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Humor? Check. Humor and lists in Moby-Dick (1851) and Max Havelaar (1860)
Journal Contribution - Journal Article
This article compares two nineteenth century canonical novels, Herman
Melville’s Moby Dick and Multatuli’s Max Havelaar. These two
novels are characterised by their often humorous tone. Lists play a
significant part in the creation of that humour. They cleverly contrast
repetition on the one hand with variation on the other hand. They thus
not only create humour through means of content-specific or formal
elements, but also by contributing to the narrative process of characterisation.
In Moby-Dick as in Max Havelaar, lists engender certain
expectations that ultimately prove incongruent with the reading experience
and as such are instrumental in realising the characteristic
humour of Moby-Dick and Max Havelaar.
Melville’s Moby Dick and Multatuli’s Max Havelaar. These two
novels are characterised by their often humorous tone. Lists play a
significant part in the creation of that humour. They cleverly contrast
repetition on the one hand with variation on the other hand. They thus
not only create humour through means of content-specific or formal
elements, but also by contributing to the narrative process of characterisation.
In Moby-Dick as in Max Havelaar, lists engender certain
expectations that ultimately prove incongruent with the reading experience
and as such are instrumental in realising the characteristic
humour of Moby-Dick and Max Havelaar.
Journal: Verslagen en Mededelingen van de Koninklijke Academie voor Nederlandse Taal- en Letterkunde
ISSN: 0770-786X
Issue: 2-3
Volume: 127
Pages: 285-304
Publication year:2017
Keywords:Humour, Moby-Dick, Max Havelaar, Literary lists
Accessibility:Closed