从生态批评视角分析《白鲸》中亚哈的悲剧命运

.Introduction1.1ABriefIntroductiontoHermanMelvilleHermanMelville(1819-1891)wasanAmericannovelist,shortstorywriter,essayistandpoet.HewasoneofthegreatAmericanwritersandamajorfigureintheworldliterature,andhewasalsoknownasthe“AmericanShakespeare”.MelvillehasbeenregardedthroughoutmostofthetwentiethcenturyasoneofAmerican’smostpowerfulliteraryartists,particularlyforhismasterpieceMobyDick,dedicatedtoNathanielHawthorne.”Ihavewrittenawickedbookandfeelasspotlessasthelamb,”MelvillewrotetoHawthorne.(Hawthorne,Nathaniel,1951)Afterhedied,hisworkwasonlyrecognizedasamasterpiece30years.HermanMelvillewasborninNewYorkCityonAugust1,1819.HewasadescendentofEnglishDutchcolonialfamilies.Once,hisfatherwasasuccessfuldry-goods.Whenhewasfiveyearsold,hebeganhiseducationcareerandthenhereadmanybooks.Attheageof12,hisfatherdiedbecauseofbankruptcy.Hisfamilycircumstanceswereworse,sohehaddroppedoutofhisschoollifeandexperiencedahardtime.Heworkedasastoreclerk,abankmessengerandateacher.In1845,hebecameaseamanonwhalingship.Inthenext4years,hewenttomanyplacesintheworldwiththewhalingship,sothisexperiencehelpedhimbroadenshishorizons.Hewasveryimprisonedbecauseheworkedforriotandotherreasons.Later,hejoinedtheAmericanwarship“American”,whenhelandedinBoston;heendedhisownlifeatsea.Theseexperienceswereaprecioustreasureforhiswriting.In1845,heleftthearmyandreturnedtoAmerican,sohebeganhisownwritinglife.ThefirstnovelTypeeisbasedonhisSouthPacific’slife.Becausehisprofessionalfortuneswaned,hehadmanydifficultiesathome;hediedofillnessin1891.Hewasalmostcompletelyforgotten.In1919,theunfinishedmanuscriptforhisnovellaBillyBuddwasdiscoveredbyhisfirstbiographer.HewasthefirstwritertohavehisworkscollectedandpublishedbytheLibraryofAmerican.HermanMelvillewasacontroversialwriteratthatage;somecriticsregardedhimasanelegist,afatalistandevenananti-humanistwriter.Butnowmoreandmorepeoplebegantopaymuchattentiontohisworks,especiallyMobyDick.Andthisstoryrevealsasadvisionoftheauthor’sembarrassmentwith“theuniversalproblemofreconcilingourselvestoouralonenessandourmortality”.(HarryLevin,1980:285)1.2ABriefIntroductiontoMobyDickMobyDickisanovelbyHermanMelville.Itisarich,deepandforcefulnovel.Thenovelisregardedasanencyclopediaofeverything:history,philosophy,religion,etc,inadditiontoadetailedaccountoftheoperationsofthewhalingindustry.Somecriticsevenpointoutthat“togettoknowthe19thcenturyAmericanmindandAmericaitself,onehastoreadthisbook.”(ChangYaoxin,1990:113)ItdescribesthedreadfightbetweenPequotCaptainAhab,whoengagedinthewhalingindustryfor40years,andahuge,ferociouswhaleMobyDickinthefirsthallof19thcentury,thevigorouseraofwhalingindustryofAmerica,reflectingtheauthor’sdoubtsandfearstowardsthegreatdevelopmentofcapitalism.ThebooktellsastorybetweenthecaptainofAhabandawhitewhalenamedMobyDickfromtheSouthPacific.Whenhewasyoung,hewasbittenoffalegbythewhitewhaleinwhalingship.Thenhewasborneagrudge,andsetfootontheroadofrevenge.Hecommandedtheshiptravelacrossallovertheworld,sohefoundthebigwhitewhaleandbeganhishuntingtrip.Unfortunatelyhisfightingisafailure,althoughhehadstabbedthiswhitewhale,itwasverytenaciousandcunningchewedtheboatandsankthewhaleship.Whenthewhitewhaledraggedthewhalertoescape,theropetwinedAhab,hewashangedandthewholehiscrewontheboatdrowned.Onlyasailorfledthroughthecoffinofthereformofthelife-saving.1.3ThepurposeofthethesisFromtheperspectiveofeco-criticism,theauthoranalyzesthetragicfateofCaptainAhabinMobyDickandtherootcauseofthetragicfatebyanalyzingthecharacteroftheAhabcharacter.Therefore,first,wemustestablishtheconceptofnature.Wehumansshouldealizethathumanandnatureareinterdependentandinterrelatedasawhole,graspthelawasawhole,whichareregardedasabasisforunderstandingofnatureandtransformationofnature,theestablishmentofacomprehensiveandharmoniouscoexistencebetweenmanandnatureandharmoniousdevelopment.Second,wemustgetoutofthe“anthropocentrism”oftheerrors,andwemustlearntorespectthelawsofnatureandplayacombinationofsubjectiveinitiative,destructionofecologicalbalance,wemustbepunishedbythelawsofnature,intheevaluationofalleconomicactivitiesandsocialactivities,wenotonlyneedtoconsidertheimmediatevalue,butalsoneedtoconsiderlong-termvalues.Finally,Inordertoprotectnature,thecapacityofmodernsocietytoprotectnatureisgraduallyenhanced,includingenvironmentalmonitoringcapacity,ecologicalbalancemaintenanceandrepaircapacity,biodiversityandtheprotectionoftheoriginalecologyofkeyareas,cleanproductioncapacity,pollutionpreventionandcontrolcapacity.Thisisanewmaterialforcewhichmustbeproducedafterthedevelopmentoftheproductiveforcestoacertainlevel.Itistheexpansion,perfectionandenhancementofthefunctionoftheproductiveforcesofmodernsociety.Butthisisnotenough;humansneedtoworkhardertoachieveharmonybetweenmanandnature.2.LiteratureReview2.1DomesticStudiesOvertheyears,thedomesticstudyofMobyDickhasachievedsomeresults.AlthoughtheresearchinitiatedlaterthantheWest,thereisatrendofspringbambooshoots.Uptothewritingtimeofthispaper,thereare456articlesofMobyDickonCNKI(ChinaNationalknowledgeInfrastructure).In1957,ShanghaiTranslationPublishingCompanypublishedCaoYong’sMobyDick,whichbroughtHermanMelville’sworkstoChinaforthefirsttime,andsothestudyofMobyDickbeganathome.Chinesescholarsusevariousformstoresearchthefamouswork-MobyDick.InthediscussionofthecauseofAhab’stragicfate,thedomesticresearchersmainlyelaboratedfromthefollowingaspects:Christianoriginalsin,theobjectivityofthingsandAhab’sindividualism.FromtheaspectoftheoriginalsinofChristianity,JiaTingpointedout:”ThetragicfateoftheCaptainofAhabinMobyDickwasthedisobedienceofJonah,hedisregardedGod’svarioushintsofthenatureandthewarningofhiscrew.Stepbystep,hewascaughtinadesperatedesiretodominatethefateofdesecrationofGodandarroganceoftheself-deification.Christianitythanktheabsoluteauthorityofthedefianceopenedthecurtainofhumansuffering(JiaTing,2010:79-80).”Fromtheaspectofobjectivity,scholarsmainlyelaboratedthetragicfateofAhabfromtheaspectofthestrugglebetweenhumanandnature.Theexistenceofallthingshasitsobjectivelaws,whichdoesnottransferofhumanwills.LiuFangpointedout“thewhitewhalehavegiantpower,immortalmysteriouspower,itisasymbolofnature.ThefightbetweenAhabandnaturealsocanbeconsideredastruggleofhumanandnature.Thisisaneternallawofhumanandnature.Ahab’spursuitofMobyDickandhisconquestofnature’sambitiondestinedtohisdestruction(LiuFang,2011:73).”IntheaspectofAhab’sindividualism,itmainlymanifestedinthedesiresandpowerofAhab.InthetragedyofthetheoryoftheMobyDick,BaiXihanpointedout“intheprocessofrevenge,