AcknowledgementsThanksforgivingmethischancetoachievethispaperandtomaketheconclusionformyfouryears’education.Throughwritingthispaper,IhavegainedmoreknowledgethanIsupposed.Mysincerethanksareduetomysupervisor,Ms.LvQianpingforhelpingmetoclarifymythoughtandsharpenmythinking.Hercorrectionsandsuggestionsmakemegetgreatprogressinwritingthisthesis.Iamalsogratefulforherencouragements.Here,Ialsowanttogivemythankstootherteachersandmyclassmateswhohavegivenmemuchhelpinthepastfouryears.Thankyouverymuch.AbstractHerman·MelvilleisanimportantwriterwhoenjoysgreatprestigeinAmericanliteraturein19th.MobyDickisoneofthemostoutstandingworksandisregardedasanAmericanepic.ThisnoveldescribesastoryhappenedontheseathatCaptainAhabpursuesawhitewhaleinordertorevenge.Atthesametime,theauthorusesmanyarchetypesandarchetypaleventstoshowthebraveandarrogantAhabbydepictingthehardstrugglebetweenhimandthewhale.ThispaperaimstoapplythearchetypalcriticismofsomerepresentativessuchasFrye,JungandsoontocontrastandanalyzeCaptainAhabandhisarchetype-KingAhabinBible.Andthispaperisdividedintofourparts.ThefirstpartmainlyintroducesaboutMelvillesuchashislifetimeandsailingexperience.Besides,themajorcharacters,crucialplotsandtheinfluenceproducedbyMobyDickarealsointroducedinthispart;thesecondpartintroducesthearchetypalcriticismincludingthedefinitionandtheutilizationofarchetypeinthiswork;thethirdpartisthecoreofthepaperanditmainlyexploresthecharacteristicsanddestinyofCaptainAhabandhisarchetype-KingAhabinBible.What’smore,thesimilaritiesbetweenthemincharacterandfortunearedemonstratedthroughdetaildescription;inthelastpart,thepaperfirstlysummarizestheapplicationofarchetypalcriticismandthendeepensthetheme:weshouldobeytherulesofnatureandgetalongwithitharmoniouslyratherthanconqueringit.ItishelpfulforreaderstounderstandCaptainAhabandhisarchetype-KingAhabbyusingsomecertaintheories.Intheend,itwillarousethereaders’resonance.KeyWords:Melville;archetype;archetypalcriticism;CaptainAhab摘要赫爾曼·麥爾維爾是19世紀(jì)享譽(yù)美國(guó)文壇的重要作家，《白鯨》是他杰出的作品之一同時(shí)也被稱作美國(guó)史詩。在這部小說中作者描述了船長(zhǎng)亞哈為追捕一只白鯨進(jìn)行復(fù)仇的漫長(zhǎng)海上的故事并引用了很多原型和原型事件通過描寫亞哈船長(zhǎng)與白鯨殊死搏斗展示他勇敢無畏又狂妄自大的一面。本文旨在運(yùn)用弗萊和榮格等的原型批評(píng)理論對(duì)亞哈船長(zhǎng)和他在圣經(jīng)中的原型—亞哈王進(jìn)行對(duì)比分析，從而了解亞哈船長(zhǎng)與亞哈王命運(yùn)與性格的異同。本文總共分為四個(gè)部分。第一部分簡(jiǎn)要介紹赫爾曼·麥爾維爾的生平和航海經(jīng)歷及其主要作品，并對(duì)《白鯨》的主要人物和情節(jié)進(jìn)行介紹并分析了該作品產(chǎn)生的影響；然后第二部分介紹原型批評(píng)理論，其中包括原型的定義以及代表人物的理論思想在作品中的運(yùn)用；第三部分是本文的核心，主要探究小說中具有代表性的人物-亞哈船長(zhǎng)和其在圣經(jīng)中的原型亞哈王的性格特點(diǎn)極其命運(yùn)，通過細(xì)節(jié)描寫對(duì)比分析了兩個(gè)人物在性格命運(yùn)方面的相同之處；最后一部分是對(duì)全文的總結(jié)，先總結(jié)了原型理論在這部作品中的運(yùn)用然后升華主題:我們應(yīng)該遵守自然法則，與自然和諧相處而不是想著去征服它一定理論的運(yùn)用有助于讀者更好地理解亞哈船長(zhǎng)與其所暗含的圣經(jīng)原型—亞哈王然后引起共鳴。關(guān)鍵詞：麥爾維爾；原型；原型理論；船長(zhǎng)亞哈ArchetypalAnalysisonCaptainAhabinBible1.IntroductionMelvilleisfamousforhisseveralbooksandMobyDickisoneofhisclassicworksinAmericanliterature.Notonlytheauthorbuthisworkshavegreatimpactonthatmoment.ThispartwillintroduceMelvilleandMobyDick,whichwillgivereadersmoreunderstandingaboutthem.1.1IntroductionoftheAuthorHermanMelvilleisoneofthegreatestnovelists,essayistsandpoetsinAmericanliteratureinthe19thcentury.HeenjoysequalpopularitywithNathanielHawthorne,howeverhedidn’tdrawattentionuntilhewasdeadatthattime.Inthe1920s,hebecamefamousandwasgenerallyconsideredasaninfluentialwriter.Melville’syouthwasfilledwithdreamofromance,whichbecametheperfectsourcesofhisearliestbooks.

