Ahab's Arithmetic; or, the mathematics of Moby-Dick
Sarah Hart
TL;DR
This paper explores the mathematical allusions in Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, analyzing their purpose, Melville's mathematical knowledge, and its relation to 19th-century mathematical literacy.
Contribution
It provides a detailed analysis of the mathematical references in Moby-Dick and investigates Melville's mathematical background and its cultural context.
Findings
Identifies numerous mathematical allusions in the novel
Discusses Melville's mathematical education and influences
Examines the relationship between the novel's imagery and 19th-century mathematics
Abstract
Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick contains a surprising number of mathematical allusions. In this article we explore some of these, as well as discussing the questions that naturally follow: why did Melville choose to use so much mathematical imagery? How did Melville come to acquire the level of mathematical knowledge shown in the novel? And is it commensurate with the general level of mathematical literacy at that time?
Peer Reviews
No public reviews on file for this paper yet. If you reviewed it on a platform where reviews are public (OpenReview, ICLR, NeurIPS, ICML), you can paste yours below so the community can read it here.
Videos
No videos yet. Explain this paper in a talk, walkthrough, or lecture? Add one.