Your categorization of Melville as a writer for the 20th century is spot on. I see Dostoyevsky as the same way with definite premonitions of Freud and especially Jung. (my call name was given to me by the boys in my book club)
The 20th century was dominated by political critics who saw Ishmael as an enlightened democrat and Ahab as a fascist figure. Need a corrective now where Ishmael is a naive (mocking Queequeg?!) nerdy cosmopolitan and Ahab is a profound mystic - in this way, we can question Ishmael’s repeated judgment of Ahab as “mad.” The understanding that emerges later between Pip & Ahab suggests something along these lines.
I thought I would sail about and see the watery part of the world and I ended up here
Your categorization of Melville as a writer for the 20th century is spot on. I see Dostoyevsky as the same way with definite premonitions of Freud and especially Jung.
(my call name was given to me by the boys in my book club)
The 20th century was dominated by political critics who saw Ishmael as an enlightened democrat and Ahab as a fascist figure. Need a corrective now where Ishmael is a naive (mocking Queequeg?!) nerdy cosmopolitan and Ahab is a profound mystic - in this way, we can question Ishmael’s repeated judgment of Ahab as “mad.” The understanding that emerges later between Pip & Ahab suggests something along these lines.
All I can say is that of course the “God”-ward podcast would cast such an interpretation.
It’s somewhat interesting that Mr. H could also be seen as a monomaniacal mystic as well. Just so happens to be the unofficial lord of fascists.
@@PeebeesPet It's also interesting he's named after a terrible Jewish king (Ahab, I mean)