From Hell's heart, I stab at thee!

So, if I go a' hunting for anything, and I never ever would, but IF I did, and the creature I was hunting, let us say, actually resisted against being hunted down and killed, in fact, if that creature actually fought back, and took a bite out of me, well.  That's just normal and right, yes, it's trying to survive and doesn't understand why some asshole is trying to kill it.  This is all normal logic, right?  So why does Ahab feel he has the right to go back and hunt the white whale?  The fact that the white whale didn't allow him to commit murder?  And furthermore, what does it mean that there are a lot of people willing to sign on to his ship to support his purpose? This reading group is just getting started.  Mark my words.  :)