" in which ancient Rome has an inter- esting esting meaning in the relationship with the main character ，Bartleby as wel l. If we take these things into account ，it w il1 seem that Melvill 巴's thoughts thoughts about the statues of ancient Rome were consistent at least in this this period. In In Melville's lecture ，“ Statues in Rome ，" the statues and the United States States in the 19th century are connected ，and described. On ancient Rome and the United States in its early days ，Vance says ，“ The Roman Republic Republic fi11 ed the imagination of CJohn] Adams and [Thomas] Jeffer- son son during the same decades that American artists were first seeing the actual actual ruins of the Empire" (xxi ii). Moreover Vance states that “ in the first first half of the nineteenth century more than a few senators saw them- selves selves as successors of Cicero not only as orators but as supreme patri- ots ， the wise and eloquent saviors of their country in moments of crisis" (17). (17). Quoting these accounts ，Konomi Ara explains in her essay on “Bartleby ， the Scrivener" as follows:

It It is .no accident that the ancient world of Greece ，Rome ，and Egypt appear appear in New York in “Bartleby ， the Scrivener." The Republic of America in its early days had abandoned its mother country ， the Kingdom of Great Britain ，and had to establish a new nation. In addition ，it'was not permitted to be one that is similar to the King- dom of Great Britain. It had to be a new country that would 198 198

certainly certainly cherish a different idea l. It is difficult to form and carry through through a plan from nothing. The suitable models for them were ancient ancient Greece ，Rome ，and Egypt that had been prosperous. (1 05)

We have already discussed the fact that Bartleby and Ahab have the features features of ancient Rome. When we read Moby-Dick ，we are given the impression impression that Ahab is a fanatical and dictatorial captain ， but it also is possible possible to consider that he embodies the ideal of the United States as one one of his various characters. To discuss that ，1 will analyze the other part of Moby-Dick that describes scribes Ahab. In Chapter 26 and 27 ，“ Knights and Squires ，" Ishmael introduces introduces the tree mates of the Pequod ，Starbuck ，Stubb ，and Flask ，and their their harpooneers ，Queequeg ，Tashtego ，and Dagoo. At the end of Chap- ter ter 27 Ishmael explains about Ahab and all the sailors of the Pequod: “An Anacharsis Clootz deputation from all the isles of the sea ，and all the the ends of the earth ，accompanying Old Ahab in the Pequod to lay the world's world's grievances before that bar from which not very many of them ever ever come back" (1 21). We can find “an Anacharsis ClootzjCloots depu- tationjcongress" tationjcongress" also in Melv i1l e's other work ，The Confidence-M αn，His Masquerade that was published in 1857. Paying attention to the words ， “an Anacharsis Cloots congress" (9) in The Confidence-Man ， Shoko Tsuji Tsuji expresses her views:

In In The Confidence-M αn， the work whose stage is a steamship on the Mississippi ，Melv il1 e shows us the "[nJatives of all sorts ，and for- eigners." eigners." The ship passengers are likened to “an Anacharsis Cloots

congress" congress" (9) ，and that is an inter 巴sting matter to explore the link between Melville and the race problem. The same comparison is made in Moby-Dick ， the work published five years prior to The Con- fidence-Man ，and in Billy Budd ， Sailor that was written more than twenty years after The Confidence-Man ，and became his posthu- mous work. “ Anacharsis Cloots" is a Prussian nobleman who was a real person in the period of the French Revolution. There were 199 199

persons persons who have various nationalities ，and were driven into the slum settlemen t. In the revolution ，he took them in their folk cos- tumes to the assembly ，calling them the “embassy of the human race." race." He demanded solidarity with these people of various countries ，and the demand was approved. In summary ，Melville seems to to use the metaphor ，“ an Anacharsis Cloots congress" as the symbol of of a group in which not only there are different races and. nationali-

ties ，but all members are united on a basis which goes beyond rac 巴s， and are truly equa l. Moreover we see how long Melville continued

to to have an interest in the coexist 巴nce of p巴ople who had different nationalities nationalities and races because we can find the metaphor in his three three works that were written at different periods. (17)

