On a previous voyage, the white whale Moby Dick bit off Ahab’s leg and he now wears a prosthetic leg made out of ivory. The whaling voyage of the Pequod ends up as a hunt for revenge on the whale, as Ahab forces the crew members to support his fanatical mission. When Moby Dick is finally sighted, Ahab’s hatred robs him of all caution, and the whale drags him to his death beneath the sea and sinks the Pequod.
Captain Ahab Went at Stud About as Well as His Namesake Did Chasing Moby Dick