This unique introduction explores Herman Melville as he described himself in Billy Budd-"a writer whom few know." Moving beyond the recurring depiction of Melville as the famous author of Moby-Dick, this book traces his development as a writer while providing the basic tools for successful critical reading of his novels.
Offers a brief introduction to Melville, covering all his major works
Showcases Melville's writing process through his correspondence with Nathaniel Hawthorne
Provides a clear sense of Melville's major themes and preoccupations
Focuses on Typee, Moby-Dick, and Billy Budd in individual chapters
Includes a biography, summary of key works, interpretation, commentary, and an extensive bibliography.
About the Author
Wyn Kelley is a Senior Lecturer in the Literature Faculty at MIT. She is the author of Melville's City: Literary and Urban Form in Nineteenth-Century New York (1996) and editor of A Companion to Herman Melville (Blackwell, 2006) and an edition of Benito Cereno 2006, and has also written a number of essays on Melville. She is Associate Editor of the Melville Society journal Leviathan.
Features
Offers a brief introduction to Melville, covering all his major works
Provides a clear sense of Melville’s major themes and preoccupations
Focuses on Typee, Moby-Dick, and Billy Budd in individual chapters
Showcases Melville’s writing process through his correspondence with Nathaniel Hawthorne
Includes a biography, summary of key works, interpretation, commentary, and an extensive bibliography
