Herman Melville Research Paper
Herman Melville was born August 1, 1819 in grand Manhattan, New York City. He was born to Allan and Maria Gansevoort Melville. Herman was third born in a family of eight. Herman’s childhood was a relatively easy one as his father was well off due to his success as a high-end importer and merchant. However, Allan Melville took a great hit from a financial loan he had borrowed and dug his family into a great debt. Herman and his family moved to Albany in an attempt to correct their financial mistakes. Sadly, things didn’t work out and Allan Melville suddenly died in 1832. As tragedy had shaken the Melville household with debt and the death of their father things were looking grim. The oldest son now took control of the family business and had
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re-instated their name and their fortune. Herman, however, decided to find another way to secure himself financially. Herman enrolled in a school where he studied classical literature and short poems. He soon earned a job clerking at a local bank. Herman disliked the work at the bank. It seemed bland and boring, but Herman did enjoy the writing. Herman had made up his mind to look for a job in literature and moved away from New York to Albany in 1837. Herman decided he wanted to be a teacher in
Massachusetts, but found work there to be uneasy and boorish. The very same year, Gansevroot’s fur business had taken another financial blow, so the family decided to relocate in Lansingburgh New York. Herman had now decided to take one more chance at school and enrolled at Lansingburgh academy to study surveying. He did this in an attempt to gain a job at the Erie Canal Project. After the Erie Canal job failed Herman attempted to make a good earning as a sailor/merchant in 1839. Herman went on several vessels before coming up with the idea for writing. His voyages helped him to express the experiences of sea bearing in his books like Typee, Omoo, and Billy Budd. Melville’s first voyage was on a merchant ship called St. Lawrence and traveled from New York to Liverpool England. After Herman’s first job ended Herman took a liking to the sea and embarked on a second voyage. This time Herman worked on a ship called the Acushnet, a whaling ship. This was the first flare that ignited Herman’s passion for writing about the sea. During a subsequent voyage in 1841, Herman, while whaling, was notified from his crew that a leak had appeared and abandoned the ship. He continued on to the Marquesas Islands of Polynesia with his crew. After a tiring session of swimming Herman was captured by cannibals local to the Polynesia Islands. Luckily, Herman was not harmed by the cannibals, but was often in uncomfortable situations and prompted to escape after being shipwrecked on the islands for four long months. Herman made his getaway on the Lucy Ann, but was jailed for mutiny. Herman arrived back home but his time spent at sea spanned over three years and he had missed much. Now Herman knew exactly what he wanted to do, write. Herman marked his experiences in his books and added some unbelievable plots as well. Herman’s first successful book was called Omoo: A narrative of Adventures in the South Seas. During his writing career Melville met Elizabeth Shaw and married her in 1847.
Herman and Elizabeth had four children. During his later years Herman took a break from writing and in the late 1850’s became a customs inspector in New York City. During this time he made much poetry. He published a collection called Battle-Pieces and Aspects of War in 1866. Eventually, Herman’s spark for novel writing was struck once again and he began to write on another novel. Sadly, Melville died instantly of a heart attack in New York City on September 28, 1891. Herman Melville’s last novel was published in 1924 as Billy Budd, Sailor. Herman Melville unlike other writers, wasn’t as much influenced by people, but instead was influenced by his own personal life experiences. Melville is regarded as one of America’s great writers. One of his most commonly known masterpieces, “Moby Dick” has seen a revision into the movie format in 1956 and the latest movie adaption “in the Heart of the Sea,” has had even more success than the last the film and has grossed over 100 million dollars. As an exception to whom Herman was influenced by we can take a look at The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Herman was inspired to write Moby Dick because of his friendship with Nathaniel and was successful in writing his novel, but the fame soon died away due to the fact that Herman did not advertise his books. Moby Dick’s story was in a way what Herman wanted people to see in the sea; A new adventurous world undiscovered and completely uncharted. Herman uses Ishmael as a narrative to describe the sea. One of Ishmael’s great quotes "Know ye now, Bulkington? Glimpses do ye seem to see of that mortally intolerable truth; that all deep, earnest thinking is but the intrepid effort of the soul to keep the open independence of her sea; while the wildest winds of heaven and earth conspire to cast her on the treacherous slavish shore?" Herman Melville lets the reader’s see into the wondrous sea like lifestyle
of rugged sailors. Herman uses Ishmael much more distinctly in Moby Dick whereas the other characters aren’t used in this sense. "But I now leave my Cetological System standing thus unfinished, even as the great Cathedral of Cologne was left, with the crane still standing upon the top of the uncompleted tower. For small erections may be finished by their first architects; grand ones, true ones, ever leave the copestone to posterity. God keep me from ever completing anything. This whole book is but a draught- nay, but the draught of a draught. Oh, Time, Strength, Cash, and Patience!" One could see from a view that this wasn’t Ishmael speaking at all, but instead was Herman complaining about the ideas for his novels. This is the clear humorous side that Herman puts into his novels like Moby Dick. Weirdly enough Moby dick still remains to be the one of the least selling sea books today, but oddly enough it’s the one of the most known book names in American history to date.