If If Ahab in Moby-Dick has the characteristic of Cloots ，we can presume that that Melville put the ideal of the human race into Aha b. Of course ， Cloots Cloots himself has nothing to do with ancient Rome. However ，if Ahab has has the features of Cloots that represent the ideal of mankind ， the as- sumption that Melville hints at the ideal of the United States in the description description where ancient Rome and Ahab are connected will be rein- forced. forced. In In other parts of Moby-Dick ，we can recognize the ideology that Ahab represents ，a kind of the ideal of the United States. On Ahab and the the harpooneers of the Pequod who are different races from him ，Yukiko Oshima gives her opinion:

There is rapport between harpooneers and Ahab ，who knows the racial racial Others in their Native settings; he has “been in colleges ， as well well as among the cannibals" (79). Shortly after the quarter-deck speech ， reversing the ship's otherwise rigid hierarchy as well as racial racial strata ，Ahab makes the reluctant white mates serve the harpooneers harpooneers as “cup-bearers to my three pagan kinsmen there-yon three three most honorable gentleman and nobleman ，my valiant harpooneers" pooneers" (1 66). The harpooneers ， in turn ，have been faithful to 200

Ahab; even when the others come to fear the captain's growing madness ，“ a certain magnetism shot into their [i ム the harpooneers'] congenial congenial hearts from inflexible Ahab's" (518) ，and when Ahab later later “seemed distrustful of his crew's fidelity; at least ， of nearly all except except the Pagan harpooneers" (538). (256-57)

The characteristics of Ahab cited above overlaps with the one which is hinted hinted in the description of ClootzjCloots: Both of them represent the unity unity beyond the racial differences. Therefore ， the portrayal of Ahab and the harpooneers also supports the theory that Ahab embodies the ideal ideal of the United States. We have seen the connections between Ahab and ancient Rome ， ancient ancient Rome and the ideal of the United States that Melville dreamed ， and Ahab and the ideal of the United States in the 19th century. As we have discussed ， these three matters are mingled with each other in Moby-Dick and appeals to the readers. It seems that the view that Ahab embodies ancient Rome can be applied to the episode of Narcissus in Chapter Chapter 1，"Loomings" of Moby ♂ ick. 1n this chapter 1shmael talks on Narcissus: “And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus ，who because because he could not grasp the tormenting ， mild image he saw in the fountain ，plunged into it and was drowned. But that same image ，we ourselves ourselves see in all rivers and oceans. 1t is the image of the ungraspable phantom of life; and this is the key to it all" (5). 1t is not difficult to regard regard Ahab as a transformed Narcissus in this chapter. Ahab also continues continues to pursue the white whale ，Moby Dick and finally drowns in the the last chapter. Then Moby Dick can be seen as the figure of Ahab in the the surface of the water as Motoyuki Shibata says (1 9) ，and we can think think that both of them are the same thing. In this essay ，we have discussed cussed the “ gods" in Moby-Dick ，“ the truth of ‘America'" that the “ gods" rule ，and the fact that “ the truth of ‘America'" becomes the white whale ， Moby Dick and en cJ oses' Ahab as the wall (Makino 153-54). If Moby Di ck represents an aspect of America ，Ahab ， the originally same exis- tence tence as Moby Di ck also can be considered as the other aspect of 201 201 America. America. The other aspect is ancient Rome that this essay has discussed ， the ideal of America. The name of Ahab's ship ， the Pequod is very suggestive and many critics critics have discussed it. Laurie Robertson-Lorant clearly states the significance significance of the ship's name and the association between it and the background in which Melville wrote Moby-Dick:

The Pequod sports ghoulish trophies of whale hunts ，and her name evokes evokes the Pequot War ， in which aboutfive hundred men ，women ，

and children of the P巴quot tribe were exterminated. She is “a can- nibal nibal of a craft ，tricking herself forth in the chased bones of her enemies." enemies." Her tiller is fashioned from the jawbone. of a whale ，and her her owners interview prospective crew members in a makeshift office office that looks like a wigwam. Such associations make it plain that that Moby-Dick serves as Melville's attempt to redeem America's blood-guilt blood-guilt by writing New World history “ the other way" -a way that that conflicts with Puritan histories like Cotton Mather's Magna [i， α Christi Christi A meric αnα， with the heroic legends about Melville's own grandfathers ， with the jingoistic stump speeches his brother Gansevoort Gansevoort made for the Democratic Party in 1844 ，and with the

racist racist legal system Judge Shaw was forced to uphold after the Com 欄 promise promise of 1850. (28 1)

