Herman Melville

Herman Melville, a prominent author of the Romantic period and an Anti-Transcendentalist portrays its doctrines through many of his works, particularly Moby Dick. In Moby Dick, Melville conveys the character of the white whale as the pure embodiment of evil, despite its white color which generally represents purity and goodness. Furthermore, throughout the story Melville incorporates the Anti-Transcendentalist principle that the truths of existence are illusive and that nature is indifferent, unforgiving, and often unexplainable.

Moby Dick and Captain Ahab both prove the Anti-Transcendentalist principle that man is both good and evil. Moby Dick is portrayed as evil in the story as Ahab tells of how he lost his leg to the white behemoth. After Ahab loses his leg to the white whale he creates himself as the hero (good guy) moving against the presence of evil, Ahab vows to kill the source of evil: Moby Dick. Ahab, therefore, frivolously casts his own evil onto Moby Dick. The whale also personifies the evil that exists within Ahab. The evil Ahab possesses is the result of his obsession with extinguishing the evil in the whale. The very evil that exists in Ahab is that which the anti-transcendentalists deem to be existent in all beings.

Ahab also seeks to control nature, which goes with Anti-Transcendentalist views that man and nature are equal before God. Ahab's passion to dominate nature gives him an evil personality. Ahab is evil because he seeks to overthrow the established order of dualistic human creation. Nature's indifference is shown by Moby Dick as it pays sparse attention to Ahab, regardless of how much time Ahab puts into the whale. Anti-Transcendentalist views are shown as Melville's blatantly states obvious portrayals of the malicious sides of Nature.