Biography of Herman Melville

Herman was born on August 1, 1819, to parents that each had claim to prominent Revolutionary war figures. His father, Allan Melville, was an "importer of French Goods and Commission Merchant." (249-267) Allan Melville was a descendant of Maj. Thomas Melvill, who took a leading part in the Boston Tea Party. Herman Melville's mother, Maria Gansevoort Melvill, was not only a descendant of the prominent Knickerbocker family, but also of Gen. Peter Gansevoort, who held his commission under George Washington. The family lived in New York City, and suffered severe loss in 1832 when Melville's father went bankrupt, then suffered from delirium and died. The family became very poor.

In his early twenties after working in his brother's store, serving as a school teacher for a brief stint, taking in some education, and serving as a deck hand for a short time, Melville decided it was best to leave his family (and the poverty) behind and signed on as a seaman aboard a whaling ship in 1841. He did not return to New York until 1844; during his time away he spent time in Marquesas, Tahiti, and Honolulu, and had held many positions.

Melville began his first novel at the age of twenty-five. The novel was Typee, a story of a sailor who jumped ship (based on his own experience) and explored the lifestyle of the island people. It was followed shortly thereafter in the sequel, Omoo. It was in these two novels that Melville examined the theme of civilization versus primitive societies, and even the act, or lifestyle, of cannibalism.

In 1847 Melville found new success; the editor of Literary World, a new publication, asked Melville to write book reviews. This is also the year that Melville married Elizabeth Shaw, the daughter of the Chief Justice of Massachusetts. The couple had four children between the years of between 1851 and 1855, Malcolm, Stanwix, Elizabeth and Frances.