Rokovoko
Encyclopedia
Rokovoko or Kokovoko is the fictional island home of the character Queequeg
, as described in Herman Melville
's 1851 novel Moby-Dick
.
Rokovoko is said to be "an island far away to the West and South" from New England
. "It is not down in any map; true places never are," Melville writes. It was ruled by Queequeg's father, who is described as both high chief and king. Queequeg's uncle is the island's High Priest. Ishmael
feared this island's inhabitants practiced cannibalism
.
The spelling of the name differs in the initial English and American editions of the book.
Queequeg
Queequeg is a fictional character presented in the 1851 novel Moby-Dick by U.S. author Herman Melville. He is the first principal character encountered by the narrator, serves as the chief harpooner aboard the Pequod, and plays an important role in many of the events of the book, both in port and...
, as described in Herman Melville
Herman Melville
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick and the posthumous novella Billy Budd....
's 1851 novel Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, was written by American author Herman Melville and first published in 1851. It is considered by some to be a Great American Novel and a treasure of world literature. The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael, and his voyage on the whaleship Pequod,...
.
Rokovoko is said to be "an island far away to the West and South" from New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. "It is not down in any map; true places never are," Melville writes. It was ruled by Queequeg's father, who is described as both high chief and king. Queequeg's uncle is the island's High Priest. Ishmael
Ishmael (Moby-Dick)
Ishmael is the narrator of the 1851 novel Moby-Dick by U.S. author Herman Melville. It is through his eyes and experience that the reader experiences the story of the ship Pequod, and the fight between Captain Ahab and the white whale...
feared this island's inhabitants practiced cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
.
The spelling of the name differs in the initial English and American editions of the book.
External links
- Moby-Dick: Chapter 12 - Biographical - Queequeg's account of Rokovoko, as presented in Chapter 12 of Moby-Dick.