From masterpieces such as Moby Dick to analyses like Battle-Pieces and Aspects of War, Herman Melville has certainly left his mark on the literary world. Melville is a force to be reckoned with, with a majority of his works centered around morality and man’s struggle between himself and his mind. He was an important writer then and is still a crucial figure in American literature to this day.

Melville was born on August 1st, 1819 in New York City. He came from a family filled with war heroes from the Revolutionary War. Although he lived wealthily in his early years, eventually, his parents’ debts caught up with them, though it didn’t change Melville’s relationship with them. When his father died, his mother’s own beliefs had started to influence the family more. Despite the family’s financial struggles, Melville managed to continue with his education by self-studying, and in order to support himself, he took on odd jobs such as teaching and farming.

When he turned 20, Melville decided to sail on a merchant ship. Although it was a wonderful adventure, he and another seaman were stranded on an island filled with cannibals. Melville managed to escape and went to another island to work as a potato farmer. He took more odd jobs during this time, traveling the islands as he went. Eventually, he came back to the States, determined to write about his adventures.

His first book, Typee, provided him a foundation for his literary career. Though many publishers refused to publish his manuscript on the basis that it wasn’t realistic, the book soon garnered attention after one of Melville’s former crewmates validated the story. With this success, he published more books, including Mardi and a Voyage Thither and Redburn and White-jacket. As the novels provided him with more financial resources, Melville decided to write and publish what would become known as Moby Dick.

Although Melville had hoped for more from Moby Dick, despite its glowing reviews, many critics shrugged the novel off. It was this venture that left Melville struggling financially. He did write other novels such as Pierre and Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile, but they were met with poor reception and sales. Melville eventually took up another job working at the docks. He traveled to alleviate his depression, but when his son, Malcolm, committed suicide, he further pushed himself away, attempting to escape.

Ironically, it was only after Melville's death did his works become renowned world classics. It even sparked a Melville revival, where his works were reassessed by scholars such as Carl Van Doren and Raymond Weaver. With his unapologetic portrayal of human nature, Melville became a microscope that allowed people to analyze themselves. And while the picture is far from pretty, he provided an accurate depiction of humanity in and of itself. He became a basis for other writers to create compelling characters. Melville demands that people understand themselves and the world around them, and is thus the reason why he remains a beloved writer today.