Warmly welcoming all!
Let's have a look into the process of the "structuralism approach" through which we are going to analyze, and critique the literary text called "Mobydick"-Herman Melville, 1851 and a contemporary movie called "SUPER30"..
The Application of "Structuralism approach".
Applicable theory:
(Concernment with prose narratives)
We will see all the elements consequently:
Taking "Mobydick" to apply "Structuralism approach":
1. Larger containing structure of the text, comprises: Conventions of a particular literary genre/Network of "intertextual connections":
When we see the conventions of "Mobydick" in particular, we are to see that it has a variety of characters, representing different religions, behavioural patterns, also the story of Jonah told by "Father Mapple " which is based on conventionality(myth of Jonah in Hebrew[Rabbanic literature], you can refer some of the characters such as; Bildad, Queeqeg, Tashtego, Stubb, who are representing different traditions, as per their culture.
To refer in detail, click on the below mentioned two links:
As said in aforementioned matter, it is descended from "Hebrew Bible". According to which as "Father Mapple" dictates the "sermon" that "As Jonah has disobeyed God and "the white whale" has, due to his disobedience to God ,swallowed him. By being in Whale's body, he realises that what he had been rewarded by God, is due to his disobedience to him, so it is fair enough that he is given this kind of punishment and so he is surrendering to God, but as he felt the reflecting peripetia, he was exonerated by God. As usual "Ahab" is contemplating in this statement, though many a times he has been given indirectly warning that "one shouldn't break the law of nature" by Mobydick as "he had crushed his leg" to make him aware of, but he fails to realise and subsequently, inviting his own downfall. This is the "allegorical concept" that hovers Ahab throughout the novel.
- A projected model of an "underlying universal narrative structure"/ A notion of narrative "as a complex of recurrent patterns or motifs":
As we have seen in the novel, that the novel is opening up with the narrative character called "Ishmael" and the readers are suppose to peep into it through his eyes. At first we are having under the chapter called "loomings" how the surroundings of "Bedford" is reflecting "Ishmael", we have many suggestive symbols for "fireshadowy literary device" which we are going to discuss under (second section) of "structuralism approach".
Then as the novel unfolds further, we see "Captain Ahab" who is the main captain of the ship, called "Pequod"(we also has its description) then Ahab's himself's description, and the incident of whale(who has crushed his leg, and so now he has another readymade leg) and how he is passionate to take his "revenge".
An egocentric personality: Ahab himself.
Then the story moves further and he has at his disposal to help him, in his motto, many sailors, who represent different identities and ideas, which seem to be very facilitative for him and how in aftermath indulge everyone with him "in fanatic revenge".
At last when it is about to resolve, and the story is at its peak, we saw that due to his stubbornness, rigidity and determinative personality he himself is swallowed to death, and likewise the story end fatally.
In this manner the entire story is having its end, with the described three elements of "universal narrative style" as the novel is in "Chapter sequence" it can't be classified into any act.
To refer to the entire story, click on the below given link:
We are to see in this novel an ample of "archetyple images along with some specific sermonial myth". As the novel unfolds we see "crossed harpooners" his "biblical name" symbolizes orphan, socially outcasted, abandoned, exiled, also we have "biblical sermon" of Father Mapple, whose story as mentioned above(under conventionality[myth]), the sperm white whale, himself suggest "the supernatural power" (he himself is representing a recurrence of some power, which is in itself is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient)as he is exceptional from other whales in sea. His "spouting manner" his often coming style, as when in novel just Ahab is in dilemma of where he is and he changes his direction of attacking, suggesting some hidden like foreshadowing to spread its roots in the novel. Many characters and their thoughts also suggest some complexity, which is hidden but can't be seen, seen when it is coming to confront. While we also see "Ahab's personality" as a tall and determinative character, though he had lost his leg in scuffle with "white whale", he also symbolises a superior power to "God creatures" but fails to and lastly, he is swallowed to death by "Mobydick".
