Moby-Dick

Moby-Dick is arguably the definitive American epic. Yet its epic proportions disguise the fact that its plot is little more than the scantiest of scaffolding erected to support Melville’s desire for philosophical exploration. As such, the novel has baffled many readers from the time of its initial publication in 1851 to the present day. Yet the questions that the novel asks continue to be as relevant today as they were in the days of America’s antebellum infancy. Is the naÌ__ve optimism of romantic idealism an adequate explanation for, or defense against, the reality of evil? Is American individualism a freedom to be cherished and guarded or is it a tragic weakness at the heart of American culture, presaging disaster? This critical edition of one of the greatest American novels tackles the mysteries at the heart of Melville’s quest for meaning in a dark and darkening world. The Ignatius Critical Editions series represents a tradition-oriented approach to reading the Classics of world literature. While many modern critical editions have succumbed to the fads of modernism and post-modernism, this series concentrates on critical examinations informed by our Judeo-Christian heritage as passed down through the ages-the same heritage that provided the crucible in which the great authors formed these classic works. Edited by acclaimed literary biographer Joseph Pearce, the Ignatius Critical Editions ensure that readings of the works are filtered through the richness of Western tradition, meeting the authors in their element, instead of the currently popular method of deconstructing a classic to fit a modern mindset-a lamentable flaw that often proliferates in other series of critical editions. The series is ideal for anyone wishing to understand the great Works of Western Civilization, enabling the modern reader to enjoy these classics in the company of some of the finest literature professors alive today. Book jacket.