Moby-Dick Summary: Plot, Characters and Ending
Moby-Dick is narrated by Ishmael, a sailor who signs on to the whaling ship Pequod. Its captain, Ahab, lost his leg to a giant white sperm whale named Moby Dick, and he drives the crew on a vengeful hunt across the oceans that ends in disaster.
Long chapters about whales and whaling are woven between the episodes of the voyage.
| Character | Who they are |
|---|---|
| Ishmael | Narrator and sailor |
| Queequeg | Harpooner from the South Seas, Ishmael's friend |
| Captain Ahab | Obsessed captain of the Pequod |
| Starbuck | Thoughtful first mate |
| Stubb and Flask | Second and third mates |
| Tashtego and Daggoo | Harpooners |
| Fedallah | Ahab's mysterious harpooner |
| Moby Dick | The great white whale |
How does Ishmael join the Pequod?
Ishmael goes to sea whenever he feels gloomy. In New Bedford he must share a bed with Queequeg, a tattooed harpooner, and the two become close friends. They sign on to the Pequod in Nantucket. Its captain has not yet been seen.
↑ Back to the topWhat does Ahab want?
Days out to sea, Ahab appears on deck, standing on a leg carved from whale jawbone. He nails a gold coin to the mast and promises it to the first man who sights the white whale that took his leg. The crew cheer, except Starbuck, who says it is madness to seek revenge on a dumb animal.
↑ Back to the topWhat happens during the voyage?
The Pequod hunts whales across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Ishmael describes the work, the anatomy of whales and life aboard. At each meeting with another ship, Ahab asks only about Moby Dick. Queequeg falls ill and has a coffin built, then recovers, and it becomes a life buoy. The captain of the Rachel begs Ahab to help search for his son, lost in a whaleboat, but Ahab refuses.
↑ Back to the topWhat happens when they find Moby Dick?
At last Ahab sights the whale. For three days the crew chase him. On the first day Moby Dick crushes Ahab's boat. On the second, Fedallah is lost. On the third, the whale rams and sinks the Pequod itself. Ahab hurls his harpoon, the line catches around his neck and he is dragged into the sea.
↑ Back to the topHow does Moby-Dick end?
The ship goes down, pulling every man with it except Ishmael, who had been thrown from a boat. Queequeg's coffin bursts to the surface, and Ishmael floats on it for a day and a night. Then the Rachel, still searching for its lost children, picks him up, and he alone survives to tell the story.
↑ Back to the topMore about Moby-Dick
This summary reveals the whole plot, including the ending.