HewasborninapoorfamilyinNewYorkin1819.Timesweresohardthathehardlyreceivedformaleducationaftertheageoffifteen.Nonetheless,henaturallypreferredtoventureandhisadventuresledtohisliterarycareer.Infact,healsoowedhissuccesstoreading.Cooper’snovelshadstirredhimwhenhewasalittleboy.Mostofhisbooksrelatedtohisexperienceonthesea.TypeewasaromanticizedrecordofhisstayinPolynesiansandhewroteBillyBuddforhisnavalexperiencein1924.Ofcourse,Melvillewasn’tabletobecontentwithnarratingadventuresbecausedeepquestionsofspiritalwaysweremarkedinhismind.HavingabsorbedShakespeare’shumanisticconception,MelvillebegantobreakupthenarrativeformusedinhisearlierworkwiththehelpofHawthorne,finallyhecreatedauniqueandenduringwork-MobyDick.Atthebeginning,hepaidmoreattentiontothewayofdecorationsothathedescribedthosestoriesupsanddowns.Later,hekepthisstyleallthetimeandbothphilosophyandspiritofadventurewereendowedinhisworks.Inhislasttwentyyears,henearlysecludedfromtheworldanddisappearedfromtheliterarycircles.AfterbacktoNewYork,hewasassignedasastaffinGeneralAdministrationofCustoms.Althoughhisdeathdidn’tgiverisetothepublicattention,hefinallygainedrecognition.HermanMelvillewasalsodeeplyinfluencedbyBibleinwhichhumanbeingwasrequiredtocontrolnaturecautiouslyratherthanconqueringitbrutally.Asabrilliantwriter,HermanMelvillewasverykeentowatchhislifetimeandsocialchange.1.2IntroductionoftheWorkMobyDick,publishedin1851,tellsastoryaboutpursuingalegendarywhitewhale.Thebookwhichstronglyappealsthereadersofthiscenturyissteepedinsymbolismanditisanencyclopediaofembracingseveralaspectsofsocietysuchasgeography,religionandhistory.Atthesametime,bothMobyDickanditsmaincharacterCaptainAhaballhavedrawnpraisefromtheliteraryfield.CaptainAhabistheprotagonistofMobyDick.Hewasbitoffalegbyacleverbutferociouswhitewhaleinaprocessofpursuing,thereforehedecidedtorevenge.ThewholestoryhappenedonashipcalledPequodwherepeoplewerefromsomedifferentcountriesandraces.Soon,Ahabdeclaredhisdesiretopursueandkillthatwhale.Heregardedthewhaleastheembodimentoftheevil,andasthePequodwentaroundAfrica,agreatnumberofwhaleswerecaughtbutnotincludingthewhitewhale.CaptainAhabnevergaveupsearchinginformationaboutitwhentheyencounteredothervessels.Ahabpreparedaharpooninordertorevengeatanymoment.Onhiswaytopursuingthewhitewhale,whoeverhemet,hewilltryhisbesttofindmorecluesaboutthewhale’strace.Intheend,thewhalewassighted.Eventhoughthewhitewhalewasharpoonedafterafuriousstruggle,itattackedtheship.Consequently,theshipwascrashedandallsailorsperishedtogetherwiththewhaleexceptIshmael,therelaterandsurvivorinthisbook.ItisobviousthatAhabiscrazyandarbitraryevenregardlessofothers’lives.Heonlycaresforhimselfandispreoccupiedwithrevenge,whichdemonstrateanegoisticandarrogantcaptain.Aboveall,SymbolismisthemainlineofthisworkbywhichwecanfindthearchetypesaboutsomefiguresinBible.TheuseofArchetypalCriticismgivesreadersaclearunderstanding.Firstly,PequodrepresentsahugestageinwhichhumanbeingcanliveandalsocanbeviewedasmysteriousAmericanspiritofexploringnature.

