Herman Melville

Herman Melville (1819-1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet, best known for his novel *Moby-Dick* (1851). Born in New York City, Melville worked various jobs, including as a sailor, which deeply influenced his writing. His early success came with *Typee* (1846), a romanticized account of his adventures in the South Seas. However, it was *Moby-Dick*, a complex and symbolic narrative about the obsessive quest of Captain Ahab, that solidified his place in literary history. Despite its initial poor reception, the novel is now considered one of the greatest works of American literature. In 1856, Melville published *The Piazza Tales*, a collection of short stories that includes the famous "Bartleby, the Scrivener." He spent his later years working as a customs inspector in New York City and writing poetry, including the notable *Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War* (1866). Melville died in relative obscurity, but his work gained significant recognition posthumously.