thecaptainofAhabknowsthegreatdangershemustfaces,buthedoesn’twanttodiedatthebeginning,orhedidn’tthinkofdeath.Hethoughtonlytoeliminatethisevilrepresentative,thatistheWhiteWhale-MobyDick,hisblindrevengefullofdesiresledtothefinaltragicfate(BaiXihan,2000:14-17).AsBaiFengxinpointedout:“Intheincarnationofjusticeandevil,thedualityofthecharacterofcaptainofAhabinMobyDickmentioned‘Peugeot’canbesaidtobeasmallKingdom.”TheauthoritarianruleofAhabmadehimtheruthlessmonarchoftheKingdom.Here,Ahabisasymbolofauthorityandhierarchy.Noonecandisobeyhiswilling,andallhiscrewmustunconditionallyobeyhisruleandexploitation.2.2InternationalStudyTheresearchofMobyDickabroadismoresystematicandcomprehensive.ThestudyofMobyDickincludesmanyaspects,suchastheauthor’slife,religion,society,politics,ecology,narration,cultureandpostcolonialresearch.Accordingtotheperiod,theresearchcanbedividedintothefollowingthreestages.Thefirststageisin1920s-1930s,andtheresearchmainlyconfinedtoMelville’slifestudies,suchasLewisMumford'sHermanMelville.(NewYork:LiteraryGuidofAmerica,1929.),JohnFreeman'sHermanMelville.(London:MacmillanCo,1926.)Thesecondstageisin1940s-1990s,whentheclimaxoftheresearchonMelvilleappeared.AlotofstudyofMelville'sworkspublishedinthisperiod.SuchasW.E.Sedgwick’sHermanMelville:TheTragedyofMind.(HermanMelville:TheTragedyofMind.Boston:HarvardUniversityPress，1944.)Thethirdstageistheearly21thcentury,whentheresearchcomesintothesystematicstage,culturalstudywascommissionedinfullswing,post-colonialinterpretationworkisthemainachievements.SuchasShawnThomson’smonographTheRomanticArchitectureofHermanMelville'sMoby-Dick.(Teaneck:FairleighDickinsonUniversityPress,2001.)2.3CriticalCommentsThroughthesurveyoftheaboveresearchers,wecanfindthattheresearchperspectivesofdomesticandforeignscholarsonMelville'sMobyDickfocusonAhab'stragicfateofissingle,lackofmacro-system,andin-depthstudy,sowecannottrulyanalyzeit.Basedoneco-criticism,thispapercarriesoutaresearchonthesoulsinwildnesstoanalyzesthetragicfateofAhab.Eco-criticismtheoryandpracticeinforeigncountrieshas30yearsofdevelopment,anditsdevelopmentismoremature,andthistheoryhasreachedthedomesticacademicworld.Lately,anditsunderstandingandacceptancearestilltobebiochemical.ThecaptainofAhabisaninfluentialfigure,andwhenweputitineco-criticism.suchanew,openanddiversetheoreticalbackgroundtobeexamined,notonlycontributetomulti-dimensional,three-dimensionalmining,anddeepanalysis,butalsohelpsunderstandthetextmorein-depth,andcomprehensively,andtoacertainextent,enrichtheeco-criticismtheory.3.InterpretationofAhab’sTragicFatefromthePerspectiveofEco-criticism3.1AbriefAccountofEco-criticismWiththefastdevelopmentofmodernindustrialsociety,human’slifechangedalot.Butatthesametime,thehumanbeingspaymuchattentiontomaterialinterestratherthantheenvironmentconsideration;therefore,eco-criticismcameintobeing.Eco-criticismisoneofthemostrecentinterdisciplinaryfieldsthathaveemergedinliteraryandculturalstudies;itmainlyemphasizesthelinkagebetweenhumanbeingsandnon-humanbeings.Italsoisanewbranchinliteraryandculturalstudies.Itstudiestherelationshipbetweenthenaturalworldandtheliteraryessay.Eco-criticismaimsatsettinganewecologicalsocietyforsustainabledevelopment.Thecoreideaofeco-criticismisharmony.Harmonyisthemostfundamentalimplicationsineco-cultureandeco-literature,itadvocatesandsearchesfortheharmonybetweenhumanandnature.CheryllGlotfelty,thefirstprofessorofliteratureandenvironmentattheUniversityofNevada,andalsooneofthemainAmericanadvocatesofeco-criticism.Hethinkseco-criticismhasthreecharacteristics:First,thefocusofeco-criticismistherelationshipbetweenphysicalenvironmentandliteratureorevenculture;Secondly,eco-criticismmainlystudiestextwithearth-centeredmethod;Thirdly,Scientificecologyandeco-criticismareinseparable,buteco-criticismdoesn'tmechanicallyborrowapproaches,researchstrategiesanddataresultsfromecology.Eco-criticism’scontentisveryabundant,andwildernessisapartofit.Whatisthewilderness?Thewildernessoftheoriginalmeaningisnatureandwildness.Itistheoriginalnaturethathumanbeingshaveneverbeento."Wilderness"isanaturalwordinliterature,andtheunderstandingofthewildernessistheessenceofAmericannaturalliterature.Thewildernessisnotonlythenatureoftheentity,butalsothenaturalstateofmind,orthenaturalstateofmind.GregGarrardhasmadeadefinitionofthewilderness:Theideaofwilderness,signifyingnatureinastateuncontaminatedbycivilization,isthemostpotentconstructionofnatureavailabletoNewWorldenvironmentalism.Itisaconstructionmobilizedtoprotectparticularhabitatsandspecies,andisseenasaplaceforthereirivigorationofthosetiredofthemoralandmaterialpollutionofthecity.(59)Fromtheaboveanalysis,wecanknowwildernessisaveryimportantconceptinthestudyofwesternliteratureandecology,whichisaplacethatneverhasbeenpollutedbycivilization,potentconstructionofnatureandNewWorldenvironment.3.2WildernessinLightofMobyDickMobyDickisfullofmanybeautifuldescriptionsoftheseaandwhale,whicharethesymbolofnature.Basedoneco-criticism,weknowthewildernessisoriginalnature.Itisanaturalworldinliterature,theunderstandingofthewildernessistheessenceofAmericannaturalliterature.Andthewildernessisnotonlythenatureoftheentity,butalsothenaturestateofmind.InthenovelofMobyDick,HermanMelvilledescribestheoceanandthewhitewhaleistheembodimentoftheincarnationandspiritofthewilderness.Anditaspecialinfluenceonthemaincharacter-theCaptainofAhab.Theseaandthewhalearecompletelybeyondthesimplemeaning,andtheyhavethevitalityoflifeandspiritualglory.3.2.1WildernessEmbodiedinSeaInmanyWesternliteraryworks,theoceanhasspecialasymbolicmeaning.Wecommonlythinkitisanunpollutedhumancivilizedworld,andhuman’sspiritualdesireistogotothesea.Inmodernindustrialcivilization,thisdesireisveryobvious.Toeliminatethepursuitofspirituallife,peoplewereforcedtobecome“redundantcopies.”Thereforepeoplecanlosetheirspirituallife;finallytheybecomeamereflesh.Theseaisnaturewhichwecanregardaswilderness.Also,theseaistheworld’slargestcemetery.Sometimes,theboundlessseashowsidyllicquietness,itssolemnnessbringspeopleunlimitedreveriesandwonderful.Sometimes,theweatherisveryrough,thesurgingwavesmakepeoplefeelsleep.Whethertheweatheriscoolandsunny,itsmoodynaturehassomefeatureofthehuman.AndinthestoryofMobyDick,wethinkmostofthewhalingfleetisfranticallyhuntingwhales,theydestroyedthenatureandbreakthecalmnessofthesea.Eventually,theseanotonlyburiedaseamanandvessels,butalsoengulfedthesoulsofmanypeople.InMobyDick,becausetheoceanisthelargestwilderness,italsobringspeoplealotoftruesensesoftheunknownandfear.Innineteenthcentury,thetechnologicaldevelopmenthasjustbegun.Intheeraofsailing,sealifeactivitieshasn’thavevariousavailabletools,shipssailingontheseadependsonnaturalwind.Inmanyplaces,thisstorydescribesthehumanandgrislyworld;itbringsmanyfearsandanxietiesforpeople.Thesefearsandanxietiesjustasurface,moresecretsarehidingincreatures.WhentheCaptainofAhabsailingonthesea.Allsailorsknowshipsailinginthewavesislikesailingonthebattlefield,andinthisbattle,noonecantellyouhowmanyspiritsareburiedinthisbattlefield:“Thereis,oneknowsnotwhatsweetmystery,aboutthissea,whosegentlyawfulstirringsseemtospeakofsomehiddensoulbeneath.”[5](p589)Formanyyears,manypeopleburieddowntotheocean.Thisoceanistheirtomb.Thiswatercemeteryburiedcountlessdeadghost,andthesetroubleghostsoftenmadethesearoaringcontinuously.Wefoundourselveslaunchedintothistormentedsea,thatis“whereguiltybeingstransformedintothosefowlsandthesefish,seemedcondemnedtoswimoneverlastinglywithoutanyhaveninstore……[6].”(p282)InthenovelofMobyDick,wildernessappearedintheocean,itrepresentativehorror,suspense,magicandmystery.HermanMelvillehasspokenhighlyofthesea.Thevastendlessoceanlikesabigcupofwineandtheragingwavesisthewine,undertheshiningsunset,theseashowedthecolorofthedivine.WhenwefacingthiscolorfulBowl.Ishmaelhasadeepthough:“Sunsetgoesdownmysoulmountsup!”[1](p200)Theseasymbolizesthemysteriouspowerofnature.Theboundlessoceanhasirresistiblemysteriousforce.Finally,fromthetragedyofAhab,itsymbolizesthehumanandotherspeciesmusthaveaharmoniousrelationship.Thisistheonlywayhumantosurvive.3.2.2WildernessembodiedinthewhitewhaleAsweallknow,thewhitewhaleisananimal.Itscoloristheimportantelementoftheterriblewilderness.Thewhitewhaleisfreetoliveintheocean,andhasnodistractionwithhuman,nottomentiondestroy.ButtherepresentativeofAhabthinksitishuman’senemy.Hetriesallhisbesttoconquerit,butfinallyitbringsabigtragedyforhim.Therefore,itishumanvictimsofsymbolizesthemysteriesoftheuniverseanduniverseislikewhite,thissabigwhite,andnothingcanbeseen.Thewhale’swhitealsosymbolizespurityandinnocenceanddestiny,andtheresultswillperish.Thewhitewhaleisthesymbolofnature,wecanregarditaspartofthewildernessforithaselusivestrength.Fromitsappearance,thewhaleis“alegendarywhitespermwhalewithmandibulardeformitiesthatlikeasickle,ithasapeculiarsnow-whitewrinkledforehead,andahigh,paramedicalwhitehump.”[4](p217)Inadditiontoitssingularform:“atintervalsonly,theunaccompanied,secludedwhitewhalehadhauntedthoseuncivilizedseas,mostlyfrequentedbythespermwhalefishermen.”[15](p213)inthisstory,beforethewhaleappeared,thewriterpaysmuchattentiontoitsmagiclegend,whichcastalargeofmystery.Theyproclaim:“MobyDicknotonlyubiquitous,butimmortal;thatthoughgrovesofspearsshouldbeplantedinhisflanks,hewouldstillswimawayunharmed.”[16](p217)andIshmaelthinkithasadivineaura:“……hisvat,mildheadoverhungbyacanopyofvapor……andthatvaporglorifiedbyarainbow,asifHeavenitselfhadputitssealuponhisthoughts.”[17](p416)Therefore,peopleoftenthinkthewhalehasamagicandinvinciblestrength.IntheheartofAhab,thewhitewhalehasbecomeanothersymbol:“thewhitewhaleisthatwall,shovedneartome,ifhecanbesavedorrecovered,hemustreachoutsideexceptbythrustingthroughthewall?”