Herman Melville

Presents a variety of new essays on this American writer. For readers who are studying Melville for the first time, a biographical sketch relates the details of his life and four essays survey the critical reception of Melville's work, explore its cultural and historical contexts, and review key themes in his work. Readers seeking a deeper understanding can then move on to other essays that explore topics like Melville's symbolism, metaphysics, and aesthetics; his views on faith and religion; his responses to the issues of his day, like slavery, industrialisation, and American democracy.