Ontheotherhand,MobyDickisalegendarywhale,butasforAhab,itisfullofevilandhastobeconqueredanddestroyed.Finally,CaptainAhabisacontradictionwithmultiplepersonalityandisactuallytheembodimentoftyrantandevilking.Besides,thearchetypeofCoffin,QueequegandotherfiguresinthisnovelcanbefoundinBible.Inshort,ContrastedwithBible,mostfiguresinMobyDickbecomeeasytounderstand.Maugham,anEnglishwriter,regardsthisworkasoneoftheworld’stoptenliteraryclassicsandMelvilleisalsohonoredas“Shakespeare”inAmerica.What’smore,itisworthreading.2.ArchetypalCriticismArchetypalCriticismwhoseoriginatorisFryebecamequitepopularin1950sand1960sinwesterncountries.ItalsoexertedagreatinfluenceinliterarystudyalongwithMarxismCriticismandPsychologicalCriticism.NorthropFrye,asamainfounder,createdthemyth-archetypalcriticisminhisbook,whichwasinfluencedbyJamesFrazer’sfamousworkTheGoldenBoughandPsychologyoftheUnconsciouswhichwrittenbyCarlJung.TheyallusedtheirwaystomakegreatcontributionstoArchetypalCriticismthatconcernedwithreligion,anthropologyandpsychoanalysis.Mythisabasictermthroughoutthehistoryofliteratureandakindofnarrativeformthatisusedforgeneralizingliterature.Therefore,ArchetypalCriticismisutilizedinMobyDickandmostofarchetypesrootinBible.Next,inordertounderstandArchetypalCriticism,thispartwillintroducesomethingaboutitanditsapplicationinthisnovel.2.1TheDefinitionofArchetypeInthefirstplace,theword“archetype”ismadeupoftheGreekword“arche”and“type”inwhich“arche”representsprimitiveand“type”symbolizesform.Mythisequaltoarchetype,accordingtoPlato,theeternalworldofidealexistsandcanbegottenthroughthemindsinsteadofthesenses.Furthermore,hethoughttheobjectthatwefeelonlythroughoursensesisjustpaleandinasense,itisanimperfectcopyoftheidealformscalled“archetype”.Itisveryimportanttounderstandthemeaningofarchetypewhenwereadandunderstandaliterarywork.Ofcourse,wecanfindseveraldifferentexplanationsintheliteraryworks.Forexample,InWebster’sThirdNewInternationalDictionaryoftheEnglishLanguageUnabridged,there“archetype”isdefinedasLarchetypum,fr.GKarchetypon,fr.Neut.ofarchetyposmoldedfirstasamodel,exemplary,fr.arche-+typos-impressionofaseal,mold,replica-moreattype,theoriginalmodel,form,orpatternfromwhichsomethingismadeorfromwhichsomethingdevelops.(Webster112)thentheWebster’sRevisedUnabridgedDictionaryoftheEnglishLanguagedefinesarchetypeas“L.archetypum,Gr.referstostampedfirstandasamodel;Theoriginalpatternormodelofawork;orthemodelofawork;orthemodelfromwhichathingismadeorformed”(porter78).Thesetwodictionariesinwhichthedefinitionsareshowedprovidetheoriginalmeaningofthisword,sometimes,itissimilartoprototype.Ontheotherhand,intheOxfordConciseDictionaryofLiteraryTerms,archetypeisregardedasasymbol,theme,setting,orcharactertypethatrecursindifferenttimesandplacesinmyth,literature,folklore,dreams,andritualssofrequentlyorprominentlyastosuggestthatitembodiessomeessentialelementof“universal”humanexperience.(Baldick160)Inadditionto,inAHandbooktoLiterature,itdefinesarchetypeasatermtoanimage,adescriptivedetail,aplotpattern,oracharactertypethatoccursfrequentlyinliterature,myth,religion,orfolkloreandis,therefore,believedtoevokeprofoundemotionsinthereaderbecauseitawakensaprimordialimageintheunconsciousmemoryandthuscallsintoplayillogicalbutstrongresponses.