Moby Dick and the White Whale
If you're looking for a central image in the poem, the white whale appears multiple times in just about every section. And it's not just the sought-after sea monster that visits the poem; the...
Greek Gods and Heroes
The poem is full of deities and heroes, all just causin' trouble. Or, at least, they're doing what they do best: ruling the earth. Lowell relies on these allusions to Greek mythology to connect the...
Birds
The seaside has plenty of birds ready to grab any bits and pieces of creatures left by the tide, and the graveyard in Nantucket is no exception. But the birds in Lowell's poem aren't just hanging a...
The Sea
You won't find a more present image in the poem than the sea; it's a graveyard, a menace, a thing to mourn, and the origin of man. Whew. Whatever the role, the sea ultimately represents the d...
The Lady
Ah, sweet Lady of Walshingham. Many travel to see her, from all over the world, and pay their respects. In Section VI, we visit the site in England where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to...