从生态批评视角分析《白鲸》中亚哈的悲剧命运 英语学专业

题中亚哈的悲剧命运从生态批评视角分析《白鲸》ONAHAB'STRAGICFATEINMOBYDICKFROMTHEPERSPECTIVEOFECO-CRITICISMAcknowledgmentsIwishtotakethisopportunitytoexpressmysinceregratitudetomysupervisorMs.TaoRuixuanandMs.WuJingyuan.Iamdeeplygratefulfornotonlytheirprofoundliteraryknowledgewhichtriggeredmyinterestsineco-criticism,butalsofortheirpatientguidanceandinsightfuladvicethroughouttheprocessofmywriting.Withouttheirgeneroushelp,detailedandresponsibleinstruction,Icanbynomeansbringforwardthisthesisbymyself.Throughoutmystudies,Ihavetodelivermythankstomyclassmatesandfriendsfortheirgeneroushelpandinvaluablesupportduringthesefouryears.Lastbutnotleast,Ihavetothanksmyself,becauseduringthistime,Ipaymuchattentiontomythesis.LiteratureReviewOvertheyears,boththedomesticandinternationalstudiesofMobyDickhaveachievedgreatresults.Comparatively,theresearchofMobyDickabroadismoresystematicandcomprehensive.DomesticStudiesAlthoughtheresearchinitiatedlaterthantheWest,thereisatrendofspringbambooshoots.Uptothewritingtimeofthispaper,thereare456articlesonMobyDickonCNKI(ChinaNationalknowledgeInfrastructure).In1957,ShanghaiTranslationPublishingCompanypublishedCaoYong'stranslatedMobyDick,whichbroughtHermanMelville'sworkstoChinafbrthefirsttime,andsothestudyofMobyDickbeganathome.ChinesescholarsusevariousformstoresearchthefamousworkMobyDick.InthediscussionofthecauseofAhab'stragicfate,thedomesticresearchersmainlyelaboratedfromthefollowingaspects:Christianoriginalsin,theobjectivityofthingsandAhab'sindividualism.FromtheaspectoftheoriginalsinofChristianity,JiaTingpointedout,"ThetragicfateoftheCaptainofAhabinMobyDickwasthedisobedienceofJonah,forhedisregardedGod'svarioushintsofthenatureandthewarningofhiscrew.Stepbystep,hewascaughtinadesperatedesiretodominatethefateofdesecrationofGodandarroganceoftheself-deification.ThedefianceofChristianityandtheabsoluteauthorityopenedthecurtainofhumansuffering(JiaTing,2010:79-80)”.Fromtheaspectofobjectivity,scholarsmainlyelaboratedthetragicfateofAhabfromtheaspectofthestrugglebetweenhumanandnature.Theexistenceofallthingshasitsobjectivelaws,whichdoesnottransferhumanwills.LiuFangpointedout,“Thewhitewhalehasgreatpower,immortalmysteriouspower,whichisasymbolofnature.ThefightbetweenAhabandnaturecanalsobeconsideredastruggleofhumanandnature.Thisisaneternallawofhumanandnature.Ahab'spursuitofMobyDickandhisconquestofnature'sambitionledtohisdestruction(LiuFang,2011:73)”.IntheaspectofAhab'sindividualism,itismainlymanifestedinthedesiresandpowerofAhab.IntermsofthetragedyofMobyDick,BaiXihanpointedout,"Intheprocessofrevenge,thecaptainofAhabknowsthegreatdangershemustfaces,buthedidn'twanttodieinthebeginning,orhedidn'tthinkofdeath.Hethoughtonlytoeliminatethisevilrepresentative,whichistheWhiteWhale,MobyDick,andhisblindrevengefullofdesiresledtothefinaltragicfate”(BaiXihan,2000:14-17).TheauthoritarianruleofAhabmadehimtheruthlessmonarchoftheKingdom.Here,Ahabisasymbolofauthorityandhierarchy.Noonecandisobeyhiswilling,andallhiscrewmustunconditionallyobeyhisruleandexploitation.InternationalStudyThestudyabroadofMobyDickincludesmanyaspects,suchastheauthor'slife,religion,society,politics,ecology,narration,cultureandpostcolonialresearch.Accordingtotheperiod,theresearchcanbedividedintothefollowingthreestages.Thefirststageisin1920s-1930s,andtheresearchmainlyconfinedtoMelville'slifestudies,suchasLewisMumford'sHermanMelville(LewisMumford,1929)andJohnFreeman'sHermanMelville(JohnFreeman,1926).Thesecondstageisin1940s-1990s,whentheclimaxoftheresearchonMelvilleappeared.AlotofstudyofMelville'sworkspublishedinthisperiod,suchasW.E.Sedgwick'sHermanMelville:TheTragedyofMind(WE.Sedgwick,1944).Thethirdstageistheearly21stcentury,whentheresearchcameintothesystematicstage;culturalstudywascommissionedinfullswing,post-colonialinterpretationworkbecamethemainachievements.CriticalCommentsThroughthesurveyoftheaboveresearchers,wecanfindthattheresearchperspectivesofdomesticandforeignscholarsonMelville'sMobyDickfocusonAhab'stragicfateofissingle,lackofmacro-system,andin-depthstudy.Basedoneco-criticism,thisthesiscarriesoutaresearchonthesoulsinwildnesstoanalyzethetragicfateofAhab.Eco-criticismtheoryandpracticeinforeigncountrieshas30yearsofdevelopment,anditsdevelopmentismoremature,andthistheoryhasreachedthedomesticacademicworld.Lately,itsunderstandingandacceptancearealsotobebiochemical.ThecaptainAhabisaninfluentialfigure,andwhenweputitinthefieldofeco-criticism,suchanew,openanddiversetheoreticalbackgroundtobeexamined,itnotonlycontributestomulti-dimensionalmininganddeepanalysis,butalsohelpsunderstandthetextmorein-depth,andcomprehensively,andtoacertainextent,enrichtheeco-criticismtheory.nterpretationofAhab'sTragicFatefromthePerspectiveofEco-criticismThecoreideaofeco-criticismisharmony."Wilderness",asakeytermineco-criticism,isanaturalwordinliterature,andtheunderstandingofthewildernessistheessenceofAmericannatureliterature.Basedontheseliterarycriticalapproaches,theseaandthewhaleinMobyDickconveythevitalityoflifeandspiritualglory,andhasabundantsymbolicmeanings.ABriefAccountofEco-criticismWiththefastdevelopmentofmodemindustrialsociety,human'slifechangedalot.Butatthesametime,thehumanbeingspaymuchattentiontomaterialinterestratherthantheenvironmentconsideration;therefore,eco-criticismcameintobeing.Eco-criticismisoneofthemostrecentinterdisciplinaryfieldsthathaveemergedinliteraryandculturalstudies;itmainlyemphasizesthelinkagebetweenhumanbeingsandnon-humanbeings.Itisalsoanewbranchinliteraryandculturalstudies.Itstudiestherelationshipbetweenthenaturalworldandtheliteraryessay.Eco-criticismaimsatsettinganewecologicalsocietyforsustainabledevelopment.Harmonyisthemostfundamentalimplicationsineco-cultureandeco-literature,itadvocatesandsearchesfortheharmonybetweenhumanandnature.Cheryl1Glotfelty,thefirstprofessorofliteratureandenvironmentattheUniversityofNevada,andalsooneofthemainAmericanadvocatesofeco-criticism,thinksthateco-criticismhasthreecharacteristics:First,thefocusofeco-criticismistherelationshipbetweenphysicalenvironmentandliteratureorevenculture;secondly,eco-criticismmainlystudiestextwithearth-centeredmethod;thirdly,scientificecologyandeco-criticismareinseparable,buteco-criticismdoesn'tmechanicallyborrowapproaches,researchstrategiesanddataresultsfromecology(CheryllGlotfelty,1996:vii).Eco-criticism'scontentisveryabundant,andwildernessisapartofit.Whatisthewilderness?Theoriginalmeaningofthewildernessisnatureandwildness.Itistheoriginalnaturethathumanbeingshaveneverbeento.Thewildernessisnotonlythenatureoftheentity,butalsothenaturalstateofmind,orthenaturalstateofmind.GregGarrardhasmadeadefinitionofthewilderness:Theideaofwilderness,signifyingnatureinastateuncontaminatedbycivilization,isthemostpotentconstructionofnatureavailabletoNewWorldenvironmentalism.Itisaconstructionmobilizedtoprotectparticularhabitatsandspecies,andisseenasaplaceforthereirivigorationofthosetiredofthemoralandmaterialpollutionofthecity(GregGarrard,2004:59).Fromtheaboveanalysis,wecanknowwildernessisaveryimportantconceptinthestudyofwesternliteratureandecology,whichisaplacethatneverhasbeenpollutedbycivilization,potentconstructionofnatureandNewWorldenvironment.WildernessinLightofMobyDickMobyDickisfullofmanybeautifuldescriptionsoftheseaandthewhale,whichareboththesymbolsofnature.Basedoneco-criticism,weknowthatthewildernessisoriginalnature.Itisanaturalworldinliterature,andtheunderstandingofthewildernessistheessenceofAmericannaturalliterature.Andthewildernessisnotonlythenatureoftheentity,butalsothenaturestateofmind.InthenovelofMobyDick,HermanMelvilledescribestheoceanandthewhitewhaleastheembodimentoftheincarnationandspiritofthewilderness.Andithasaspecialinfluenceonthemaincharacter,theCaptainAhab.Theseaandthewhalearecompletelybeyondthesimplemeaning,andtheyhavethevitalityoflifeandspiritualglory.WildernessEmbodiedintheSeaInmanyWesternliteraryworks,theoceanhasasymbolicallyspecialmeaning.Wecommonlythinkitisanunpollutedhumancivilizedworld,andhuman'sspiritualdesireistoexplorethesea.Inmodernindustrialcivilization,thisdesireisveryobvious.Toeliminatethepursuitofspirituallife,peoplewereforcedtobecome"redundantcopies”.Thereforepeoplecanlosetheirspirituallife;finallytheybecomeamereflesh.Theseaispartofnaturewhichwecanregardaswilderness.Also,theseaistheworld'slargestcemetery.Sometimes,theboundlessseashowsidyllicquietness,itssolemnessbringspeopleunlimitedreveriesandwonders.Sometimes,theweatherisveryrough,andsometimesthesurgingwavesmakepeoplefeelasleep.Whetheritiscoolorsunny,itsmoodynaturehassomefeaturesasthehuman's.AndinthestoryofMobyDick,wethinkmostofthewhalingfleetwasfranticallyhuntingwhales,theydestroyedthenatureandbrokethecalmnessofthesea.Eventually,theseanotonlyburiedaseamanandvessels,butalsoengulfedthesoulsofmanypeople.InMobyDick,becausetheoceanisthelargestwilderness,italsobringspeoplealotoftruesensesoftheunknownandfear.Innineteenthcentury,thetechnologicaldevelopmenthasjustbegun.Intheeraofsailing,sealifeactivitieshasn'townedvariousavailabletools,shipssailingontheseadependsonnaturalwind.Allsailorsknowshipsailinginthewavesislikesailingonthebattlefield,andinthisbattle,noonecantellyouhowmanyspiritsareburiedinthisbattlefield:"Thereis,oneknowsnotwhatsweetmystery,aboutthissea,whosegentlyawfulstirringsseemtospeakofsomehiddensoulbeneath(HermanMelville,2010:589)”.Inmanyplaces,thisstorydescribesthehumanandgrislyworld;itbringsmanyfearsandanxietiestopeople.Thesefearsandanxietiesarejustasurface,andmoresecretsarehidingincreatureswhenCaptainAhabwassailingonthesea:Formanyyears,manypeopleburieddowntotheocean.Thisoceanistheirtomb.Thiswatercemeteryburiedcountlessdeadghosts,andthesetroubleghostsoftenmadethesearoaringcontinuously.Wefoundourselveslaunchedintothistormentedsea,thatiswhereguiltybeingstransformedintothosefowlsandthesefish,