Moby-Dick · Character

Captain Peleg

A retired sea captain and part-owner of the Pequod, who interviews and hires Ishmael in Nantucket.

minor

Also known as Old Captain Peleg, Peleg

First appearance: The Ship

Captain Peleg's tie to Captain Bildad is one of the pressures that moves Moby-Dick—worth meeting in the text, not only on a cast list.

Associated with Nantucket as a principal owner of the Pequod; the ship's arrival is at his home port.

In the storyXIV: NantucketOpen this moment free

See Captain Peleg in XIV: Nantucket Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

With Captain Bildad (professional): Bildad and Peleg are retired sea captains and co-owners of the Pequod who work together to outfit the ship and hire the crew. With Ishmael (professional): Peleg is a part-owner of the Pequod who interviews, hires, and negotiates the terms of Ishmael's voyage. With Captain Bildad (professional): Bildad and Peleg are retired sea captains and co-owners of the Pequod who work together to outfit the ship and hire the crew.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Captain Peleg sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Captain Peleg in The Ship

Character Web

14 connections

A slice of how Captain Peleg sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Professional
Other

Character groups

Pequod's Primary Company
Secondary and Land Characters
Protagonist

+9 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

Ahab's psychological obsession reaches its peak, as his purpose becomes an unshakable, domineering force that…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

Relationships

Captain Bildad
professional · ambivalent
Bildad and Peleg are retired sea captains and co-owners of the Pequod who work together… How this plays out →
Ishmael
professional · ambivalent
Captain Bildad
professional · ambivalent
Bildad and Peleg are retired sea captains and co-owners of the Pequod who work together… How this plays out →
Captain Bildad
professional · ambivalent
Bildad and Peleg are retired sea captains and co-owners of the Pequod who work together… How this plays out →
Ishmael
professional · ambivalent
Ishmael
professional · ambivalent

Captain Bildad
Bildad and Peleg are retired sea captains and co-owners of the Pequod who work together to outfit the ship and hire the crew.
Ishmael
Peleg is a part-owner of the Pequod who interviews, hires, and negotiates the terms of Ishmael's voyage.
Captain Bildad
Bildad and Peleg are retired sea captains and co-owners of the Pequod who work together to outfit the ship and hire the crew.
Captain Bildad
Bildad and Peleg are retired sea captains and co-owners of the Pequod who work together to outfit the ship and hire the crew.
Ishmael
Peleg is a part-owner of the Pequod who interviews, hires, and negotiates the terms of Ishmael's voyage.
Ishmael
Peleg is a part-owner of the Pequod who interviews, hires, and negotiates the terms of Ishmael's voyage.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Captain Peleg in The Ship

In the story

Captain Peleg appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

XIV: Nantucket
Associated with Nantucket as a principal owner of the Pequod; the ship's arrival is at his home port.
The Ship
Co-owner and agent of the Pequod. He interrogates Ishmael's resolve, gives a cryptic warning about Ahab's leg and character, but ultimately agrees to ship him, defending Ahab as a 'moody good captain.'
His Mark
Gruff and pragmatic. Initially resistant, he is won over by Queequeg's harpoon throw and hires him, arguing against overly pious harpooneers.
All Astir
Stays aboard, supervising the final preparations from his wigwam and roaring orders at the crew.
Merry Christmas
Actively commands the crew with roaring profanity and physical kicks to get the ship underway; shows a philosophical but tearful emotion when leaving the Pequod.
The Advocate
Implied as part of the Nantucket whaling tradition from which 'scores of anonymous Captains' have sailed.
XLV: The Affidavit
Mentioned indirectly as part of the Nantucket whaling community from which many of the cited captains and stories originate.
CVI: Ahab’s Leg
Mentioned as having provided an inadequate public reason for Ahab's reclusiveness prior to the voyage.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Captain Peleg unlock in the free preview.

See Captain Peleg in The Ship

See Captain Peleg in XIV: Nantucket