Herman Melville overcame an extensive amount of adversity throughout his life and this statement: “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation” defines the struggles he has dealt with such as the loss of his father at a young age, near collapse from mental exhaustion, and the criticism and failure that led to his depression and also the end of his literary career. Melville lived to be 72 years of age and lived in New York City. He wrote american literature in the mid 19th century and mainly wrote nautical fiction and a small amount of dark romanticism. His most famous work is Moby Dick. A man driven by his love for the sea, Herman Melville developed a complex style of writing in his novels that has made him a well-known American nautical fiction writer. Herman Melville’s main influence came from the sea and previous employment experiences. Melville worked many jobs from a young age such as a bank clerk, country schoolmaster, and a family business clerk; but after the passing of his father, he stopped his schooling at Albany Academy and started to study surveying which led him to become a sailor. The inspiration gathered by Melville didn’t come quickly. Melville had went on a four year voyage at sea to Polynesia. During his time at sea, Melville obtained rich material for writing several novels. His adventures in Polynesia were the basis of his successful first novels (“Britannica School” par. 5). influence from the South Seas led him to write his novels Redburn, Typee, Omoo, Mardi, and his most famous Moby Dick. Herman Melville’s writing contains nautical themes in his novels about the sea but he also has a metaphysical theme in other stories. He also has deeper themes such as the theme of freedom vs. slavery in many works such as Bartleby the Scrivener (“Historical Context” par. 2). Bartleby the Scrivener has many political themes. Some of his stories included issues from his time period. His novel Moby Dick shows on a deeper level the profound study that is demonstrated by humankind’s struggle against the forces of evil (“Britannica School” par. 1). Some of Melville’s most famous characters from his stories are Captain Ahab, Ishmael, Billy Budd, Bartleby, and Moby Dick. Captain Ahab is the Captain of a whaling ship, the Pequod, in the novel Moby Dick and a key characteristic of his is that he is missing a leg that the antagonist, Moby Dick, had bit off. Ishmael is a crewmember aboard the Pequod and is the narrator of Moby Dick, he is the only crewmember who survives. Billy Budd is the main character in his last novel, Billy Budd and he is a sailor who is in the British Royal Navy. Bartleby is a character in the novel, Bartleby the Scrivener where he works as a clerk for a lawyer on wall street. A key characteristic about Herman Melville’s writing was that he incorporated characteristics of biblical and political meaning. Melville also had a writing style that was complex and filled with symbolic language (“Britannica School” par. 1). To sustain an income, Herman
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25). This story is not his most well known novel but is still a valued piece. He also wrote some poetry with his best known being “Benito Cereno”. Herman Melville received a large amount of criticism from his writing. Melville faced some much criticism that it and failure led him into depression ending his literary career. His work was not greatly appreciated until after his death. Melville today is one of american literacy’s well known authors and has gotten high praise from many people and critics today. In conclusion a man who got inspiration for the sea, Herman Melville used a compound style in his writing that has made him a famous American nautical fiction writer. The adversity throughout Herman Melville’s life and the struggles he has dealt with has helped make him well-known in american literature in the mid 19th century. His influence by the sea gave him inspiration to write some of his greatest works. His characters were created with connection to biblical times. The praise and criticism for his most famous works shaped the legacy left by Herman
25). This story is not his most well known novel but is still a valued piece. He also wrote some poetry with his best known being “Benito Cereno”. Herman Melville received a large amount of criticism from his writing. Melville faced some much criticism that it and failure led him into depression ending his literary career. His work was not greatly appreciated until after his death. Melville today is one of american literacy’s well known authors and has gotten high praise from many people and critics today. In conclusion a man who got inspiration for the sea, Herman Melville used a compound style in his writing that has made him a famous American nautical fiction writer. The adversity throughout Herman Melville’s life and the struggles he has dealt with has helped make him well-known in american literature in the mid 19th century. His influence by the sea gave him inspiration to write some of his greatest works. His characters were created with connection to biblical times. The praise and criticism for his most famous works shaped the legacy left by Herman