Herman Melville

“To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it.”

— Herman Melville

Life & Background:

Born in 1819 in New York, Melville sailed the world before writing fiction. His work was underappreciated in his lifetime but is now considered foundational to American literature.

Inspirations:

Seafaring life, Shakespeare, biblical stories, metaphysics, and moral ambiguity.

Themes in His Work:

• Good vs. evil and unknowable forces

• Obsession, fate, and rebellion

• Man vs. Nature and God

• Isolation and alienation

• The search for truth through storytelling

Notable Works:

• Moby-Dick

• Bartleby, the Scrivener

• Billy Budd