Pierre or the Ambiguities: Melville’s Hunting for the “Kraken”
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This article aims to investigate what Melville intended to represent and what he actually did in Pierre and, thereby, illuminate the author’s criticism of the foundation of American society and history. In the work, while Mary and Pierre continue to idealize their forefathers, the history of the Glendinning family is not as ideal as they think in their fictionalized construct. Isabel is Pierre’s historical alter ego hidden in the idealization. In the return of the repressed, she becomes the “nemesis” and undermines everything Pierre has－the Ideal of American Myth, Mary, Lucy, Pierre’s ownership of the Saddle Meadows, and Pierre himself. More problematic is that Pierre, like Ahab hunting for Moby-Dick in his “philosophizing” obsession, continues to demonstrate his obsession with ideal. In consequence he becomes self-enclosed, and solipsistic, and his attempts to “gospelize the world anew” only results in egotism and despair. Ultimately Pierre’s obsession with ideal leads to epistemological skepticism, which makes him feel everything around him as nothing but “ambiguities.” What should be remembered is that Melville criticize Pierre’s enthusiastic or solipsistic attitude to the ideal, not idealism itself. On the other hand, Melville’s criticism is directed toward the socio-historical level of Pierre’s obsession in American society. In this sense the last scene of Pierre and Isabel’s death is very symbolic and apocalyptic because it prophesies the catastrophe of American Myth in American history. Melville hunts for the kraken at the foundations of American society through his representation of Pierre’s obsession with ideal.
Abstract
This article aims to investigate what Melville intended to represent and what he actually did in Pierre and, thereby, illuminate the author’s criticism of the foundation of American society and history. In the work, while Mary and Pierre continue to idealize their forefathers, the history of the Glendinning family is not as ideal as they think in their fictionalized construct. Isabel is Pierre’s historical alter ego hidden in the idealization. In the return of the repressed, she becomes the “nemesis” and undermines everything Pierre has－the Ideal of American Myth, Mary, Lucy, Pierre’s ownership of the Saddle Meadows, and Pierre himself. More problematic is that Pierre, like Ahab hunting for Moby-Dick in his “philosophizing” obsession, continues to demonstrate his obsession with ideal. In consequence he becomes self-enclosed, and solipsistic, and his attempts to “gospelize the world anew” only results in egotism and despair. Ultimately Pierre’s obsession with ideal leads to epistemological skepticism, which makes him feel everything around him as nothing but “ambiguities.” What should be remembered is that Melville criticize Pierre’s enthusiastic or solipsistic attitude to the ideal, not idealism itself. On the other hand, Melville’s criticism is directed toward the socio-historical level of Pierre’s obsession in American society. In this sense the last scene of Pierre and Isabel’s death is very symbolic and apocalyptic because it prophesies the catastrophe of American Myth in American history. Melville hunts for the kraken at the foundations of American society through his representation of Pierre’s obsession with ideal.
참고문헌 (19)
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