Memory Alpha
Register
Memory Alpha
mNo edit summary
mNo edit summary
Line 6: Line 6:
 
'''''Moby Dick''''' is a [[Human]] novel by American author [[Herman Melville]], published in [[19th century|1851]]. The story is about [[Captain]] [[Ahab]]'s obsessive quest to hunt down the eponymous white sperm [[whale]] that had attacked him years before and left him crippled. In the end, Ahab's thirst for vengeance destroyed both him and his ship.
 
'''''Moby Dick''''' is a [[Human]] novel by American author [[Herman Melville]], published in [[19th century|1851]]. The story is about [[Captain]] [[Ahab]]'s obsessive quest to hunt down the eponymous white sperm [[whale]] that had attacked him years before and left him crippled. In the end, Ahab's thirst for vengeance destroyed both him and his ship.
   
During his exile on [[Ceti Alpha V]], [[Khan Noonien Singh]] read ''Moby Dick'' as he became immersed in his own desire for revenge on [[James T. Kirk]]. During his search and battle with Kirk, he quoted lines from the novel. While some are direct quotes (such as the line above), some are modified from the original. For example, Khan's line is: ''"I'll chase him round the moons of Nibia and round the Antares Maelstrom and round perdition's flames before I give him up!"'', while the original line is ''"I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give him up!"'' Some thematic elements are borrowed from the plot of Moby Dick, including Khan's relentless pursuit of Kirk which ultimately results in his own death and the loss of his ship. (''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'').
+
During his exile on [[Ceti Alpha V]], [[Khan Noonien Singh]] read ''Moby Dick'' as he became immersed in his own desire for revenge on [[James T. Kirk]]. During his search and battle with Kirk, he quoted lines from the novel. While some are direct quotes (such as the line above), some are modified from the original. For example, Khan's line is: ''"I'll chase him round the moons of Nibia and round the Antares Maelstrom and round perdition's flames before I give him up!"'', while the original line, from the thirty-sixth chapter, is ''"I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give him up!"'' Some thematic elements are borrowed from the plot of Moby Dick, including Khan's relentless pursuit of Kirk which ultimately results in his own death and the loss of his ship. (''[[Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan]]'').
   
 
Although she had never read the book, [[Lily Sloane]] compared [[Jean-Luc Picard]]'s hatred for the [[Borg]] to Ahab's desire to destroy the white whale. Although at first dismissive of her accusations, Picard subsequently began to quietly paraphrase a passage from the novel's forty-first chapter, and realized how true her comments were. Picard's line is: ''"And he piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon he would have shot his heart upon it."'' The original line is: ''"He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it."'' (''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'').
 
Although she had never read the book, [[Lily Sloane]] compared [[Jean-Luc Picard]]'s hatred for the [[Borg]] to Ahab's desire to destroy the white whale. Although at first dismissive of her accusations, Picard subsequently began to quietly paraphrase a passage from the novel's forty-first chapter, and realized how true her comments were. Picard's line is: ''"And he piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon he would have shot his heart upon it."'' The original line is: ''"He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it."'' (''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'').

Revision as of 11:27, 29 October 2006

"...To the last, I grapple with thee; from hell's heart, I stab at thee; for hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."
- Moby Dick, quoted by Khan (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)


SS Botany Bay-library

Moby Dick found aboard the SS Botany Bay.

Moby Dick is a Human novel by American author Herman Melville, published in 1851. The story is about Captain Ahab's obsessive quest to hunt down the eponymous white sperm whale that had attacked him years before and left him crippled. In the end, Ahab's thirst for vengeance destroyed both him and his ship.

During his exile on Ceti Alpha V, Khan Noonien Singh read Moby Dick as he became immersed in his own desire for revenge on James T. Kirk. During his search and battle with Kirk, he quoted lines from the novel. While some are direct quotes (such as the line above), some are modified from the original. For example, Khan's line is: "I'll chase him round the moons of Nibia and round the Antares Maelstrom and round perdition's flames before I give him up!", while the original line, from the thirty-sixth chapter, is "I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give him up!" Some thematic elements are borrowed from the plot of Moby Dick, including Khan's relentless pursuit of Kirk which ultimately results in his own death and the loss of his ship. (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan).

Although she had never read the book, Lily Sloane compared Jean-Luc Picard's hatred for the Borg to Ahab's desire to destroy the white whale. Although at first dismissive of her accusations, Picard subsequently began to quietly paraphrase a passage from the novel's forty-first chapter, and realized how true her comments were. Picard's line is: "And he piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon he would have shot his heart upon it." The original line is: "He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it." (Star Trek: First Contact).

In addition to First Contact, the original series episode "The Doomsday Machine" was also loosely based on the story of Moby Dick.
Patrick Stewart played Captain Ahab in a 1998 made-for-TV adaptation of the novel.
The actual title for the book as originally released is Moby-Dick.

External Links