Question
3 DISCUSS the following questions.
The border between the villain and the victim is made
deliberately ambiguous by Melville. On whose side do you think
he is, Ahab's or Moby Dick's? Who is the victim and who the
villain?
What do you think of Ahab's obsession to chase Moby Dick?
Can you justify it? Do you understand his reasons?
5. The Victorian Age
Answer
Melville deliberately leaves the border between Ahab and Moby Dick ambiguous, making it difficult to determine who is the villain and who is the victim. Ahab's obsession to chase Moby Dick can be justified by his desire for revenge and his need to prove his own power and strength. His reasons are understandable, but his actions are extreme. The themes of revenge and obsession are common in literature of the Victorian Age.