Characters in The Berg (A Dream)
Herman Melville’s “The Berg (A Dream)” does not present conventional human characters. Instead, the poem's power lies in its symbolic cast of natural forces, which embody human ambition, nature's indifference, and the silent observation of the universe. Through this allegorical portrayal, Melville transforms an imagined maritime tragedy into a profound meditation on human fragility and cosmic detachment.
The Ship
The ship, described as “of martial build” and “infatuate,” represents human pride, will, and defiance. Its reckless course “as by madness mere” toward the iceberg mirrors the human tendency to challenge nature and fate. The ship's eventual destruction serves as a metaphor for the downfall of arrogance, showing that human effort, no matter how grand, collapses before the silent might of natural law.
The Iceberg (The Berg)
The iceberg is the poem's monumental antagonist—an emblem of nature's immovable, indifferent power. Melville's descriptions—“stolid,” “hard,” and “vast”—reveal an unfeeling presence that neither reacts to nor acknowledges the ship's demise. Its "dead indifference" underscores the idea that nature exists beyond human emotion or morality, vast and unconcerned with the tragedies of mankind.
The Observers of Nature
Melville enriches the poem's imagery with passive natural witnesses—gulls, fowl, and seals—each reinforcing the theme of nature's stillness amid human catastrophe.
-
Gulls: Circling “in cloud,” they embody distant awareness, detached and untouchable.
-
Fowl: Skimming over the “crystal beaches” and ice floes, they continue their existence, indifferent to the chaos below.
-
Seals: “Dozing sleek on sliddery ledges,” they remain unbothered even as the ship sinks, symbolizing perfect inertia and indifference.
Together, these figures create a haunting contrast—the striving ship of humanity, the unyielding iceberg of nature, and the silent creatures that witness destruction without care—a vision that encapsulates Melville's bleak yet majestic worldview.
