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Moby Dick; Or, The Whale by Herman Melville
Herman Melville’s *Moby-Dick* is a towering masterpiece of literature, a profound exploration of obsession, the untamed sea, and the human condition. Recognized as one of the greatest works of imagination in literary history, this edition of *Moby-Dick* features an insightful introduction by renowned scholar Andrew Delbanco and detailed notes by Tom Quirk, offering readers a deeper understanding of Melville’s monumental achievement.
This edition presents the authoritative Northwestern-Newberry text, meticulously approved by the Center for Scholarly Editions and the Center for Editions of American Authors of the MLA, ensuring that readers experience the novel as Melville intended. *Moby-Dick* was also honored as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s *The Great American Read*, further cementing its status as an enduring classic.
At its core, *Moby-Dick* is the gripping tale of Captain Ahab, an eerily compelling madman, driven by an all-consuming obsession to wage an unholy war against the great white whale, Moby-Dick—a creature as vast, dangerous, and unknowable as the sea itself. But this novel is far more than just an adventure or an encyclopedia of whaling lore. It is a haunting and mesmerizing work of social commentary, populated with some of the most unforgettable and enduring characters in literature, from the enigmatic Ahab to the ever-watchful Ishmael, the pragmatic Starbuck, and the fearsome Moby-Dick himself.
Written with a blend of redemptive humor and deep philosophical inquiry, *Moby-Dick* delves into the complexities of character, faith, and the nature of perception. Melville’s prose weaves together a rich tapestry of themes, questioning the boundaries between man and nature, the known and the unknown, sanity and madness. Through its profound and timeless narrative, the novel invites readers to reflect on the human experience and the eternal struggle to understand our place in the world.
As part of the Penguin Classics series, this edition represents the pinnacle of classic literature publishing. Penguin Classics is committed to bringing readers the best works from across history and around the globe, with authoritative texts, insightful introductions, and thoughtful annotations by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors. For readers seeking to engage with the most influential works in literary history, *Moby-Dick* remains an essential read, offering an unparalleled exploration of the depths of the human soul and the vastness of the natural world.
