Herman Melville (1819 – 1891) was a prolific American writer best known for his romantic sea stories. Undoubtedly, his finest
work was Moby Dick, published in 1851, which has become one of the premier classic pieces in American literature. He is also known for his poetry and short stories.
One of Melville’s first jobs was that of a cabin boy aboard a vessel on a trans-Atlantic voyage. He later traveled the Pacific Ocean aboard several different whaling vessels. He also spent several months living among natives in the South Pacific Island of Typee. These experiences served to influence his writing, particularly his sea adventure stories.
Melville had a difficult life. He lost two of his four children and was said to have problems with alcohol abuse. Also, his marriage to his wife Elizabeth Shaw, was said to have been strained. His most famous works are:
“Typee” (1846) was Melville’s first novel. It was inspired by his travels to the island of Typee. When it was first written, there was even some confusion as to whether Typee was a historical or fictional work. It is now widely believed to be a fictional account of his stay on the islands.
Moby Dick (1851) is one of the greatest and best known classics of American literature. This story describes Captain Ahab, a man obsessed with killing the great white whale. Ahab and his crew travel the world’s oceans in search of the whale. They ultimately find it and are destroyed by it.
Billy Budd (1924) was published posthumously. Melville neared completion of this work in 1891 when he died. The manuscripts were later found and the novel was completed based on Melville’s notes. Billy Budd is a story that describes the events surrounding a popular sailor aboard a British vessel who accidentally kills a crewmate in anger. Billy Budd has also become a classic in American literature.
Melville was not a highly regarded writer during his life. Most of his works did not achieve popularity when they were first written. His later works were even less popular than his earlier ones. Many of his later works sold very few copies and were considered failures. It was not until after his death that he gained in literary stature. It was upon the release of Billy Budd in 1924 that his other works received additional scrutiny and gained popularity.
Some of his works remain popular to this day, none more so that Moby Dick. Moby Dick is still widely read and has been adapted to cinema several times, included animated features. Billy Budd has also been adapted to cinema, although that story is not as widely known today. Herman Melville has become one of the most celebrated authors of the 19th century.