Moby Dick and American Political Symbolism

Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick during a time of great political turmoil. In 1850 the United States of America was on the brink of civil war as the North and South became increasingly estranged over issues of expansionism and slavery. In his essay “Moby Dick and American Political Symbolism” Alan Heimert argues that Melville, who was extremely concerned with the future of the Union and the Democratic Party, used America’s political climate during the tumultuous years preceding the Compromise of 1850 as an endless source of inspiration for his masterpiece. John C. Calhoun, Daniel Webster, both the Whig and Democratic parties, and even the U.S. as a whole are depicted in Melville’s epic tale.

Ishmael’s perspective is likely that of Melville’s own. It is a hopeful vision of the future of the Union: even if the “ship” that is the Union gets torn apart, there will still be fragments onto which those faithful to democracy can cling (Heimert 527).

The “White Whale,” also known as Moby Dick, could have possibly been modeled after Daniel Webster.

Ahab might symbolize Calhoun, or perhaps the South in general. Fedallah may represent traditional Northern thought on African Americans at the time, or possibly his character is there to illustrate the way slavery has served as a catalyst, accelerating the South down their destructive path.