As Robertson-Lorant insists ，it is certain that Melville wrote the history .of .of America the other way and it was one of his greatest concerns in his writing writing Moby-Dick. Therefore it is also probable that he used the same technique technique in other descriptions in this work. 1t seems that he presents the the association between Ahab and ancient Rome in the same intention as as the name of Ahab's ship and that of the extinct Native American group. group. As the history of Pequotjthe Pequod is “ the other way" of “writing ing New World history ，" ancient Rome ， the ideal of the New World seems to represent another possibility of America that Melville suggests. gests. 202

It It is not difficult to think that Ahab partIy represents another phase phase of the United States ， because in Moby-Dick ，he is narrated with the the things that ar 倍 associated with America several times. In Chapter 117 ，“ The Whale Watch ，" in the conversation between Ahab and Fedallah ， the Parsee who is a crew of Ahab's boat ， Fedallah says ，“ ButI said ， old man ， that ere thou couIdst die on this voyage ，two hearses must verily be seen by thee on the sea; the first not made by mortal hands; hands; and the visible wood of the last one must be grown in America" (499). (499). The words of Fedallah realize in Chapter 135 ，“ The Chase - Third Day." Day." At the last and fierce battle between the Pequod and Moby Dick in in the last chapter ， the white whale attacks the ship ，and the damaged ship ship is going down. At the moment ，Ahab sees his ship and understands the the words of F 巴dallah in Chapter 117: ‘“ The ship! The hearse! - the second second hearse!' cried Ahab from the boat; ‘its wood could only be American!'" American!'" (571). The significant prophecy of Fedallah that comes true true later draws the readers' attention and makes them think about its meaning. meaning. From the ship that is made of American wood ，we conjecture the the relationship between America and Ahab ， the captain of the ship. In these these account ，Melville might have tried to convey the hint that Ahab has has the characteristics of “ America." In In this essay 1 quoted the passage in which the eagle takes Ahab's hat hat in Chapter 130 of Moby-Dick to emphasize the relationship between Ahab and ancient Rome. The eagle impressively and symbolically appears pears again in this work. In the last scene of the last chapter ，when the Pequod is sinking ，“ [a] sky.hawk" (572) again approaches the ship. Then the bird's wing is accidentally hit by the hammer of Tashtego who is also sinking with the Pequod ，and the bird goes to the bottom of the the sea as wel I. Carolyn L. Karcher makes a comment on the bird: “Appropriately ， the Pequod goes down with that primal American ， Tashtego the Indian ， nailing her flag to the mast and capturing in its folds folds the bird that symbolized America's expansive ambitions - the sky- hawk ， or eagle" (89).7 Also in this scene ，we see the relationship between the United States and Ahab ， that is ， the conflict between the 203 reality reality of America of those days and Ahab ， his ship ，“ the Pequod ，" and a “ primal American ，Tashtego."8 This This essay does not simply intend to emphasize that Ahab represents sents the ideal of the United States. In the last chapter of Moby-Dick ， the Pequod sinks and Ahab and a11 the crewmen also go under except Ishmael Ishmael at the end of the three day battle. Ahab dies ，and therefore we cannot cannot tota lI y glorify him. Of course ，fundamentally ，Ahab is a tyrant and insane as told in this work repeatedly. Then ，what idea did Melv iII e put put into the death of Ahab? Let us refer to Melville's lecture ，“ Statues in in Rome" again. In this lecture ，he says ，“ Governments have changed; empires empires have fa11en; nations have passed away; but these mute marbles remain-the ora cI es o[ time ， the perfection of art" (408). Ahab passes away ，but Melvi Il e does not seem to present his death negatively. In “ Epilogue" which fo Il ows after the last three chapters ， Ishmael who “ did survive survive the wreck" (573) narrates the sinking of th 巴 Pequod and his drifting. drifting. In the beginning of “Epilogue ，" he quotes the passage of the 01d Testament ，“ And 1 only am escaped alone to te Il thee" Oob 1. 16). Thus the readers come to know the story of Ahab and the Pequod through the narrator ， Ishmael as people who appreciate ancient Rome through the statues. We can regard the work ，Moby-Dick and the marbles bles of ancient Rome are of the same kind in that both of them speak to us about the glorious aspect of persons who perished. As stated above ， in Moby-Dick ，Ahab is sometimes described in connection nection with ancient Rome. Especia11y in the part of Chapter 41 where Ishmael Ishmael says ，“ the great gods mock that captive king" (1 85) ， the words ， the the “ captive king" embodies the essence of Ahab's role in this nove l. In other other words ， the white whale ，Moby Dick personifies “ the great gods" who “mock" Ahab ， the “captive king" and the whale represents the “wa11" that that en cI oses him. In Melv iIl e's short story ，“ Bartleby ， the Scrivener ，" Bartleby Bartleby and ancient Rome are connected in some descriptions. There- fore fore it is not unlikely that Ahab who has some important common points points with Bartleby also possesses the features of ancient Rome. In view of the episode on Narcissus in Moby-Dick and ancient Rome that 204 was one of the ideals of the United States ，it seems that Melv iII e created Ahab as the character who represents the ideal of the United States that is is opposed to the rea Ii ty of the United States that Moby Dick embodies.