(Holman34)InTheOxfordCompaniontoEnglishLiterature,wecanseethatthedefinitionofarchetypeis“aprimarysymbol,action,setting,orcharacter-typethatisfoundrepeatedlyinmyth,folklore,andliterature...thereisauniversalsymboliclanguageofdreamsandvision”(Webster112).Thethreedefinitionsabovestatethattheinternalimplicationofarchetypeinliteraryfield.Anarchetypeisn’tmerelyasimpleimagination,onthecontrary,althoughitdoesn’thaveitsownforms,wecanseeandfeelitinourdailylife.Anarchetypeexistsinthethingsinanorganizedway.Asamatteroffact,itshowstheoriginalimaginationsthatremindpeopleofcommonthingsaroundthem.Forexample,wecanthinkofthecertainpersonsoreventsinmyth,legendsandsoon.Theycanbecalledarchetype.Usually,anarchetypehasdirectconnectionswithbodiesandmaybebasicforcesthatplayacriticalroleinthecreationoftheworldandhumanbeingsthemselves.Inliteraryworks,wecaneasilyfindplentyofarchetypalimagessuchassun,snake,waterandothers.Aswehavelearned,thesunisabletobringbrightness,soitrepresentslivesandhope.Andsometimesitalsolookslikeacircle,hencepeopleatthattimetakethesunasunityandharmony.Besides,wateralsosymbolizesthesourceoflivesbecauseitcultivatesandmakessomethinggrowupwell,however,itcandestroyeverything.Therefore,wecansaywatersymbolsdisasteraswell.What’smore,snakethatinducestheearliestancestortoviolategod’sorderisthesymboloftemptationandevilinBible.Ofcourse,snakeisviewedasthearchetypeandmotifofart.Inmodernsociety,itisbelievedthatthoseleadersmustlearnfromthemanwhowasbraveandloyaltotheircountriesandcitizensinancienttimes,inotherwords,theancientheroesarethearchetypesofmodernleaders.Accordingtoalldefinitionsabovementioned,theconnotationofarchetypecanbeunderstoodclearly.Actually,asymbolisanarchetype.Bothofthemhavesomethingincommonandarchetypeisuniversalanditisthesymbolicrepresentationofhumancollectiveunconscious.Moreover,archetypeevolvesgraduallyfromthehumanspiritualexperience.Allinall,ithasbeenusedandacceptedtoexpressthoseauthors’ideasinliteraryworksallthetime.2.2TheUseofArchetypalTheoriesinMobyDickArchetypaltheorieswhichwereputforwardbysomefamoustheoristswereusedwidelyinalotofnotedbooksandespeciallyinMobyDick.Forexample,NorthropFrye,whowasthemainfounderofarchetypaltheoriessetuphissystemonarchetypaltheoriesandhepublishedAnatomyofCriticismin1957.Heinsiststhatliteratureisthecoreofculture.Mostimportantofall,hebelievesthatarchetypeisacommunicativeforminliteratureandasymbolmaybeanarchetype,inaddition,healsothinksthatarchetypesexistinhumanworldjustlikehistory,cultureandotheressentialelements.Insummary,inFrye’sopinion,archetypaltheoriesmainlystudiestherelationshipbetweenliteraryandmyth.Asweallknow,manymodernnovelsarerelatedtomythologybecauseofthesymbolism.Itisthemyththatendowsmeaningofarchetype.Therefore,accordingtoFrye,aliterarybooknarratesthesamestoryaboutmythindifferentways.Besides,sofarasheisconcerned,literatureistherebirthofmythsandtheutilizationofarchetypaltheoriesistofindoutthearchetypeanddeepmeaningofapieceofwork.Therefore,Fryehasmadegreatcontributiontothearchetypaltheories.Ontheotherhand,therealsoisavitalpersonwhocontributedtoarchetypaltheories.CarlJungisafamousphilosopherandpsychologist.Hismainstudyiscollectiveunconsciouswhichmeansthatindividualhasmorememorythanhimselfandeveryonetakesalongthememorycomesfromhisorherancestorintheinnerworld.HewasinfluencedbyFreud’stheoriesoftheindividualunconsciousdeeply.AccordingtoJung,firstly,archetypeisatendencytoreaction,whichshowsakindofform.Thenitalsohastheconnotationofcontent.AmongtheseveralarchetypesdescribedbyJung,mother,trees,sunandsoonareincluded.Hestatesthatasamedium,archetypeisnotonlyasortofmeansbutalsoapurpose.Finally,whatJungthinksandwritesinliteraturehasbeenasignificantpartinhumancivilizationandhiscontributiontoarchetypaltheoriesisworthlearning,thusmuchdeeperresearchshouldbeputintoit.Certainly,thereareothertheoriststhatstudyaboutarchetypalcriticismtheoryaswell.Wehavelearnedtwomainrepresentativefiguresaswellastheirexplanationtoarchetypaltheories.TheninMobyDick,thistheoryisusedwidelyandfelicitously.Ifwereadthisworkcarefullyandgointothefurtherstudy,wewillfindthatwhateveritsplots,characters,andthemesalldemonstratetheinterpretationofarchetypes.ButthecoreofexpositioninthispaperisthearchetypeofCaptainAhab,surely,someothercharactersinMobyDickwillbediscussednext.TheworkisthemostfamousmasterpieceinAmericanliteratureandconsideredasthemirrorofthatage.Byapplyingthistheory,thearchetypesofsomeimportantfiguresinthisbookcanbefoundinBible.Inthefirstplace,CaptainAhabistheprotagonistinthisbookandhisarchetypederivesfromKingAhabintheOldTestamentofBible.Bothofthemassimilatewitheachothersuchastheirnature,fortuneandsoon.Sometimes,weneedtoconnectCaptainAhabwithKingAhab,asaresult,theformerisatragicheroandthelatteralsohasmiserableending.Next,Ishmael,thenarratorofthiswork,hashisownarchetype.HeisasonofAbrahaminBibleandlaterisexpelledoutbyhisstepmother,sohehasnochoicebuttovagabond.HeandGodin,sohisnamehasthemeaningthatGodislistening.Thirdly,awhitewhalecalledmobydickisavitalroleinthebook.Inwesternlanguageandculturalbackground,ahugewhalehascloserelationshipwithBibleandisasynonymoftheseamaster.Atthesametime,itisthecreationwhichistakenasagreathonorbyGod.Besides,thewhitewhaleisthesymbolofGod’sextraordinaryforce.Elijahrepresentstheprophet,whohasamysteriousforcetopredictthefutureandthefortuneoftheshipduringthevoyage.Still,otherfiguresinPequodarecapableoffindingtheirarchetypesinBiblemoreorlesssuchasStarrbuck,Fedraandsoon.Inconclusion,thewriterisfamiliarwithBibleandthisworkisatypicalexampleofusingarchetypaltheoriesaccordingtowhatareanalyzedabove.Thethoughttowardsthemeaningandimaginationof“archetype”occupiesalargeproportioninwriting,whichmakesthosefiguresinheritthecharacteristicsofarchetypeslargely.InMobyDick,thearchetypesaregiventhespacetoenrichanddevelop.ThereasonwhyMelvillecanshapethesepersonssuccessfullyisthathehasstudieddeeplyandmasteredthearchetypes.Comparedwitharchetypes,thecharactersareendowedindeeperconnotation.Inaway,archetypalexplorationofMobyDickenhancesthesignificanceandclearunderstandingofthework.Soneitherthenovelorthetheoryitselfplaysanimportantpartincomprehendingtheideaofthewritertruly,oppositely,wemustcombineexacttheorywiththenovelinorderthatwecanobtaintheprofoundmeanings.Finally,theuseofarchetypaltheoriesinMobyDickneedsexploring.3.TheContrastBetweenCaptainAhabandKingAhabAccordingtoMelville,wecanfindoutCaptain’sarchetypeinBibleanditisobviousthatCaptainAhabandKingAhabhavemuchincommon.Ontheonehandtheyhavesimilarcharacterandontheotherhand,theyallfacethetragicdestiny.Moreover,adistinctimagewillbeshowedinfrontofusifweanalyzecarefullyhisbehavior,words,emotionsandmentalactivities.InMobyDick,asamaincharacter,AhabisdescribedmuchbyMelville