An Analysis of the Relationship between Human and Nature in Moby Dick

摘要

Moby Dick is the masterpiece of Herman Melville, who is a famous American novelist of 19th century. The novel is a bright pearl in American literature history and it is viewed as the pinnacle in the field of the relationship between human and nature writing. Moby Dick is a brilliant work and is interesting in that it also emphasizes issues such as the religion, the history and the culture. The novel reflects many aspects about the relationships between human and nature. The thesis explores the relationships between human and nature in Moby Dick from three different aspects. Chapter One discusses the interdependence between human and nature, including human's obedience to nature and nature's domination to human. Chapter Two analyzes the conflict between human and nature, like human's subjugation to nature and nature's vengeance on human. Chapter Three explores the harmony between human and nature, throughout human's reverence for nature and nature's amity to human to express this chapter. By these three chapters, the readers can have a better appreciation of the novel and a clear understanding about the characters. Through re-examining the western civilization, the novel stimulates people's consciousness of protecting the environment. The finial purpose is to make people reverence, respect and protect nature.