MARITIME ADVENTURE, EXISTENCE, AND FRIENDSHIP IN POE AND MELVILLE: CONVERGENCES AND TENSIONS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ERICH AUERBACH

Abstract

This article presents a comparative analysis between Edgar Allan Poe's "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" (1838) and Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" (1851), based on the theoretical assumptions of Erich Auerbach, especially concerning the forms of representation of reality in Western literature. The two works, although originating from distinct aesthetic projects, converge in their use of maritime adventure as a privileged space for existential, symbolic, and narrative investigation. In Poe's novel, the sea voyage manifests as an experience of disorientation and horror, articulated by a succession of extreme events that strain the limits of verisimilitude. This narrative form approaches pre-realist modes in which the sublime and the fantastic coexist with documentary intent. In contrast, Melville elaborates a realism of encyclopedic scope, in which factual observation, metaphor, and philosophical reflection intertwine, giving the hunt for the white whale a complex and inexhaustible allegorical character. In terms of human relations, the works present divergent treatments of coexistence and friendship among crew members. While Poe prioritizes fragile and circumstantial bonds, often subordinated to dynamics of survival and threat, Melville constructs a heterogeneous maritime community, marked by rituals, organizing functions, and the emblematic friendship between Ishmael and Queequeg, which incorporates ethical values ​​of otherness and solidarity. Comparative reading also reveals that, for both authors, the sea functions as a structuring force, conditioning risks, encounters, identities, and metaphysical reflections. However, the mode of representation differs substantially: Poe invests in atmospheres of disturbance and uncertainty, while Melville broadens the horizon of meanings, approaching a multifaceted modern realism. Thus, the analysis demonstrates that, despite stylistic and structural differences, both novels explore the sea as a narrative and existential territory, converting the sea voyage into a metaphor for the human search for meaning. From Auerbach's perspective, both works contribute to understanding the plurality of realistic forms and the symbolic power of 19th-century American literature.