"
To the end, I grapple with thee! From the bottom of Hell's heart, I stab at thee! For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee!
"
— Captain Ahab, Moby Dick by Herman MelvilleContext & Analysis
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Character Analysis: Captain Ahab
The Obsessed Captain
Captain Ahab is one of literature's most compelling tragic figures. Driven by an all-consuming desire for revenge against the white whale that took his leg, Ahab represents the dangerous extremes of human determination and obsession.
His final words embody the very essence of his character: defiant, passionate, and utterly committed to his cause, even in the face of certain death.
ObsessiveCharismaticTragicDeterminedMonomaniacal