Journey through the works of Herman Melville-4

Continuing with novels #3-4 of Herman Melville.

#4. Omoo (1847). Melville's second novel, which continues the story told in Typee (see below). It is based on Melville's own adventures in the Pacific. It tells the story of a sailor's rescue from a Polynesian island, and his life at sea with an undermanned ship with an incompetent captain. As in most of Melville's books, he gains a confidante, the ship's former doctor, and they hatch a plan for escape. The book moves from grim life at sea to life in a Tahitian "jail" to life with tenant farmers on the island. This book is a scathing indictment of European policy in the Pacific Islands. Melville has little good to say about the Christian missionaries in this novel, and as in Typee he is very adamant in his denunciation of the "civilizing" of the Pacific islanders. Both British and French foreign policy come under attack. But within all of this, the story moves along nicely, with moving chapters about the islands and their people. It also very starkly shows that a life at sea is not just romantic and idyllic.

#3. Typee (1846). Melville's first novel, it caused a stir when first released. It was based on Melville's own time on the island of Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas group after abandoning the whaling ship he was working on. Maybe thought the tale embellished, but Melville was later proved to be truthful in its basics. This book was edited in England to remove some of the more offensive material about Protestant missionaries and their work in the Pacific. The book tells the story of a sailor's time in "captivity" among the Typee, a cannibalistic tribe inhabiting the island. Tommo, the narrator, spends four months with the tribe, learning their customs and ways. The book takes on a languid tone, as Tommo is welcomed as a member of the tribe, and allowed into their most secret places and rites. It presents in some ways an idealized picture of Polynesian life, but eventually Tommo's situation takes on a more desperate tone. Moments of peace, terror and suspense are found within these chapters. Melville became famous for writing these sea-adventures, but eventually resented their popularity, along with the pressure to do more like it. But both Typee and Omoo are wonderful novels, filled with great characters, descriptive scenes and powerful images.

Tomorrow, Melville's top two novels...