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　　Thesis Statement 　　This paper will intercept the law of” unity of opposites” in Moby Dick from three aspects: the relationship between human beings and nature; the relationship between man and society, the relationship between savage and civilization. In the end, there comes the conclusion: unity can be achieved through contradiction and opposition.
　　
　　Outline
　　
　　I Unity of opposites in relationship between human and nature
　　 AAntagonism and accord between human and natural environment.
　　 BConquer and revolt between Ahab and
　　II Unity of opposites in relationship between man and society
　　 APersonal struggle vs. social trend
　　 BPersonal dream vs. social reality
　　III Unity of opposites in relationship between savage and civilization
　　 ASymbolic meaning of land and sea
　　 BRevenge of Ahab and the advice of Starbuck
　　
　　Introduction:
　　Moby Dick often considered the greatest American novel, is a masterpiece with many years.[1]P63 Some researchers hold the view that the theme of this novel is that man is contradictory to natural environment, and getting with nature harmoniously is the only way for human beings to survive and live in the world peacefully.[2]P49 However, the harmony of the ecosystem is only a small part of this novel’s theme which is being contradictory to the opposite side is the inevitable stage to achieve unity. This paper explains the unity of opposites theme by intercepting the three pairs of relationships in Moby Dick: Although there are contradictions between human and nature, between man and society, between savage and civilization.
　　I Unity of opposites in relationship between human and nature
　　1.1 Antagonism and accord between human and natural environment.
　　This story happens on the sea which is the epitome of the whole natural environment. Man and natural environment are in such a subtle relationship that they are opponents and friends at the same time. In the story, the sea is described to be the most changeful person who sometimes appears calm and tranquil while within a second becomes a beast of prey who roars thundery and hysterically. [3]P210 Confronted with such a fathomable menace, human being seem knee-high to a mosquito. On one hand, driven by the instinct of self- protection, human beings naturally think of conquering nature and making it submit to human’s order. From this respect, man and natural environment are opponents. On the other hand, man and natural environment are interdependent. Human beings depend on the natural environment of existence. When a gale sprang up on the surface of the sea, the sailors become helpless and they have to pray to God’s mercy. During the process of fighting against the white whale, natural environment acts as a helper to the sailor. As for natural environment, without human beings’ struggle, all his strength and power will has no one to appreciate. In this sense, human and natural environment are not irreconcilable. They can achieve unity through being contradictory to each other.
　　1.2 Conquer and revolt between Ahab and Moby Dick
　　Ahab stands for the human power that aims to conquer all the foes and potential enemies. Moby Dick acts as the role that smashes the wild ambition of the arrogant human beings. These two characters seem natural enemies to each other. However, they achieve unity through contradiction. Ahab is an ambitious captain who never yields to fate; and who cannot bear any frustration and failure. He is resolute and steadfast. Losing one of his legs, he holds the killing of Moby Dick as his life work. However, he is at the same time obstinate and merciless, it is his avaricious that drives his to the disastrous ending. Moby Dick is the powerful whale that has marvelous strength and extraordinary brilliance. From this comparison, it is can be seen clearly that Ahab and Moby Dick bear too much resemblance. To some extent, Ahab is Moby Dick in human’s figure, while Moby Dick is Ahab in beast appearance. Just as the author said “Ahab is chasing his own shadow”. [4]P106Seeing through the appearance to the essence, people can easily know that Ahab and Moby Dick come from the same prototype. Therefore, although they fight with each other fiercely and violently, they are merely fighting against themselves. In this sense, the two opponents achieve unity in their personalities.
　　
　　II Unity of opposites in relationship between man and society
　　
　　2.1 Personal struggle vs. social trend
　　Moby Dick is publicized in 1851 when American society is experiencing radical changes. The uprising bourgeoisies begin to gain more profit, the civil war seems ready to come out at any time, the whole society and its members are witnessing a tremendous tribulation.[5]P5 However, Ahab still lives in the gloom of the recollections of the past. His motive if revenge is opposite against the main trend of society. Instead of gaining commercial profit, he just aims to satisfy his self-esteem. Ahab feels humiliated by being bitted one leg; he takes revenge as his life work. Driven by this fierce hatred, he struggles against the unconquerable nature. According to another theme “alienation” in Melville’s work, Ahab’s revenge stands for his manifesto to the social reform. [6]P84 However, his strength is too weak to change the trend of the society. Confronted with this, Ahab chooses to wage a fierce decisive battle against Moby Dick. He dies not because he dies not have braveness and brilliance; he dies because he acts against the social trend. In the last battle, he proves the rightness of his belief, while his outcome indicates that personal struggle can never change the whole society. In this sense, death is the only way to reconcile these two opponents.
　　2.2 Personal dream vs. social reality
　　Ahab lives in his own mental world. In Ahab’s mind, going to sea is the way to get rid of the noisy world and to seek for inner peace. The whale-fishery furnishes an asylum for many romantic, melancholy and absent minded young man, disgusted with the carking cares of earth. [7]P246 It is a miracle-working doctor who can save him from world-weariness and manic depression. For instance, he concedes his the real purpose in case that the sailors’ mutiny. However, he ignores the harsh social reality that it is impossible to survive without material pursuit. This contradiction can only be resolved in one way that is dying solemnly and stirringly. The hero dies at the end; actually it is the unity of personal dream and social reality: Individual can fulfill his own dream but he himself has to pay for this victory.
　　
　　III Unity of opposites in relationship between savage and civilization
　　
　　3.1 Symbolic meaning of land and sea
　　In this novel, there are many symbolic meanings which can show the unity of opposites in relationship between savage and civilization. The most typical one is the symbolic meaning of the land and the sea. The land stands for the civilized place which provides people with safety and security, while the sea symbolizes the savage realm which is full of mystery and danger. [8]P108 Ahab comes from the civilized he world while Moby Dick comes from the country of barbarians, their fight is the opposition between civilization and savage. Looking with another point of view, it is not difficult to find that there still exists unity between civilization and savage. The land stands for material pursuit which deprives people’s mental satisfaction while the sea stands for the pure and intact virgin land that is far from contamination. This time, land stands for savage while the sea stands for civilization. Therefore, the fact that Ahab, a man comes from land is attracted by the pure sea and regards it as the home to return to indicates that civilization and savage can achieve unity of opposites.
　　3.2 Revenge of Ahab and the advice of Starbuck
　　Revenge and anti-revenge between Ahab and Moby Dick run through the whole story. Driven by the savage instinct to conquer the every enemy Ahab takes revenge on sacrifice of his life. His motive comes from the “jungle justice”[9] which is originated from the wild animals. Sees through Ahab’s real purpose, Starbuck warns him to give up the thought of revenge. [10]P116 These two attitudes are contradictory with each other. However, in the end, unity is achieved. Ahab persists in willfully and arbitrarily. Regardless of the lives of the sailors, he wages a life-and death struggle with Moby Dick, and finally dies. His tragic ending is the best way to reconcile civilization and savage: neither the protagonist nor the antagonist subjugates each other; civilization and savage achieve unity in death.
　　Conclusion: Although there are contradictions between human and nature, between man and society, between savage and civilization, each of them have achieves unity through some kind of reconcile. From these unities of opposites, it can be drawn out that the theme of Moby Dick is that the law of the unity of opposites is the fundamental law of the universe. Melville aims to tell people final unity can be achieved through opposition and contradiction.
　　
　　Notes
　　1. unity of opposites
　　
　　Bibliography
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