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