The Life and Legacy of Herman Melville

Herman Melville was born on August 1, 1819, in New York City. The third of eight children, he faced a turbulent childhood after his father's business failures and death, which thrust the family into financial hardship.

To escape his family's poverty, Melville went to sea at age 19. His adventures included whaling in the Pacific, a mutiny, and living among cannibals in the Marquesas Islands, which inspired his early novels.

Melville's first books, 'Typee' (1846) and 'Omoo' (1847), were popular travelogues based on his South Seas experiences. He enjoyed literary fame but struggled to replicate this success in his later works during his lifetime.

Now considered his masterpiece, 'Moby-Dick' was published in 1851 to mixed reviews. Its complex narrative and philosophical depth were unappreciated, leading to Melville's decline in popularity and financial strain.

Melville's later works, like 'Pierre' and 'The Confidence-Man', were commercial failures. He turned to poetry and eventually took a job as a customs inspector in New York, slipping into obscurity for the last decades of his life.

Melville's work was largely forgotten until the 'Melville Revival' in the early 20th century. Scholars reevaluated his literature, recognizing his genius. 'Moby-Dick' is now hailed as a cornerstone of American literature.

In his later years, Melville developed a passion for farming. He purchased a 160-acre farm in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, called Arrowhead, where he found solace in nature and agriculture despite his literary struggles.