Abstract

This paper explores the pervasive echoes of Shakespearean tragedy in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, highlighting the profound impact of Shakespeare’s work on Melville’s literary style and thematic exploration. Although several scholars have previously examined this influence, this study seeks to provide a more in-depth and comprehensive analysis by employing two primary research methods: parallel comparative research and archetypal analysis. Through parallel comparative research, the paper draws direct comparisons between Melville’s Moby-Dick and Shakespeare’s tragedies, focusing on shared themes, character types, and structural elements. By carefully tracing specific Shakespearean references and the ways in which Melville adapts them, this analysis reveals how Melville’s work resonates with the depth and complexity of Shakespeare’s plays. Additionally, archetypal analysis is employed to explore the universal patterns of character and story found in both Shakespeare’s tragedies and Melville’s novel. This method examines how Melville’s characters, particularly Ahab, embody tragic archetypes reminiscent of Shakespeare’s flawed protagonists, such as Macbeth and King Lear. The study also investigates how these archetypes contribute to the novel’s overarching themes of fate, obsession, and human frailty. Furthermore, the paper analyzes the syntax and diction used in Moby-Dick, demonstrating how Melville adopts Shakespearean stylistic elements, such as formal language and poetic structures, to deepen the emotional and philosophical weight of his narrative. By exploring the multifaceted influence of Shakespeare, this study argues that Moby-Dick is enriched by a Shakespearean resonance that provides it with a layered, complex context, illuminating Melville’s craft and his novel’s tragic dimensions.

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