.Intheauthor’swork,CaptainAhabisthesamebrutalandarrogantasKingAhabinBible.Therefore,thepartnextwillfocusonthecontrastbetweenthem.Indeed,moredetailsneedtobementionedandstudiedsothatwehavetheinsighttowardsanyotherfigures.3.1SimilarCharacterAccordingtoFrye’stheoryofarchetype,CaptainAhabisoneofthemostimportantarchetypalcharactertypesinMobyDick.Heisidentifiedasadevilfigure.Asweallknow,characterdeterminesdestinyinaway.Someoneisborningood-natureswhilesomeoneisruthlessandtyrannical,whichremindmeofancientemperors.Throughoutthehistoryriver,itisnothardtofindthatifanemperorisdiligentinpoliticsandlovepeople,thenthecountrywillbeflourishingandinvigorating.Onthecontrary,thenationwillbedestroyedandpeoplewillhavenomeanstoliveifaleaderonlycaresabouthimselfinsteadofconcentratingonandprotectinghiscitizens.Suchanexampledemonstratesthataperson’scharactermaymakeadifferenceinhiswholelife.Similarly,characterisalsooneofthemostsignificantfactorsindecidingthelivesofpeople.Afterreadingthisnovel,wecananalyzethatCaptainAhab,

asaleaderoftheship,isastubborndevilaswellasatragichero.Hedesiredtorevengeinspiteofothersailorswereindangerthattime.Althoughhewasbraveanddaredtoadventure,hisextremismledtothefinalending.Comparativelyspeaking,intheOldTestament,KingAhabisalsotyrannicalandherevoltedagainstGod.Asaresult,KingAhabwasdefeatedinawarbecauseofhisscorntowardstheGod.Furthermore,wehaveknownthatbothofthemhavesimilarcharactersbyapplyingarchetypaltheory.Next,moredetailsabouttheircharacterswillbeanalyzeddeeply.Thepartwilldiscussthemrespectivelyfromdifferentaspectssuchastheirwords,actionsandsoon.3.1.1ArrogantCaptainAhabInMobyDick,CaptainAhabwholosthislegbecauseofthedevilishwhaleonavoyagewastheleaderofPequod.Onhiswaytorevenging,hetooknoadviceofotherseamenandrefusedtolistentoothers.TheshipandmembersonitwereregardedasAhab’stoolofpursuingthatwhale.CaptainAhabisarrogantandselfish.Atthebeginning,thenoveldescribedAhabjustas“hiswholehigh,broadformseemedsolidandunchangeable.Comingfromoutofhisgreyhairsandcontinuingrightdownonesideofhisbrownfaceandneckuntilitdisappearedbeneathhisclothes,yousawathinwhitemark”(Li18).Wecanseehisimageistallandbravefromthedescription,butwecan’tdenythathisbehaviorlatercausedmuchlossandfear.Rather,weshouldvaluehimindeepaspects.Restrainingwithmobydick,Ahabhimselfwasalwayslivinginanightmareformanyyears.Hegraduallybecameadevilwhomothershatedandscaredwhenhewascloserandclosertothewhitewhale.What’smore,inordertoachievehiscrazyandridiculouspurpose,hevowedtodoitattheexpenseofsacrificingmorethanthirtypeople’livesinPequod.ItwasAhabthatmadetheoccupationofpursuingthewhalesmoredangerous.HesaidthatAye,andI’llchasehimroundtheCapeofGoodHope,androundCapeHornandroundtheworldbeforeIgiveup.Andthisiswhatyouhavecomefor,men!Tochasethatwhitewhaleonbothsidesofland,andoverallsidesoftheearth,untilhepoursblackbloodandrollsfinsup.