Ahab is a character in the novel Moby Dick, and he is an extremely mad man. He believes that the only way to reach relief is to murder the whale who took his leg. The loss of his leg causes his monomania, which is presented through the workings of his mind, through his lack of fear, and through his obsession. One cause of Ahab’s monomania is through his mind. The goals Ahab have are the cause of him going insane. Ahab is not sleeping, he paces back and forth all night long. Starbuck starts to notice this and he says, “Terrible old man! Thought Starbuck with a shudder, sleeping in this gale, still thou steadfastly eyest thy purpose” (Melville 195). What Melville is implying is that Starbuck notices Ahab does not sleep, and he realizes his monomania. …show more content…
Ahab lost his leg to a white whale by the name of Moby Dick, he is determined to find Moby Dick and get his revenge. Pip got caught in a whaling line while on Stubb’s boat, and the men were not happy when they had to cut the rope and loose the whale. Stubb gave pip some advice for the next time pip decides to go out on open water, “Stick to the boat, pip, or by the lord, I won’t pick you up if you jump; mind that. We can’t afford to lose whales by the likes of you; a whale would sell for thirty times what you would, pip, in Alabama.” (331) The men on the crew knew Ahab was a monomaniac, and I’m sure the readers can just tell by reading the way he talks and acts. Ahab had a different mindset, a mindset that was more so thinking about himself, and that feeling of relief, than he was thinking about anybody else. The loss of Ahab’s leg causes his monomania, which is presented through the workings of his mind, through his lack of fear, and through his