seemedcondemnedtoswimoneverlastinglywithoutanyhaveninstore(HermanMelville,2010:282).InthenovelMobyDick,wildernessappearedintheocean,whichrepresentshorror,suspense,magicandmystery.HermanMelvillehasspokenhighlyofthesea:"Thevastendlessoceanlikesabigcupofwineandtheragingwavesisthewine,undertheshiningsunset,theseashowedthecolorofthedivine.WhenwefacingthiscolorfulBowl.Ishmaelhasadeepthough:Sunsetgoesdownmysoulmountsup(HermanMelville,2010:200)”!Theseasymbolizesthemysteriouspowerofnature.Theboundlessoceanhasirresistiblemysteriousforce.Finally,fromthetragedyofAhab,itsymbolizesthehumanandotherspeciesmusthaveaharmoniousrelationship.Thisistheonlywayforhumantosurvive.WildernessEmbodiedintheWhiteWhaleAsweallknow,thewhitewhaleisananimal.Itscoloristheimportantelementoftheterriblewilderness.Thewhitewhaleisfreetoliveintheocean,andhasnodistractionwithhuman,nottomentiondestroy.ButAhabthinksitishuman'senemy.Hetriesallhisbesttoconquerit,butfinallyitbringsabigtragedytohim.Therefore,symbolically,itishumanvictimsofthemysteriesoftheuniverseanduniverseislikeblankwhite,whichisavastscopeofwhite,andnothingcanbeseen.Thewhale'swhitecoloralsosymbolizespurityandinnocenceanddestiny,andtheresultistoperish.Thewhitewhaleisthesymbolofnature;wecanregarditaspartofthewildernessforithaselusivestrength.Fromitsappearance,thewhaleisalegendarywhitespermwhalewithmandibulardeformitiesthatislikeasickle,"ithasapeculiarsnow-whitewrinkledforehead,andahigh,paramedicalwhitehump(HermanMelville,2010:217)”,and“Inadditiontoitssingularform:atintervalsonly,theunaccompanied,secludedwhitewhalehadhauntedthoseuncivilizedseas,mostlyfrequentedbythespermwhalefishermen(HermanMelville,2010:213)”.Inthisstory,beforethewhaleappeared,thewriterpaysmuchattentiontoitsmagiclegend,whichcastsalargeofmystery.Theyproclaim,“MobyDickisnotonlyubiquitous,butimmortal;thatthoughgrovesofspearsshouldbeplantedinhisflanks,hewouldstillswimawayunharmed(HermanMelville,2010:217)”.Theauthoralsodescribes,"andIshmaelthinksithasadivineaura:hisvat,mildheadoverhungbyacanopyofvaporandthatvaporglorifiedbyarainbow,asifHeavenitselfhadputitssealuponhisthoughts(HermanMelville,2010:416)”.Therefore,peopleoftenthinkthewhalehasamagicandinvinciblestrength.IntheheartofAhab,thewhitewhalehasbecomeanothersymbol:"Thewhitewhaleisthatwall,shovedneartome,ifhecanbesavedorrecovered,hemustreachoutsideexceptbythrustingthroughthewall(HermanMelville,2010:196)”?MaybeMelvillealsomadeasuggestiontous,thatis,everyoneistheprisoneroftheirownsoul.Melvillesuccessfullyusesthesymbolicarttowarnus:blindandrelentlessconquestwillbringabigtragedy.InthenovelMobyDick,thestruggleofAhabandthewhalecanbeconsideredastrugglebetweenAhabandnature.However,Humancannotoverrideabovenatureanddestroytheharmoniousrelationshipbetweenhumanandnature.AnalysisofAhab'sTragicFateBasedonEco-criticismViewedfromtheecologicalcriticalperspective,thefateofthetragedyofAhabisduetohisindividualconquestofthenaturewithoutconcerningtheharmonybetweenhumanandnature,andliesintheprofessioninthewhalingindustryandAhab'srevengeitself.TheFateofaLonelyProtesterFromtheperspectiveofecologicalcriticism,thefateofthetragedyofAhabisbecauseheadvocatestheindividualAhab'sconquest,andforgetstheharmoniousinterrelationshipbetweenhumanandnatureasastartingpoint