Arts & LiteratureAmericanFictional — Moby-Dick
Ishmael
Narrator of Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Biography
The narrator and protagonist of Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick, published in 1851. He serves as the main voice through which the story of Captain Ahab's obsessive whale hunt is told.
Quick Facts
Category
Arts & Literature
Nationality
American
Appears In
Moby-Dick
Thinking about the name
Ishmel
Hebrew origin
“A shortened, modernized form of Ishmael meaning 'God has heard,' with a sleek, contemporary sound. The condensed spelling appeals to parents seeking biblical significance without the full formal weight of traditional spellings.”