[19](p196)MaybeMelvillealsomadeasuggestiontous;everyoneistheprisoneroftheirownsoul.Melvillesuccessfullyusesthesymbolicarttowarnus:blindandrelentlessconquestwillbringabigtragedy.InthenovelofMobyDick,thestruggleofAhabandthewhalecanbeconsideredastruggleofAhabandnature.However,Humancannotoverrideabovenatureanddestroytheharmoniousrelationshipbetweenhumanandnature.3.3AnalysisofAhab’sTragicFateBasedonEco-criticism3.3.1TheFateofALonelyProtesterFromtheperspectiveofecologicalcriticism,thefateofthetragedyofAhabisbecauseheadvocatestheindividualAhab’sconquest,andforgetstheharmoniousinterrelationshipbetweenhumanandnatureasastartingpoint.Sohewilleventuallybealonelyfateoftheprotesters,hislifecan’tescapelasttragedy.AlthoughAhabisthecaptainofPequot,rulingthewholeship,hisspiritislonely,hetooktheinitiativetoacceptloneliness,becauseonlylonelinesscanmakehisthinkingmoreprofound,andlethimhavethesacredsenseofrule.ItisbelievedthatAhabisacrazymanandapersonwhoisaffectedbyparanoia.ThereisnodoubtthathehasbeeneagertokillMobyDick.Butheisaclearmadman.Hebecamecrazybecausehethoughthisdignitywasinsulted.Sohemustdefendthehumandignity,butinacrazyway.ThatistodoeverythingtokillMobyDick."Amancanbedestroyed.Buthecannotbedefeated".[19](p68)IntheeyesofAhab,hecanlosehislife,buthecannotlosehisdignity."Agentlemanprefersdeathtohumiliation."AbraveherodonotbeafraidofGod,weshouldtryourbesttostrugglewiththisworld.AhabwantstochooseaheroicdeaththatistostrugglewiththeWhiteWhale.“AhabdiedinasuicideattackwithMobyDickintheend.AsSchopenhaueroncesaid,"Theninthetragedies,wecanseethatallthegreatestmenhavegivenuptheultimategoalwhichtheyareeagertopursuitforquitealongtime,andtheyarealwaysrejecttoenjoyinglife,ortheyarehappytogiveuptheirlivesateaseafteralongperiodofconflictandsuffering."[21](p348)3.3.2ThetragedyofProfessionIntheUnitedStatesinNineteenthCentury,,whalingindustryisverydangerous.Atthattime,theessentialoilisveryimportantoil,andthemarketdemandingfortheearlyAmericanwhalingindustryhaslaidagoodexternalenvironment,somanypeopleworkingontheindustry.Butinmostcases,onlythosewhoarepooranddesperatewillchoosethisoccupation.Becausetheprofessionissodangerousandtheywilldiedinanytime.Inaway,theyhavegivenuptheirlives,andtheyhavegiventheirsoulstothesea.Fromtheperspectiveofecologicalcriticism,thewhitewhaleisaspeciesinnature,humanbeingsshouldlearntoliveinharmonywithnatureandrespectfornature.Butbecausethematerialandtechnicalconditionsatthattimeisnotveryadvanced,sothewhalingcanonlyrelyonhumanphysicalstrength,Ahabishelplessofhislife,sohechosethiscareer,hereliedonhispersonalexperiencebeganhiswhalingtrip.“Somanyaretheunrecordedaccidentsinthefishery”[15](p50)Wecanknowtheenvironmentisverydangerous,everyyearthousandsofwhalersdiedinthesea,andfinallylefttheirfamiliesalonealive.“Deathiseasilytohappeninthebusinessofwhaling-aspeechlesslyquickchaoticboundingofamanintoEternity”[16](p51)AlthoughAhabisthecaptainofPequot,thereareenoughsailorsandcrewmembers,theirlivesarefragile,andeverydaytheircommongoalistocatchagreatwhaleandthengetwhaleoil,finallygetpartoftheprofits.Obviously,theyrisktheirlifetofightwiththewhitewhale,whichisalsocausedbythecaptainofthecaptainAhablostaleginthetragedyoflife.Therewasnodoubtthathehadstruggledwiththegodoffateeverytimeforabouta40-years.Inthestruggle,everytimethesailorsandcrewhaveacommonground,thatisthetragedyofoccupation.Inordertogetalotofmoney,theywillnotrespectandtreateveryspeciesonearth,andofcoursethelastwillbepunishedbynature.Becausetheuniverseisanunknownsurfaceformankind,thevastnaturealsohasitsownlaws,soAhaeventuallyhastopayaheavyprice.3.3.3TheSymbolicMeaningofAhab’sRevengeAsweallknow,thestoryofrevengeinWesternliteraturehasalongtradition.However,Melville'sMobyDickhasshowncomplexity;itisnotonlyastoryofthesea,butalsoaprophecyofmodernsociety.RevengeisoneofMobyDick'smostimportantthemes.Atsea,Ahabhadaninviolabledignityoftheemperor,andhewasalsotheconquerorofthesea.However,inahuntingtrip,thewhaletookoneofhislegs;thedisastercausedhisdesireforrevenge.HevowedatallcoststofindMobyDick,MobyDick,sorevengeisalmosttheonlygoalinhislife.Drivenbythisdesire,heboardsPequotandmadethisdecision,leadingtootherresults.Hecouldabandonwhalingandreturntothelandtoenjoylifewithhisfamily.Fromthispointofview,thisoptionishisownwill,whichisjustbecauseofhispersonalcharacter,andhisrevengeissubjective.ThecaptainofAhabhadawell-plannedvengeanceinthecourseofthevoyage.Heonlyspentthreehoursadayonabed.Theothertimes,hewasthinking,observing,calculatingandplanning,whichshowsAhab’sdeterminationandwisdomforthisaction.Intheinitialstageofthishuntingtrip,hedidnotshowuphisability,butatmostimportantmoments,inordertohuntthewhale,hegotmad.Thiskindofbehaviorshowshisstrongdesire.Ahabhasworkedonwhalefisheryforover40years;hedefeatedhimselfagainandagain,becomingtheoverlordofthesea.Thisvictorybroughtmorepleasuretohim.Inthebeginning,Ahab’srevengeissubjective.WhenAhabdecidedtorevenge,hiswillingisveryfirm.Fromhisperspective,healreadybecomestheembodimentofjustice,conscienceandtruth.Ifwetracebacktotherootofrevenge,humanmakemistakesfirst.Fromthispointofview,humandoesn’thavetherighttorevenge.Itisbecauseofhuman’shuntingforwhale,sothecaptainofAhablosesoneofhislegs.Humanbeingshavealonghistoryofwhaling,thescaleisbecominglargerandlarger,inordertomakemoney,moreandmorepeoplearegoingtodothisjob,manyinnocentwhaledied,theydon’thaveenoughspacetolive,sohumanbeingshavenorighttorevenge.Inthechapter54(“TheTown-Ho’sStory)describedtherevengebetweenhumanandhuman.Thechiefofficerandasailorontheshipdecidetorevengeeachother,justbecausesometrifles.Thechiefofficerdoesharmtothesailorbyauthorityandthesailordoesn’tharmthechiefofficer,heletthewhaleshipsink.AtthemostimportantmomentsofchasingMobyDick,theycan’tworkwelltogether,becauseofthehatredintheirheart.Fromtheaboveanalysis,wecanseeeveryrevengecanleadtotragedy.Fromtheperspectiveofeco-criticism,wecoulddrawtheconclusionthatweshouldlearntorespectnature;therearenoreasonsforhumanbeingstorevenge.3.4EnlightenmentofAhab’sTragicFate3.4.1HarmoniousCoexistenceofHumanandNatureSinceancienttimes,inordertobeabletolivebetterlife,mankindhastorelyonnaturetogivethemmaterialstosurvivewith.Butmankindneverknewtobesatisfied,theywantedtoconquernatureandgeteverythingfromnature.Theresultsalsoprovedthattheywouldbepunished,suchasinMobyDick,thecaptainofAhabwasbittedonthelegbythewhale.Buthecontinuestorevenge,finally,hediedonthesea.Fromtheperspectiveofeco-criticism,therootofhistragicfateisbecausehisattitudetowardsnature,weshouldlearntorespectthenature.Therefore,wemustestablishtheconceptofnature.Inthemodernsenseofnature,therealvi