The Whale King: Why Moby-Dick Was an African Emperor
The Whale as King: Africa, Empire, and Power in Melville's Moby-Dick
Have you ever heard of a whale being compared to an emperor from an ancient kingdom? That's precisely what Herman Melville does in his famous novel Moby-Dick.
This legendary name, Moby Dick, fits perfectly with his other title, 'The Great Ethiopian of the Deep.' Both names lift the whale out of the ordinary. One connects him to a legendary past of mighty emperors; the other connects him to the tall tales and fears of sailors. Together, they build the idea that the white whale is the most powerful, famous, and fearsome creature in all the oceans—a worthy and terrifying opponent for the arrogant Captain Ahab.
The Great Ethiopian of the Deep. In Chapter 45 of Moby Dick, Melville describes the magnificent sperm whale with these powerful words:
"...and of all the tribes of the Leviathan, he is the most imperial...He is, without doubt, the largest and most majestic of all the whales; the great Ethiopian of the deep."
"...and of all the tribes of the Leviathan, he is the most imperial...He is, without doubt, the largest and most majestic of all the whales; the great Ethiopian of the deep."
What does it mean to call a whale an Ethiopian Emperor?
What Did Ethiopian Mean in Melville's Time?
In the 1800's when Melville was writing, the word Ethiopian meant something different than it does today. People used it to refer to all of sub-Saharan Africa—a vast region with many kingdoms and cultures.
To Melville and his readers, Ethiopian suggested:
· Antiquity: Ancient civilizations with long histories
· Majesty: Powerful kings and impressive empires
· Mystery: Lands that seemed exotic and fascinating to Americans
More Than Just a Big White Fish
By calling the whale the "great Ethiopian," Melville wasn't just making a simple comparison. He was:
1. Elevating the whale from just an animal to a majestic ruler
2. Connecting it to ancient power and royalty
3. Creating respect for this creature as something noble and grand
A Clash of Eras
This comparison changes how we see the story's conflict. It's not just: Man vs. Whale.
Instead, it becomes: Modern American industry (Ahab) vs. Ancient, timeless natural power (The Whale)
Captain Ahab represents the new world—industrial, technology-focused, and arrogant. The whale represents the old world—ancient, natural, and majestic.
Moby-Dick: The Great Ethiopian of the Deep
Melville was doing something unusual for his time. Instead of showing Africa as a savage or uncivilized place (as many writers did), he connected it to ideas of:
· Royal power
· Ancient wisdom
· Natural majesty
He asked his readers to see the whale—and by extension, Africa—not as something less civilized, but as something perhaps even more impressive than modern civilization.
Think About It
How might this change how we view nature? If we see animals as "royalty" rather than just resources, how might that affect how we treat them?
A Whale Symbolizing Unknown Ancient Kingdoms
Melville calls the whale both the Great Ethiopian of the Deep and then spends a whole chapter obsessed with its terrifying Whiteness, but why? It seems almost like a contradiction, but it's actually genius.
Melville is showing us two different ways of seeing the world, and both make the whale incredibly powerful.
1. The Great Ethiopian connects the whale to history and royalty. This name gives the whale a lineage. It ties him to the ancient, majestic kingdoms of the past. He isn't just a random creature; he is like an emperor with a history and a throne—his throne is the entire ocean. This makes us respect him.
2. The Whiteness connects the whale to mystery and the unknown. This color makes the whale a symbol. It strips away all history and meaning, turning him into a blank, terrifying mystery. He represents everything humans fear because we can't understand it. This makes us awe and fear him.
Continue exploring literary history and cultural memory in the African Bookshelf Hub .
Ancient Mystery makes Moby Dick the ultimate opponent
Captain Ahab is a modern man with modern tools. He thinks he can conquer anything. But the whale is both:
· An ancient king (too noble and established to be conquered by a mere human).
· A swimming mystery (too vast and unknowable to ever be truly understood or defeated).
By calling him "The Great Ethiopian," Melville makes the whale older than Ahab's civilization. By focusing on his "Whiteness," he makes the whale larger than Ahab's understanding.
That's why the fight is so epic. It's not just a man vs. a whale. It's: The present vs. the past. Knowledge vs. Mystery. One angry man vs. all of time and the unknown.
And in that fight, time and the unknown will always win.
Think Deeper
If you were to describe a powerful animal from today (like a wolf, eagle, or orca) as a king or emperor from history, what would you compare it to and why?
By naming the whale the Great Ethiopian, Melville knowingly crowned Africa as the guardian of nature's oldest power—a sovereign that no modern empire could ever conquer.