Herman Melville’s books weren’t as popularly known or sold in his lifetime, but in today’s society almost everyone knows who Herman Melville and what his most popular book is. Herman Melville’s books are most commonly known for their sea folklore like talk and humorous conversations. Herman Melville has influenced many writers like Mark Twain and even his pen pal, Nathaniel Hawthorne. Melville has had a wide range of genres from, Short story writing, romantic, adventure, and even fiction. Although Herman is most known for his sea bearing stories not many know about his poetry that spanned well across the adventurous sea novels he has wrote. Herman wrote many poems throughout his life, but his only noticeable ones were done after the civil war had ended. His most prominent known poem was called Battle Pieces and Aspects of War. Herman’s other poems like “John Marr and Other Poems” are among the unpopular romantic genre he made. In the 1950s his poems have been given a resurgence in writers like Raymond Weaver, E.M. Foster, and Benjamin Britten, an English composer. Ever since Herman Melville had Moby Dick published sea adventures have never been the same. Among many famous writers like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, and G. A. Henty have accredited him to being one of the greatest sea story tellers of his time. Among some of the more popular genres many would be surprised to know that Moby dick was accredited with sales managing to only 3207 in Herman Melville’s Lifetime. In general Herman was as much as a poet as a novelist and will be continually celebrated as one of America’s greatest writers. Many children, adults, and teens will read this book for ages to come and will remember this great classic. Hopefully others will see great classics from Herman Melville and be inspired to write, learn, and read.
re-instated their name and their fortune. Herman, however, decided to find another way to secure himself financially. Herman enrolled in a school where he studied classical literature and short poems. He soon earned a job clerking at a local bank. Herman disliked the work at the bank. It seemed bland and boring, but Herman did enjoy the writing. Herman had made up his mind to look for a job in literature and moved away from New York to Albany in 1837. Herman decided he wanted to be a teacher in
Massachusetts, but found work there to be uneasy and boorish. The very same year, Gansevroot’s fur business had taken another financial blow, so the family decided to relocate in Lansingburgh New York. Herman had now decided to take one more chance at school and enrolled at Lansingburgh academy to study surveying. He did this in an attempt to gain a job at the Erie Canal Project. After the Erie Canal job failed Herman attempted to make a good earning as a sailor/merchant in 1839. Herman went on several vessels before coming up with the idea for writing. His voyages helped him to express the experiences of sea bearing in his books like Typee, Omoo, and Billy Budd. Melville’s first voyage was on a merchant ship called St. Lawrence and traveled from New York to Liverpool England. After Herman’s first job ended Herman took a liking to the sea and embarked on a second voyage. This time Herman worked on a ship called the Acushnet, a whaling ship. This was the first flare that ignited Herman’s passion for writing about the sea. During a subsequent voyage in 1841, Herman, while whaling, was notified from his crew that a leak had appeared and abandoned the ship. He continued on to the Marquesas Islands of Polynesia with his crew. After a tiring session of swimming Herman was captured by cannibals local to the Polynesia Islands. Luckily, Herman was not harmed by the cannibals, but was often in uncomfortable situations and prompted to escape after being shipwrecked on the islands for four long months. Herman made his getaway on the Lucy Ann, but was jailed for mutiny. Herman arrived back home but his time spent at sea spanned over three years and he had missed much. Now Herman knew exactly what he wanted to do, write. Herman marked his experiences in his books and added some unbelievable plots as well. Herman’s first successful book was called Omoo: A narrative of Adventures in the South Seas. During his writing career Melville met Elizabeth Shaw and married her in 1847.