.Sohewilleventuallybearalonelyfateoftheprotesters,hecan'tescapethefinaltragedy.AlthoughAhabisthecaptainofPequot,rulingthewholeship,hisspiritislonely;hetooktheinitiativetoacceptloneliness,becauseonlylonelinesscanmakehisthinkingmoreprofound,andlethimhavethesacredsenseofrule.ItisbelievedthatAhabisacrazymanandapersonwhoisaffectedbyparanoia.ThereisnodoubtthathehasbeeneagertokillMobyDick.Butheisaclearmadman.Hebecamecrazybecausehethoughthisdignitywasinsulted.Sohemustdefendthehumandignity,butinacrazyway.ThatistodoeverythingtokillMobyDick."Amancanbedestroyed.Buthecannotbedefeated(HermanMelville,2010:68)”.IntheeyesofAhab,hecanlosehislife,buthecannotlosehisdignity."Agentlemanprefersdeathtohumiliation/1AbraveheroisnotafraidofGod,andshouldtrythebesttostrugglewiththisworld.Ahabwantstochooseaheroicdeaththatistostrugglewiththewhitewhale.AhabdiedinasuicideattacktoMobyDickintheend.HermanMelvilleoncesaid,Theninthetragedies,wecanseethatallthegreatestmenhavegivenuptheultimategoalwhichtheyareeagertopursuitforquitealongtime,andtheyarealwaysrejecttoenjoyinglife,ortheyarehappytogiveuptheirlivesateaseafteralongperiodofconflictandsuffering(HermanMelville,2010:348).TheTragedyofProfessionIntheUnitedStatesinthenineteenthcentury,whalingindustryisverydangerous.Atthattime,thecrudeoilisveryimportantoilwhichthemarketwasdemandingfor.TheearlyAmericanwhalingindustryhaslaidagoodexternalenvironment,andsomanypeoplewereworkingontheindustry.Butinmostcases,onlythosewhoarepooranddesperatewillchoosethisoccupation.Becausetheprofessionissodangerousandtheywilldieinanytime.Inaway,theyhavegivenuptheirlives,andtheyhavegiventheirsoulstothesea.Fromtheperspectiveofecologicalcriticism,thewhitewhaleisaspeciesinnature,humanbeingsshouldlearntoliveinharmonywithnatureandshowrespecttonature.Butbecausethematerialandtechnicalconditionsatthattimeisnotveryadvanced,thewhalingcanonlyrelyonhumanphysicalstrength,Ahabishelplessofhislife,sohechosethiscareer,hereliedonhispersonalexperiencebeganhiswhalingtrip.“Somanyaretheunrecordedaccidentsinthefishery(HermanMelville,2010:50)”.Wecanknowtheenvironmentisverydangerous,everyyearthousandsofwhalersdiedinthesea,andfinallylefttheirfamiliesalonealive,and“Deathiseasilytohappeninthebusinessofwhaling,aspeechlesslyquickchaoticboundingofamanintoEternity(HermanMelville,2010:5If.AlthoughAhabisthecaptainofPequot,thereareenoughsailorsandcrewmembers,theirlivesarefragile,andeverydaytheircommongoalistocatchagreatwhaleandthengetwhaleoil,finallygetpartoftheprofits.Obviously,theyrisktheirlivestofightwiththewhitewhale,whichisalsocausedbythecaptainAhab,wholostaleginthetragiclife.Therewasnodoubtthathehadstruggledwiththegodoffateeverytimeforabout40years.Inthestruggle,everytimethesailorsandcrewhaveacommonground,thatisthetragedyofoccupation.Inordertogetalotofmoney,theywillnotrespectandtreateveryspecieskindlyonearth,andofcoursethelastwillbepunishedbynature.Becausetheuniverseisanunknownsurfaceformankind,thevastnaturealsohasitsownlaws,soAhaeventuallyhastopayaheavyprice.TheSymbolicMeaningofAhab'sRevengeAsweallknow,thestoryofrevengeinWesternliteraturehasalongtradition.However,Melville'sMobyDickhasshowncomplexity;itisnotonlyastoryofthesea,butalsoaprophecyofmodemsociety.RevengeisoneofMobyDicksmostimportantthemes.Atsea,Ahabhadaninviolabledignityoftheemperor,andhewasalsotheconquerorofthesea.However,inahuntingtrip,thewhaletookoneofhislegs;thedisastercausedhisdesireforrevenge.HevowedatallcoststofindMobyDick,sorevengeisalmosttheonlygoalinhislife.Drivenbythisdesire,heboardedPequotandmadethisdecision,leadingtootherresults.Hecouldabandonwhalingandreturntothelandtoenjoylifewithhisfamily.Fromthispointofview,thisoptionishisownwill,whichisjustbecauseofhispersonalcharacter,andhisrevengeissubjective.CaptainAhabhadawell-plannedvengeanceinthecourseofthevoyage.Heonlyspentthreehoursadayinbed.Intherestofthetime,hewasthinking,observing,calculatingandplanning,whichshowsAhab'sdeterminationandwisdomforthisaction.Intheinitialstageofthishuntingtrip,hedidnotshowuphisability,butatmostimportantmoments,inordertohuntthewhale,hegotmad.Thiskindofbehaviorshowshisstrongdesire.Ahabhasworkedonwhalefisheryforover40years;hedefeatedhimselfagainandagain,becomingtheoverlordofthesea.Thisvictorybroughtmorepleasuretohim.Inthebeginning,Ahab'srevengeissubjective.WhenAhabdecidedtorevenge,hiswillingwasveryfirm.Fromhisperspective,healreadybecomestheembodimentofjustice,conscienceandtruth.Ifwetracebacktotherootofrevenge,humanmademistakesinthefirstplace.Fromthispointofview,humandoesn'thavetherighttorevenge.Itisbecauseofhuman'shuntingfbrwhalethatCaptainAhablosesoneofhislegs.Humanbeingshavealonghistoryofwhaling,thescaleisbecominglargerandlarger,andinordertomakemoney,moreandmorepeoplearegoingtodothisjob.Manyinnocentwhalesdiedbecausetheydon'thaveenoughspacetolivein,sohumanbeingshavenorighttorevenge.Chapter54("TheTown-Ho'sStory")describedtherevengewithinhuman.Thechiefofficerandasailorontheshipdecidetorevengeeachother,justbecauseofsometrifles.Thechiefofficerdoesharmtothesailorbyauthorityandthesailordoesn'tharmthechiefofficer,andhemakesthewhaleshipsink.AtthemostimportantmomentsofchasingMobyDick,theycan'tworkwelltogether,becauseofthehatredintheirheart.Fromtheaboveanalysis,wecanseeeveryrevengecanleadtotragedy.Fromtheperspectiveofeco-criticism,wecoulddrawtheconclusionthatweshouldlearntorespectnature;therearenoreasonsforhumanbeingstorevengenature.EnlightenmentofAhab'sTragicFateFromtheperspectiveofeco-criticism,therootofCaptainAhab'stragicfateishisfalseattitudetowardsnature;weshouldlearntorespectthenature.ThesignificanceofMobyDickliesinthatitcanleadthereadertowardaworldinwhichtheywilldoubtthestrongdesireofhumanandlearnhowimportantitistofollownature'slaws.HarmoniousCoexistenceofHumanandNatureSinceancienttimes,inordertobeabletolivebetterlife,mankindhastorelyonnaturetogivethemmaterialstosurvivewith.Butmankindneverknewwhentobesatisfied,andtheywantedtoconquernatureandgeteverythingfromnature.Theresultsalsoprovedthattheywouldbepunished,suchasinMobyDick,thecaptainAhabwasbittenonthelegbythewhale.Buthecontinuestorevenge,finally,hediedonthesea.Therefore,wemustestablishtheconceptofnature.Inthemodernsenseofnature,therealviewofhumanandnatureareinterdependentandinterrelatedasawhole,graspingthelawasawhole,andasabasisforunderstandingnatureandtransformingnature.Secondly,wemustgetridofthemisunderstandingof“humancenter”andestablishaharmoniousrelationshipbetweenhumanandnature.Asweallknow,humanbeingsareonlyapartofnature,notthescaleofallthings.Atthesametime