For many, the desire for revenge can consume their entire lives. “Moby-Dick” is centered around Ahab’s relentless pursuit to slay the mythical Great White Whale, Moby-Dick, to retaliate for his lost leg.
Ishmael, the only survivor of the Pequod whaling ship, narrates this tale of hardship, beauty, and obsession. Delve into these selected quotes from “Moby-Dick” to understand the intensity that runs through its 135 chapters.
Key Quotes from “Moby-Dick” That Hold Significance for Humanity and Literature
Quotes from “Moby-Dick” That Uplift and Foster Self-Belief
1. “I try all things, I achieve what I can.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
2. “I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
3. “Ignorance is the parent of fear.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
4. “Let faith oust fact; let fancy oust memory; I look deep down and do believe.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
Insightful “Moby-Dick” Quotes on Truth and Wisdom
5. “But it’s futile to try making deep knowledge popular; all truth carries depth.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
6. “My eleventh commandment is to not overthink; and seize any chance to rest.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
7. “A man can easily appear to harbor a great secret.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
8. “In this life, mates, vice that pays can roam freely without checks; whereas Virtue, when poor, gets stopped at borders.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
9. “The most amazing things are those we don’t speak of; profound memories don’t leave monuments.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
10. “Love can stretch our biases more than we ever imagine.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
Profound “Moby-Dick” Quotes on Philosophy and The Supernatural
11. “The sea holds a sweet mystery, its gentle disturbing motions hint at a hidden soul below.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
12. “Ahab will always be Ahab, man. This scene’s been set in stone a billion years before these waters formed. Fool! I merely follow the Fates’ script.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
13. “There are moments in this odd life when everything feels like a grand prank, whose humor we barely get and suspect might be at our own cost.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
14. “It’s a splendid vessel but tinged with sadness, as all grand things are.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
15. “We’re like orphans whose single mothers perish at birth: the secret of our heritage lies with them, and that’s where we must seek it.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
16. “The ship was unsteady as a hungry student burdened with too much philosophy.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
Chilling “Moby-Dick” Quotes That Touch on Hell
17. “Queequeg, to put it differently, the notion of hell started with a bad reaction to an apple dumpling and lingered on through generations of indigestion sustained by fasting.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
18. “Till the end, I will fight you; from the depths of hell, I’ll strike at you; out of hatred, I spit my final breath at you.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
“Moby-Dick” Quotes on the Nature of Madness
19. “Madness in humans can be exceptionally sly; just when you think it’s gone, it may have simply morphed into an even more cunning form.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
20. “Don’t surrender yourself to passion, lest it consumes and numbs you, as it once did to me. Some wisdom brings sorrow; but some sorrow leads to madness.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
21. “No animal’s folly rivals the madness of mankind.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
22. “All my methods are rational; my intent and goal, however, are insane.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
Thought-Provoking “Moby-Dick” Quotes on Religion
23. “Sleeping with a clear-headed cannibal is preferable to a drunken Christian.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
24. “Don’t accuse me of blasphemy; I’d confront the sun if it offended me.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
25. “May Heaven have mercy on us all—Presbyterians and heathens alike—for we all have defects in our minds that desperately need fixing.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
“Moby-Dick” Quotes with Powerful Metaphors
26. “It’s like a ghastly textile should be made from ship cables; A freezing wind passes through, and predators circle above.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
27. “Nothing can deviate me; my path is a track of iron, and my soul slides along it. Nothing can block my way!” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
Other Memorable “Moby-Dick” Quotes
28. “Beneath his hat, Ahab shed a tear into the ocean; and not even the vast Pacific held a treasure like that tiny droplet.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
29. “It can’t be found on any map; real places never are.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
30. “I’m driven by an endless craving for distant, forbidden things. I yearn to sail uncharted seas and set foot on wild lands.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
31. “Book, you lay there; you’re meant to provide the words and facts, while we supply the thought.” — Herman Melville, “Moby-Dick”
Conclusion
Nearly two centuries post-publication, “Moby-Dick” remains a staple in academic study worldwide. Herman Melville’s ability to captivate readers with this timeless work is evident in these compelling quotes.