(Melville22)Thesewordsallshowthatheisreallyarrogantandoverconfident.Actually,hejustworshipedhimselfandhefightagainstnatureaswellasGod.Onceheformedhisownprinciples,anyotherdemocracywon’texistanylonger.InPequod,allmemberswereforcedtosubmitAhab,whichresultedintheirdestruction.MaybesomeonesaysAhabiscourageousandhewon’tgiveup,butIinsistthathisdesirestokillthewhaleandconquernaturehavedestroyedtheharmonybetweenhumanbeingandnature.Moreover,accordingtotheconversationsbetweenAhabandStarbuck,wealsonoticethecharacterofcaptain.WhenAhabappealedsailorstohuntthewhale,Starbuckstatedthathedidtheworkhardsothathewasabletogetwhaleoiltomakealivingratherthanonlyhelpingcaptainrevenge.Thenthereplyis“TalknottomeofoffencesagainstGod,man,I’dstrikethesunifitinsultedme.Iwillsatisfymyhateagainstthewhale”(Melville23).Inbrief,CaptainAhabisn’twillingtoaccepthumanlimitations.Heeventuallydestroyshimselfbecauseofhisblindandpurposelessfuryofthewhale.Inhisopinion,heconsistentlybelievesthatheissuperiortoanyoneandhisownwillistheonlyauthority.Allinall,CaptainAhab’sarroganceispresentedamonghiswords,behaviorandexpression.Hehadnursedastrongdesireforrevengeagainstthewhitewhalesincethatfiercebattlehappened.Fromthenon,hebegantoseeinhimeverythingthatisevil.OnlybyanalyzingfromdifferentaspectscanweknowmoreaboutCaptainAhab.Inaddition,wewillhaveafurtherunderstandingaboutAhabthatMelvillewantstoshowforreaders.3.1.2EvilandCruelKingAhabBibleisthesourceofliterature,andalotofwritersprefertoborrowsomecharactersinBibletodepictthefiguresintheirwork.Therefore,inthisnovel,thearchetypeandnameofCaptainAhabcanbefoundintheBible.MelvilleportrayedCaptainAhabasaKinginTheOldTestament.ItisknownthatKingAhabisevilandcruel.InTheOldTestament,AhabisakingofIsrael.Asacompetentpoliticalruler,hehasapreferencetothewar,inotherwords,hefearsnowar.Also,AhabwasconsideredasawickedkingintheHebrewBible.Regardlessoftheoppositioncomesfromthecitizens,KingAhabmarriedawomannamedJezebel,aprincessfromZidom,whodiffersfromhiminrace.AlthoughallpeopleopposedhisactionthathesacrificedJezebel’sancestor,hediditinaccordancewithhisownthought.Thenhechangedhisreligiousbelief,whichleadtothesocialgrievanceandheworshipedBaalatrandomandbuilttempleforhim.Atthesametime,heforciblyoccupiedthevineyardwhoseoriginalownerwasNabothoutofhisgreedandevil.Later,inordertogetthatvineyard,hedesignedastratagemtoframeNabothandeventuallycausedhisdeath.Asaresult,GodknewthewholethingandaskedJewishprophetElijahtowarnKingAhabthatadog

willlickhisbloodintheplacewherethedoglickedthebloodofNaboth.IntheeyesofGod,Ahabisanevilkingandhemustpaymoreforhisnumeroussins,sowhenhewasburied,agroupofdogapproachedhimandsuckhisblood.ThestoryofhimwasoftenregardedasanexampleoftheoryofretributionwhichwasrelatedtoGod.KingAhabdisobeyedGod’sordersandcameagainsthimasanenemy.Atthattime,Godwaseverythingandeveryonebelievedinhim.Atthattime,peoplethoughtthatGodwasabletogivethemmuchandbroughtthemgoodfortune.Indeed,itisthetruth.However,Ahab,asakingofthecountry,hedidn’tdoanythingbeneficialtohiscitizens.Thewillofpeopleisthefoundationofaprosperouscountryallthetimewheneverandwhereverwelive.Hence,itwasunwiseforAhabtoviolatetherulesanddoaseriesofevileventsthatwereharmfultohispeopleandcountry.HerethispapermainlystatessomedetailsaboutKingAhab.TheOldTestamentshowsusanevil,greedyandcruelking.Asweknow,asaleaderofanation,itisnecessarytolistentopeopleandadopttheirproperadvice.Bycontrast,readerscanfindthatwhetherheisCaptainAhaborKingAhabhasdefectsinhischaracters.Sothestudyofarchetypeisvitaltoreadliteraryworksanddissectitsmeaning.3.2SameDestinyAbovethepaperhascomparedandanalyzedthesimilarityincharacterbetweenCaptainAhabandKingAhab.However,inthisnovel,theirfinalfortunemaybemostlydecidedbytheircharacters.Ontheonehand,CaptainAhabwasstubborn,arrogantandself