,becauseofthelimitationsofsubjectiveandobjectiveconditions,humanunderstandinghasgreatlimitations.Weoftensaythattheearthisourhomelandandhumansocietycomesfromnature.Therefore,Ithinkoursocietyispartofnature.Peopleshouldliveharmoniouslywithnature.Allthematerialsweneedtolivewithcomefromnature,soweshouldalsorepaythenature,ratherthanblindlysolicit.Forexample,weshouldplantmoretreesandtakeactionstoprotecttheenvironment.Weallcomefromnaturewhichisourhomeland,sowemusttryourbesttoprotectit.TheSignificanceofEcologicalBalanceItisgenerallybelievedthatpeopleandnatureareinasamefamily,andtheyareanintegrationthatcan'tbeseparated.WhalingwasthemainsourceofAmericancapitalisminthenineteenthcentury;thewhale'soilbecametheindispensablelightingmaterialforpeople'sdailylife,sothewhalewasthesourceofpeople'swealth.NewBedfordcitizenshavegreatwealthandrisk,andtendtobelievethat"iftherearenowhalersinthecity,NewBedfordwillstillbedesolate(Wagner,2008:18)^.Therearetwosidestoexplain:ontheonehand,thewhalingindustryistheprocessofthepursuitofcapital,andinordertoobtainthehighprofits,whalersaremorelikelytoputtheirlivesatrisk;ontheotherhand,peopleintherapiddevelopmentoftechnologyaredeterminedtorelyonnature,especiallywhenthenewindustrializationgivespeopleaweapontofindanewworldtoprovehisstrengthasmanwhobelievesheistheruler.AndMelvillegivespeoplethechancetofulfillhisdreamsandtakehisadventures,andheletspeopleseethatifpeoplearetooarrogantbeforenature,andtheresultcanbedevastatingiftheansweris“yes”.ThroughCaptainAhabtheprofoundthemeshiddenbetweenthelinescanbedugout:theimportanceofthebalancebetweenhumanandnature.SomecriticsarguethatinthecreationoftheepicMobyDick,Melvillesharplyidentifiesandforeseesthefutureofmankind.Thepursuitofharmonyhasalwaysbeenthegoalofmankind'slife,andlivinginabalancedworldisatrendofsocialdevelopment.Inaddition,theexpressionofharmonyisanidealrelationship,includingtruth,justiceandbeauty,aswellasaharmoniousexpressionofanother,thatis,theharmonybetweenmanandnature,whichisclearlyshowninMobyDick.4.ConclusionTheperspectiveofeco-criticismcanprovideuswithanewandpracticalanalyticalapproachtowardsthetragicfateofCaptainAhabinMobyDick.Melville'sideasrevealedinMobyDicknotonlypredictthearrivaloftoday'secologicalcrisis,butalsopointoutthedirectioninwhichpeopleshouldtakeinthefuture.Inmodemsociety,peoplepaylessattentiontonatureeventhoughourenvironmenthasalreadybeendestroyed.Wearefacingalotofnaturaldisasterssuchasacidrain,toxicgases,pollutedair,fataldiseaseandsoon.Wearealsofacingthedilemmaofgettingeconomicalprofitsatallcostsorprotectingtheenvironmentforourselvesandalsoforourlatergenerations.Thisliterarymasterpiecenotonlynarratesastory,butalsogivesawarningtomankind.Wemustunderstandthathumanisnotthecenterofnature,weshouldlearntorespectnature,ratherthanblindlyrequestandconquerit.Finally,weshouldstrivetobuildaharmoniousrelationshipbetweenhumanandnature.Oncetheecologicalethicsisdeeplyrootedinhumansmind,wecanpromotethelivingconditionsnotonlyforourselvesbutalsoforthefuturegenerations.Bydevotingourselvestohigherpursuitsthanmoney-making,wewillconsciouslyandactivelytakepartintheactionofprotectingenvironmentbecauseweknowthatweareactingintermsofourenlightenedself-interest.References[1]GARRARDG.Eco-criticism[M].NewYork:Rout