Essay about Herman Melville

Submitted By jephillips
Words: 505
Pages: 3
Open Document
Herman Melville is certainly a prodigy when it comes to writing. He was a part of time in American history where inspiring works of literature began to emerge. It was also a time when American writers had not completely separated its literary heritage from Europe, partly because there were successful literary genius flourishing there. He never received hardly any credit for any of his works. Melville wrote such novels as Moby-Dick, and Billy Budd. He also wrote about things that he knew about. He wrote about his own experiences. The one thing that he loved, and knew the most about was whaling. During Herman’s childhood he lived in the good neighborhoods of New York City. In 1832 he suffered tragedy when his father died after trying to cope with the stress of debts and misfortunes. After a short time in a business house in New York City, Herman determined he needed to go to sea. He spent years traveling on a variety of ships, including whaling ships. Melville s perspective on life is that God created the universe with an infinite number of meanings and man is always trying to determine one specific meaning. The lessons that Melville is likely to weave into his writing are: an exposition on whales and the whaling industry, a commentary on the universe and human destiny, and thoughts about God and Nature. As he wrote Melville became conscious of deeper powers. In 1849 he began a systematic study of Shakespeare, pondering the bard's intuitive grasp of human nature. Like Hawthorne, Melville could not accept the prevailing optimism of his generation. Unlike his friend, he admired Emerson, seconding the Emerson demand that Americans reject European ties and develop their own literature. Experience made Melville too aware of the evil in the world to be a transcendentalist. His novel Redburn based on his adventures on a Liverpool packet, was, as the critic F. O. Matthiessen put it, "a study in disillusion, of innocence confronted with the world, of ideals
Show More

Related Documents: Essay about Herman Melville

Herman Melville Research Paper

Raju Singh Mrs. McDaniel American Literature Herman Melville Progress is key to living life, but if one is advancing through life with the motivation of revenge, then, in actuality, he or she is truly regressing. Revenge is an extremely corruptive trait. It causes people to do uncharacteristic things that normally would not be done. The perception of right and wrong is blurred and one takes inadvertent actions that may cost friendships, possessions, and even lives. Revenge is often a major motivating…

Words 1649 - Pages 7

Essay Comparing Rowlandson And Herman Melville

food, while the other was able to buy food at the local store. The motivations, habits, and daily obstacles would be entirely foreign to the other had they ever had the opportunity to meet. Despite the separation in time, Mary Rowlandson and Herman Melville shared similar experiences in witnessing two cultures attempt to mix and live together in the same space. While the New World offered an abundance of social and financial potential it simultaneously fostered…

Words 972 - Pages 4

Moby-Dick by Herman Melville Essay

Ishmael, the narrator, announces his intent to ship aboard a whaling vessel. He has made several voyages as a sailor but none as a whaler. He travels to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he stays in a whalers’ inn. Since the inn is rather full, he has to share a bed with a harpooner from the South Pacific named Queequeg. At first repulsed by Queequeg’s strange habits and shocking appearance (Queequeg is covered with tattoos), Ishmael eventually comes to appreciate the man’s generosity and kind spirit…

Words 1071 - Pages 5

Hanging Of The Morally Right In Billy Budd, Sailor, By Herman Melville

Hanging of the Morally Right Billy Budd, Sailor, by Herman Melville places a physical specimen in Billy on the same ship as a mental specimen in Claggart. Claggart begins to believe that Billy has it in for him, and begins to make his false claims about Billy. This leads to a confrontation between Claggart and Billy in front of Captain Vere. This leads to Billy punching and killing Claggart, and leaving Vere in dismay. Captain Vere puts a court together and has them decide whether Billy is to be…

Words 1034 - Pages 5

How Does Herman Melville Use Biblical Allusions In Moby Dick

Moby Dick was written by Herman Melville in 1851, a time when the United States was going through much turmoil and tension. But there was also a reaction from such turmoil and tension. It is often seen in history that when things start to get rough, people flock to religion. While Christianity was still very popular in the United States, it became ever more popular during the years leading up to the Civil War. Abolitionists and slave owners were both using the bible to prove their points about slavery…

Words 742 - Pages 3

Typee And Billy Budd Comparison

such a life which a well-known author, Herman Melville, has experienced. Growing up, Melville was always second to his genius brother. This caused a slight drift between him and his family, and also affected the way he thinks or expresses himself. Melville’s novels Typee and Billy Budd focuses on the voyages of the protagonist at sea while encountering difficult situations and events. Both novels are based on the true story or real life experiences of Melville, working as a cabin boy in several vessels…

Words 477 - Pages 2

Herman Mellville Essay

Herman Melville is born to Allan and Maria Gansevoort Melvill (his mother adds the "e" to their name after his father's death). He is the third of the couple's eight children. 1830 Allan Melvill's import business goes bankrupt. The family is forced to leave New York City and move to Albany in order to escape his many creditors. 1832 Allan Melvill dies, leaving his wife alone with eight children. A young Herman drops out of school and takes a series of odd jobs in order to support his family.…

Words 832 - Pages 4

Moby Dick Essay

Moby dick Harpooneers[edit] Queequeg Main article: Queequeg The harpooneers of the Pequod are all non-Christians from various parts of the world. Each serves on a mate's boat. Queequeg hails from the fictional island of Rokovoko in the South Seas, inhabited by a cannibal tribe, and is the son of the chief of his tribe. Since leaving the island, he has become extremely skilled with the harpoon. He befriends Ishmael early in the novel, when they meet before leaving for Nantucket…

Words 8134 - Pages 33

Herman Melvill Research Paper

Born and raised in New York, Herman Melvill, later changed to Melville, was one of the children born to Maria and Allan. Being a well-educated boy, Herman attended school as a child, and when he became a teen, he attended Albany Academy. Being only thirteen years old when his father died, Herman had to get a job in order to help provide for his family. When he was eighteen, he moved out to Massachusetts to become a school teacher, but it did not take long for him to realize that this was not an enjoyable…

Words 249 - Pages 1

History Of Territorial Expansion In America

describe their program of territorial expansion and industrial growth Youngest president= James K. Polk Literary world- it influenced the two greatest writers America has produced: Walt Whitman & Herman Melville Walt Whitman and Herman Melville- greatest authors in America Moby Dick- Herman Melville Manifest Destiny- a doctrine in support of the territorial expansion based on the belief that the US should expand to encompass all of North America Empresario- Anglo Americans Tejano- Texas Mexicans…

Words 384 - Pages 2