Herman and Elizabeth had four children. During his later years Herman took a break from writing and in the late 1850’s became a customs inspector in New York City. During this time he made much poetry. He published a collection called Battle-Pieces and Aspects of War in 1866. Eventually, Herman’s spark for novel writing was struck once again and he began to write on another novel. Sadly, Melville died instantly of a heart attack in New York City on September 28, 1891. Herman Melville’s last novel was published in 1924 as Billy Budd, Sailor. Herman Melville unlike other writers, wasn’t as much influenced by people, but instead was influenced by his own personal life experiences. Melville is regarded as one of America’s great writers. One of his most commonly known masterpieces, “Moby Dick” has seen a revision into the movie format in 1956 and the latest movie adaption “in the Heart of the Sea,” has had even more success than the last the film and has grossed over 100 million dollars. As an exception to whom Herman was influenced by we can take a look at The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Herman was inspired to write Moby Dick because of his friendship with Nathaniel and was successful in writing his novel, but the fame soon died away due to the fact that Herman did not advertise his books. Moby Dick’s story was in a way what Herman wanted people to see in the sea; A new adventurous world undiscovered and completely uncharted. Herman uses Ishmael as a narrative to describe the sea. One of Ishmael’s great quotes "Know ye now, Bulkington? Glimpses do ye seem to see of that mortally intolerable truth; that all deep, earnest thinking is but the intrepid effort of the soul to keep the open independence of her sea; while the wildest winds of heaven and earth conspire to cast her on the treacherous slavish shore?" Herman Melville lets the reader’s see into the wondrous sea like lifestyle
of rugged sailors. Herman uses Ishmael much more distinctly in Moby Dick whereas the other characters aren’t used in this sense. "But I now leave my Cetological System standing thus unfinished, even as the great Cathedral of Cologne was left, with the crane still standing upon the top of the uncompleted tower. For small erections may be finished by their first architects; grand ones, true ones, ever leave the copestone to posterity. God keep me from ever completing anything. This whole book is but a draught- nay, but the draught of a draught. Oh, Time, Strength, Cash, and Patience!" One could see from a view that this wasn’t Ishmael speaking at all, but instead was Herman complaining about the ideas for his novels. This is the clear humorous side that Herman puts into his novels like Moby Dick. Weirdly enough Moby dick still remains to be the one of the least selling sea books today, but oddly enough it’s the one of the most known book names in American history to date.
Herman Melville’s books weren’t as popularly known or sold in his lifetime, but in today’s society almost everyone knows who Herman Melville and what his most popular book is. Herman Melville’s books are most commonly known for their sea folklore like talk and humorous conversations. Herman Melville has influenced many writers like Mark Twain and even his pen pal, Nathaniel Hawthorne. Melville has had a wide range of genres from, Short story writing, romantic, adventure, and even fiction. Although Herman is most known for his sea bearing stories not many know about his poetry that spanned well across the adventurous sea novels he has wrote. Herman wrote many poems throughout his life, but his only noticeable ones were done after the civil war had ended. His most prominent known poem was called Battle Pieces and Aspects of War. Herman’s other poems like “John Marr and Other Poems” are among the unpopular romantic genre he made. In the 1950s his poems have been given a resurgence in writers like Raymond Weaver, E.M. Foster, and Benjamin Britten, an English composer. Ever since Herman Melville had Moby Dick published sea adventures have never been the same. Among many famous writers like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, and G. A. Henty have accredited him to being one of the greatest sea story tellers of his time. Among some of the more popular genres many would be surprised to know that Moby dick was accredited with sales managing to only 3207 in Herman Melville’s Lifetime. In general Herman was as much as a poet as a novelist and will be continually celebrated as one of America’s greatest writers. Many children, adults, and teens will read this book for ages to come and will remember this great classic. Hopefully others will see great classics from Herman Melville and be inspired to write, learn, and read.