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| You may have an idea from this image, how a hidden and mysterious message is navigated through his eyes. |
Refer to the below link to know more about the "recurring motifs" in Mobydick, regarding seal's depth, surface and albinos whiteness.
2. Interpret literature in terms of a range of "underlying parallels with the structures of language, as described by "Modern linguistics", Science and Philosophy:
For instance: The notion of the "mytheme" posited by "Levi Strauss" denoting the minimal units of narrative sense, is formed on the analogy of the morpheme is the 'ed's added to a verb to denote the past tense.
In "Mobydick" we see many scientific aspects, regarding the ship, it's all tools, and the harpooning process to catch tge fish, how it has to be rounded around the drum, a thick rope with some dense quality, from which one would be able to catch the fish.
The myth regarded with "Jonah" a Hebrew character also has "cultural, religious and mythical aspects". One example can be taken from the novel itself(of myth).
For example: some modern scholars of folklore have noted similarities between "Jonah and other legendary figures" such as "Gilgamesh" and the Greek hero "Jason"(cultural tendency). Furthermore there are many characters who are representing their own identities, through their cultures.
To know more about "Gilgamesh" and "Jason", tap the below links:
Also it has philosophic tone as propagated by the supernaturality of "the white sperm whale" and the story of biblical character called "Jonah". Along with this the novel has "allegorical tone" which fluctuates between past and present and somewhere in future(when especially denoting the confronting archetypal significance of any thing/obeject) while it is written in very simple language, with the implication of different field's words. related with "Islam", Christianity, and many other religions, related to the different characters, contemplated in the novel.
For example:
( Along with Ishamel)
Thus we saw the underlying parallels of language structure along with the "modern linguists approach, introduced with Philosophy and Science.
3. They apply "the concept of systematic patterning and structuring to the whole field of western culture" and across cultures treating as "systems of signs" anything from "ancient greek myths" to brands of "soap powder":
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Add Scenes from Greek mythology depicted in ancient art. Left-to-right, top-to-bottom: the birth of Aphrodite, a revel with Dionysus and Silenus, Adonis playing the kithara for Aphrodite, Heracles slaying the Lernaean Hydra, the Colchian dragon regurgitating Jason in the presence of Athena, Hermes with his mother Maia, the Trojan Horse, and Odysseus's ship sailing past the island of the sirens |
As we have seen in this novel that "Ahab" himself thinks that he is powerful than other creatures (especially here Mobydick) who represents supernatural power. While Ahab is unable to digest this contemplation and considering himself as a human(as something like God, and logocentric, a man) so he can control and dominate the world, then how a mere insignificant creature can hurt him! Who himself is dependent on human beings, as we know as we human beings are powerful, in respect of our understanding, knowledge and intellectualism, while they are only creature and they have to do, what God have assigned them to do. Then how he can attack a human, who is all powerful? It is where he failed to understand "the nature of law" and encounters his own downfall. Also the character called "Ahab" is possessing the quality of "horse strength" but in intellectualism it differs, it can be compared with other legendary characters, who were existing on ancient Greek times. While we see the same thing then it will differ among tribal people "as they privileges nature over man". Also differs from religion to religion, culture to culture, to facilitate "Ahab's character and his attitudes, we also have a supportive argument from "Ferdinand de Sausurre" in deconstruction, that as they(westerners) weren't giving importance to the "being" of "beings" he wants to dismantle or subvert the entire western thought, to which "Derrida's reconstitution" idea was redesigned.
Thus we learnt here how with the help of the three tools of structuralism along with its sub tools, how we have applied this into this literary text.
Refer to the below mentioned link, to review "super30 movie" in structural aspects:
Referring this with 'Post-Structuralism approach':
Foundation of which was laid by: Ferdinand De Saussure, Claude Levi Strauss and Jacques Derrida:
No 'realities' and 'truth'.
Understandable in 'historical construction'.
Can be understood as a 'criticism of structuralism'.
Emphasise on 'the system of knowledge' rather than on 'subject'.
