Examine the structure of Moby Dick. How and why does it adopt so many genres and forms?
Journal
Play
Sermon
Science writing
Anthropological
Cetological
Comedy
Travel writing
Persuasive (Ch 24)
Pseudoscience
Metafiction
Prophecy (Ch 26)
Whaling manual
From Chapter 29 onwards, Ch 36, more and more towards end
Epic
Comparison of Ahab to Old Norse Kings
The story is a 'legend' b/c tragedy
Address to pagans (Ch 35)
Soliloquys
Ahab (Ch 37)
Asides (Ch 38, 39)
Hymn (Ch 40) within play
Varied dialogue (Ch 40)
Comic scenes e.g. Ch 43
Reference to book's size, content, significance
Narration
Flits between 3rd person, 1st person (Ishmael), 1st person (unknown)
Draws attention to its realist genre (Ch 45)
Both aural and written cultures e.g. Ch 52-54
Ch 55-57
Bathetic
Fleece's sermon to the sharks (Ch 64)
Culinary history of whales (Ch 65)
Apocrypha (e.g. Ch 71/72)
Especially a lot around Ch 70-80
Geology (Ch 104)
Phrenology
Unconventional
Religious references to whales (Ch 82)
Defendant of whales (Ch 89-90)
Life on whale ship - 98
History (101)
Philosophical (114)
Etymology and extracts