Herman Melville Rough Draft
1
Brandon Collins, Charity Burke, Riley Fowler
September 30th and October 1st, 2014
4th Block AP Lang
Civil War Literature Group Teach Project
“Herman Melville”
Herman Melville was an American author born on August 1, 1819 in New York, New
York. The author penned many books and later in life wrote poetry. Best known for his novel
Moby Dick, Melville was only heralded as one of America’s greatest writers after his death on
September 28, 1891. The Library of Congress honored him as its first writer to collect and publish. Herman Melville was born in New York City on August 1, 1819, to Allan and Maria
Gansevoort Melvill (Maria added the "e" to the family name following her husband 's death in
1832). In the mid1820s, young Herman fell ill to scarlet fever, and though he regained his health …show more content…
Melville 's family had enjoyed a prosperous life for many years due to Allan Melvill 's success as a highend importer and merchant. However, when Allan made a failed attempt to branch into the fur trade in 1830, the family 's fortune took a big hit. After Allan suddenly died soon after in 1832, finances significantly dwindled.
Allan 's oldest son, Gansevoort, took control of the family 's fur and cap business in New
York following his father 's death. Melville later joined his brother as a business partner, followed by some of his other siblings (there were eight children in all). Around the same time, in the mid1830s, Melville enrolled at the Albany Classical School, where he studied classic literature
2 and began taking part in student debates. He had also begun writing by this time—including poems, essays and short stories. He left Albany for a teaching job in Massachusetts, but soon found the work to be unfulfilling and left the position after only three months, returning to New …show more content…
Lawrence, which was scheduled to travel from New York City to Liverpool. Melville, always interested in sea travel, gladly accepted the position and his subsequent stint on the St. Lawrence—his first sea voyage—would prove valuable to his later literary work: Redburn: His First Voyage, written several years after the St. Lawrence voyage, is said to be largely based on Melville 's life as a crew member of the vessel. Redburn, an embellished, romanticized version of Melville 's reallife experiences—much like his other novels—was published in 1849.
In 1841, Melville embarked on his second sea voyage: He was hired to work aboard the
Acushnet, a whaling ship. His subsequent journey would last nearly three years and spur the creation of his first novel, Typee. According to the book, in 1842, the Acushnet arrived at the
Marquesas Islands in Polynesia, where Melville and a crewmate deserted the ship and, soon after, were captured by local cannibals. The two spent nearly four months as captives before
3 escaping and boarding another whaling ship, the Lucy Ann, working as part of its crew, according to Melville 's literary
Brandon Collins, Charity Burke, Riley Fowler
September 30th and October 1st, 2014
4th Block AP Lang
Civil War Literature Group Teach Project
“Herman Melville”
Herman Melville was an American author born on August 1, 1819 in New York, New
York. The author penned many books and later in life wrote poetry. Best known for his novel
Moby Dick, Melville was only heralded as one of America’s greatest writers after his death on
September 28, 1891. The Library of Congress honored him as its first writer to collect and publish. Herman Melville was born in New York City on August 1, 1819, to Allan and Maria
Gansevoort Melvill (Maria added the "e" to the family name following her husband 's death in
1832). In the mid1820s, young Herman fell ill to scarlet fever, and though he regained his health …show more content…
Melville 's family had enjoyed a prosperous life for many years due to Allan Melvill 's success as a highend importer and merchant. However, when Allan made a failed attempt to branch into the fur trade in 1830, the family 's fortune took a big hit. After Allan suddenly died soon after in 1832, finances significantly dwindled.
Allan 's oldest son, Gansevoort, took control of the family 's fur and cap business in New
York following his father 's death. Melville later joined his brother as a business partner, followed by some of his other siblings (there were eight children in all). Around the same time, in the mid1830s, Melville enrolled at the Albany Classical School, where he studied classic literature
2 and began taking part in student debates. He had also begun writing by this time—including poems, essays and short stories. He left Albany for a teaching job in Massachusetts, but soon found the work to be unfulfilling and left the position after only three months, returning to New …show more content…
Lawrence, which was scheduled to travel from New York City to Liverpool. Melville, always interested in sea travel, gladly accepted the position and his subsequent stint on the St. Lawrence—his first sea voyage—would prove valuable to his later literary work: Redburn: His First Voyage, written several years after the St. Lawrence voyage, is said to be largely based on Melville 's life as a crew member of the vessel. Redburn, an embellished, romanticized version of Melville 's reallife experiences—much like his other novels—was published in 1849.
In 1841, Melville embarked on his second sea voyage: He was hired to work aboard the
Acushnet, a whaling ship. His subsequent journey would last nearly three years and spur the creation of his first novel, Typee. According to the book, in 1842, the Acushnet arrived at the
Marquesas Islands in Polynesia, where Melville and a crewmate deserted the ship and, soon after, were captured by local cannibals. The two spent nearly four months as captives before
3 escaping and boarding another whaling ship, the Lucy Ann, working as part of its crew, according to Melville 's literary