Tragedy, the Novel, and the Supernatural

Tragedy, the Novel, and the Supernatural

I have two questions. First, in what ways is Moby Dick a tragedy? Traditionally, tragedy has been expressed through the medium of the play. In Moby Dick, however, Melville presents a tragedy in the form of the novel. Does he redefine tragedy or does Aristotle's definition of tragedy still apply to Melville's novel.

Second, does Melville that supernatural forces exist. Ahab certainly believes that Moby Dick is a mask for a supernatural agent. Is this Ahab's madness? Or does the human dread of the whiteness of the whale, as described in Chapter 42, portend an intrinsic human sensibility of the supernatural.