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herman melville is an american author of fiction. Born on August 1, 1819 in New York City and the third child of his parents, Melville is today most famous for writing the American classic epic Moby Dick. he first became known for his 1846 account of Polynesian life and his experiences with it. he was a novelist, essayist, sailor, poet and short story writer.
His father was a dry goods merchant who died in 1832, leaving his family struggling to keep food on the table. Melville’s formal education ended quickly after that, and he worked as a school teacher for a brief time before leaving on a merchant ship in 1839 as a sailor. The following year, he signed up on a whaling ship for his first whaling trip, but ended up landing on the Marquesas Islands. After a few years of adventure, Melville returned to Boston in 1844.
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two years later, his first book came out and it was called typee. It was nonfiction, and in 1846 the account of his life among the Polynesians became so popular and successful that Melville was encouraged to write a sequel. omoo was launched in 1847 and also did very well for the American public who were fascinated by foreign cultures and the lives of people who lived in exotic geographic locations.
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his first published fiction book was mardi and his second book was redburn. Both were published in 1849 and, unlike Melville’s first two releases, were not authentic experiences but fictional narratives about life at sea that have deeper philosophical meanings. Although they did not reach best-selling status, they did not go unnoticed without the public’s attention.
However, its popularity declined years later. came out in white jacket in 1850, a novel that focused on the harsh realities of life on a battleship before the 1851 release of his seafaring epic, moby-dick, which was largely considered a flop by the public , who did not give him a warm reception. It’s safe to say these early books didn’t bring in windfall revenue.
Most of his fictional settings are inspired by his time at sea working as a sailor. Melville developed a baroque style with a creative vocabulary, sense of rhythm, impressive imagery, elaborate sentences, tortured and complex characters, and a sense of American society that shines through in his novels and short stories. His Moby-Dick novel was dedicated to Nathaniel Hawthorne, whom he befriended after moving to a farm in Pittsfield, Massachusetts with his family in 1850.
Melville’s popularity as an author of fiction continued to cool with the release of his 1852 novel Pierre, a partial satire of literary culture. if there was any chance of regaining popularity and regaining prominence once more, that would have been it. However, the content and general reception of the book ensured that Melville would have an uphill battle ahead of him to regain public favor. It’s safe to say that his 1855 Israel Potter war novel failed to help that goal come to fruition.
published several short works during this time, including the now famous “bartleby, the scribe”. His works were also published in various collections that featured his poems or short stories. He briefly met his friend Hawthorne in England in 1857 and, after the henchman was released, that same year he devoted himself to poetry and moved to New York, working as a customs inspector. He’s book Battle-Pieces was published in 1866 and was a reflection on moral questions about the Civil War in the form of a poem.
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His eldest son died in 1867 in the house from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In 1886, her second child died, and Melville retired, ten years after the release of her epic, Clarel. she privately published two volumes of poetry, one of them unpublished, and also returned to writing short stories about or set in the sea. This included Billy Budd’s critically acclaimed novel, which was unfinished when she died, but ended up being published in 1924.
When he passed away on September 29, 1891, he died of cardiovascular disease. at the time of his passing, his works and his status had all but faded from the spotlight. Melville’s work had been out of fashion for almost thirty years, and although interest had begun to rise again, it died down with his death.
In fact, it was the publication of moby-dick that caused a ripple effect with the reading public, causing it to fall out of favor because it was widely dismissed. however, the novel underwent a massive sea change in the early 20th century, where its value was realized, and it has since become one of the literary masterpieces of American writing.
Things began to change as 1919, the centenary of his birth, approached. This time period would see the beginning of a renaissance for Melville and his work was discovered and examined with renewed interest. Since then, his works have been considered classics and everything from his short stories to his poems have come to be highly regarded.
Typee was Melville’s first published book, and this autobiographical interpretation of his time in Polynesia was a huge hit with audiences, immediately establishing Melville as a popular author. The writings examine the life of the Polynesians, looking at their culture, ritual, relationships, belief in the universe, good and evil, and more. The success was so great and the demand for another installment was such that Melville wrote a sequel, Omoo. typee is still being published, so you can buy it online, in stores, or see if your local library has it available.
omoo sees melville returning to the south seas. the title is derived from the Polynesian word for rover, someone who goes from island to island. the book recounts events that take place on a whaling ship. The account is drawn directly from Melville’s time sailing the Pacific as a member of the crew. gives an intimate account of his life as a sailor during these times, his experiences, the people around him and the exotic places. choose omoo to experience the melville adventure for yourself!
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