Herman Melville (1819–1891) was an American writer, known best for his novels – including Moby Dick, which has consistently been short-listed among critics as a candidate for the Great American Novel. Taking to sea after his family met with financial ruin, Melville often wrote in his fiction and poetry about the sea and the exotic discoveries of his voyages, as reflected in this paean to tobacco. After all of his major fiction (except for the posthumously published Billy Budd) was published, Melville took up poetry as the main expression of his talent. While in many ways traditional in form, he also wrote several experimental poems, including his long poem, Clarel, an account of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land as a way to reconcile the ways of God to man – and vice versa. His verse, while not originally well-received, was after Melville’s death recognized by critics and poets alike as accomplished and, devoid of the usual ornament of poetry written at the time, even hinted at style employed by the Modernist movement in late 19th and early 20th century poetry.
Herman Melville (1819–1891) was an American writer, known best for his novels – including Moby Dick, which has consistently been short-listed among critics as a candidate for the Great American Novel. Taking to sea after his family met with financial ruin, Melville often wrote in his fiction and poetry about the sea and the exotic discoveries of his voyages, as reflected in this paean to tobacco. After all of his major fiction (except for the posthumously published Billy Budd) was published, Melville took up poetry as the main expression of his talent. While in many ways traditional in form, he also wrote several experimental poems, including his long poem, Clarel, an account of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land as a way to reconcile the ways of God to man – and vice versa. His verse, while not originally well-received, was after Melville’s death recognized by critics and poets alike as accomplished and, devoid of the usual ornament of poetry written at the time, even hinted at style employed by the Modernist movement in late 19th and early 20th century poetry.
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