Herman Melville Quotes

A collection of quotes by Herman Melville.

Herman Melville (1819-1891) was an American author and poet, best known for his novel "Moby-Dick." He was born in New York City and grew up in a financially struggling family. At the age of 18, Melville began his seafaring career by joining a merchant ship that sailed to Liverpool, marking the beginning of his adventurous life at sea. These experiences would later inform his writings.

Melville's early works, such as "Typee" and "Omoo," were inspired by his experiences as a sailor in the South Pacific. These novels gained him literary recognition and acclaim. However, it was his masterpiece, "Moby-Dick," published in 1851, that secured his place as one of America's greatest writers, although it initially received mixed reviews and had limited commercial success during his lifetime.

Following the publication of "Moby-Dick," Melville's subsequent works, including "Pierre" and "The Confidence-Man," were less successful critically and commercially. As a result, he turned away from writing novels and spent the last years of his life working as a customs inspector in New York City. It was only after his death that his literary reputation began to be reevaluated, and he achieved posthumous recognition as a seminal figure in American literature.

Today, Herman Melville is celebrated for his profound explorations of human nature, morality, and the depths of the human psyche. His works continue to influence and inspire writers and readers worldwide.