Notes • The earlier version of this paper was presented at the 51st General Meeting of the the American Li terature Society of Japan'on October 13 ，2012 ， at Nagoya Uni- versity ，Nagoya.

1 In this essay ， th8 quotations from Moby-Dick are from thc Northwestern-

Newberryedition ， 2 See Dillingham 8-9 ，Brodhead 190 ，and Wenke 134-35. 3 Dennis Berthold also quotes the words ，“ 1 could have given bid for bid

with with the wealthiest Pratorians at the auction of th 巴 Roman empire ，" “Tarquin ，" and “Cellini's cast Perseus" (Melville ，Moby-Dick 472 ，539 ，123) ， and discusses the relationship between Ahab and ancient Rome (118-3 1). However ， Berthold focuses upon the point that Ahab is an authority ， therefore therefore his view is different from the argument of this essay. 4 In the same chapter ， Chapter 134 ， Ishmael d巴picts the destiny that pursues Ahab and the Pequod: “The hand of Fate hadsnatched all their souls" (557). (557). Except Chapter 134 ，we can find the fate that attends Ahab and the Pequod in Chaptcr 41 (1 87) and Chapt 巴r 132 (545). 5 In the following work after Moby-Dick ，Pierre; 0れ The Ambiguities ，we can find find th 巴 same image as Laocoon. In Book XXV of Pierre ，“Lucy ，Isabel ，and Pierre; Pierre; Pierre at His Book; Enceladus ，" the hero ，Pierre sees Enceladus ，a giant giant in his dream. Hi s dream ，however ， reaches a strange conclusion: Pierre “Pierre saw Enceladus no more; but on the Titan's armless trunk ， his own duplicate duplicate face and features magnifiedly gleamed upon him with prophetic discomfiture discomfiture and woe" (346). 6 Ot her critics also have observ 巴d this poin t. Vance says ，“ Melville next applies applies the experienc 巴 of ideal beauty and truth to the America-in- progress. progress. Americans are attempting to build a utopia according to some false false and naive ideal of their own ，he implies ， while th 巴 utopia of the an- cients cients was exprcss 巴d more wis 巴ly where it could actually be realized - in ideal ideal art" (364). Yasuda remarks that “intcrestingly ，Mclville the praises virtue virtue of the ancicnt Romans simultaneously with his trenchant criticism on the Christians of the mid-19th century" (47). 7 Except Karcher ， Charles H. Foster ，Alan Heimert ，and Yukiko Oshima regard regard the bird as the symbol of the United States. See Foster 33 ， Heimert 504 ，507-508 ，and Oshima 258. 8 Yukiko Oshima points out the close association between Tashtego and 205 205

Ahab especially in the scene of the sinking Pequod in the last chapter. She says ，“ The tex t' s racial undertone reverberates in the way Tashtego's sense sense of victimization and motivation for vengeance overlaps those of Ahab" (257-58) and "Tashtego does what Ahab would have done by himself self had that been possible" (258).

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