On this day in 1851, Herman Melville's masterwork, Moby Dick, was published in New York by Harper & Brothers. Though the quest for determining the Great American Novel will never cease, my vote has always gone to this book. I usually tell my students when teaching it, if there were some sort of apocalyptic catastrophe in which all books were destroyed, and we had to save only one in order to recreate the American literary canon, I would save Moby Dick. It has everything: adventure, science, religion, philosophy, economics, sociology, history, and almost anything else you can think of. It explores themes of good and evil, friendship, humanity versus nature, and questions of purpose and place in the world. It is everything that other books try to be.
Yes, it is long and tedious in places, but it is done with great intent, and that is quite different than books that are long and tedious on accident. It was intended to be the definitive book on the sea; it ended up being the definitive book on books. The book itself is a monster, and like a sea behemoth on the deck of the Pequod, Melville's life experiences and immense knowledge of whaling are splayed open on the pages. The first paragraph is perhaps my favorite opening paragraph in any novel. It is immediately funny and filled with an identifiable yearning in the hearts of all people--to escape, to explore, to endeavor beyond ourselves and our circumstances. The sea calls out to Ishmael, and we all want to respond.
Like many pieces of literature in history, along with other forms of art, this book went unnoticed for many years. It was a huge flop until after Melville's death, when it was suddenly rediscovered and studied more closely in schools and among the general public. During his lifetime, Melville only received about $1,000 in total earnings from the book's publication. I wonder what he'd think of it now.
Overcome your fears, and take a crack at Moby Dick during your holiday break.
Yes, it is long and tedious in places, but it is done with great intent, and that is quite different than books that are long and tedious on accident. It was intended to be the definitive book on the sea; it ended up being the definitive book on books. The book itself is a monster, and like a sea behemoth on the deck of the Pequod, Melville's life experiences and immense knowledge of whaling are splayed open on the pages. The first paragraph is perhaps my favorite opening paragraph in any novel. It is immediately funny and filled with an identifiable yearning in the hearts of all people--to escape, to explore, to endeavor beyond ourselves and our circumstances. The sea calls out to Ishmael, and we all want to respond.
Like many pieces of literature in history, along with other forms of art, this book went unnoticed for many years. It was a huge flop until after Melville's death, when it was suddenly rediscovered and studied more closely in schools and among the general public. During his lifetime, Melville only received about $1,000 in total earnings from the book's publication. I wonder what he'd think of it now.
Overcome your fears, and take a crack at Moby Dick during your holiday break.