A Liberal Interpretation of Moby Dick

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30800/mises.2021.v9.1389

Keywords:

American Revolution, liberal values, Herman Melville, Moby Dick

Abstract

The essay offers an economic interpretation of Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Its central thesis is that the cetacean represents, in an emblematic way, the values that conditioned the birth of the United States as a nation. To carry out the endeavor, the paper places the book in the historical context, describes the literary revolution that haunted this nation, and Moby Dick's place in the movement. This essay examines some key passages in the adventure story that support the interpretation, especially chapters 42 and 54 of the work. We seek to unravel the main subliminal messages of the book. The heart of the book is identified in terms of the values it affirms, offering a liberal interpretation of the message of the book, associating the creature protagonist of the work with justice.

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Author Biography

Ricardo Luis Chaves Feijó, Universidade de São Paulo - Ribeirão Preto – São Paulo – Brasil

Professor Associado da Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade de Ribeirão Preto, na Universidade de São Paulo

References

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Published

2021-07-12

How to Cite

1.
Chaves Feijó RL. A Liberal Interpretation of Moby Dick. MisesJournal [Internet]. 2021 Jul. 12 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];9. Available from: https://misesjournal.org.br/misesjournal/article/view/1389

Issue

Section

Essays & Insights