POST-STRUCTURALISM APPROACH-MOBYDICK:
As in 'Neolithic age' historicity was as such that some tribals were used to worship nature and having 'animals' in their food as well as for performing rituals, since then perhaps this thought process of "Man capable to destroy the creation of God" is prevailing. As Adam is given privilege of 'first man' on Earth by God, accordingly we find in 'Genesis': a God centric society. In a way if we see, actually "Ahab" is reflecting here the same tendency as written in Bible/Quran/in any of the religious scriptures or we can also say for "Ahab" similarizing 'tribal, natural way of living life' keeping in mind this, he would have attacked but as retreated, founding something unusual led to revenge.
For example: Bible: Milton's - Paradise lost(presents human persepective), Quran: Betty Mehmoody - Not without my daughter(a story of a Christian woman, marries to an Islamist[an Iran-American doctor] but on her journey to Iran for two weeks, she is trapped there and the other part of the story is recounted on her struggle to come out from there, and to go through to "America"). Then also on another hand we also have "a political satire" on human life, reflecting that time of "Russian policy". Where also if we see with animal's lens we found that as we treat them handle them, weren't they thinking to do with us the same? and so if in this direction we see, we find them appropriate to their approach, the sole difference is that they can't speak, exceptionally as human beings have speech, because that wasn't developed and remained at "embryo level".
If we talk about the system of knowledge: it was highly influenced by 'Philosophical, religious and moral tendencies'.
For example: "The ceremonial preaching of Father Mapple" , archetypal significance of this message, connected with morality(with reference to Jonah's story, swallowed by White fish), Ishmael can also seen in same boat of morality and one of the sailors who tried to persuade 'Ahab' to give up his idea on taking fanatical revenge with "Mobydick" as it will ruin his life, and ultimately it had that predictable end, that person as having "moral sense". Many of the sailors, who weren't able to express themselves and blindly following 'Ahab's idealism' etc. Ultimately we must say that it was all based on "mythical influence" and the beliefs connected with human society.
Doing criticism of 'Structuarlism' as done concerning 'three points'. For example if we take "Mobydick" and if we see this in historical context, can it be made possible that "a mere creature" is able to swallow up a human being, who himself is representing "God-like personality". If the writer has tried to, won't he be able to show an another side of the story of this novel that: Ahab as a man, as we had seen as intellectually, emotionally, scientifically very strong and with full understanding of the society, surrounding him. If he had, won't "Mobydick" be killed by him than himself by Mobydick? but perhaps writer wants to show here "the privilege of all creatures of God, than centralizing only the human beings", he believes in 'anthropocentricism approach' rather than in 'androcentricism'. So he has tried to show likewise and we can conclude that "the system of knowledge" was based on religio-philosophical belief. If we evaluate the life of "Ahab" and the sailors surrounding him, we come to know that it can be seen in Ahab's determination to kill Mobydick, some becomes mad of his fanatical thought, some becomes persuasive and tries to persuade him. All in all if we see "there is only one event/one idea" but impact on public is vivid and perhaps likewise is happening with the audience/readers.
Hence in this way "post - structuralism" may be working, which I had tried to highlight in brief and can be reflected in this manner in any work.
Thankyou
Samiya Kagdi
A learner at PG center
Department of English
MKBU
Applied sources:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Mapple
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/mobydick/characters/
https://samiyakagdi313.blogspot.com/2020/01/structuralism-approach-with.html
https://dilipbarad.blogspot.com/2015/03/structuralism-and-literary-criticism.html
Category: Literary Criticism: Hermenuetics/analysis/critique in terms of structural and Post-structural approaches.
Applied texts: Mobydick - Herman Melville, Not without my daughter - Betty Mehmoody, super30 - Vikas Bahl, Paradise Lost - John Milton and Animal Farm - George Orwell.
Category: Literary Criticism: Hermenuetics/analysis/critique in terms of structural and Post-structural approaches.
Applied texts: Mobydick - Herman Melville, Not without my daughter - Betty Mehmoody, super30 - Vikas Bahl, Paradise Lost - John Milton and Animal Farm - George Orwell.
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