FAQ About Moby Dick

"Moby-Dick" is a work of fiction and not based on a true story. However, Melville drew inspiration from real-life events, including his own experiences as a sailor on whaling ships and the sinking of the whaleship Essex. The character of Ahab is believed to have been partially inspired by a real-life whaling captain named George Pollard Jr., who survived the sinking of the Essex and went on to captain another whaling ship.