Herman Melville - American Renaissance

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Herman Melville and the American Renaissance

Do you know Herman Melville or any of the books he wrote?

Yes

No

Who is Herman Melville?

•  Born in 1819
  
•  Allan and Maria Melvill
•  Albany Classical Academy  -> Lansingburgh Academy
•  Passion for writing

Books

- Omoo, Typee, White-Jacket and Redburn

- Moby Dick and Pierre

- Benito Cereno and Bartleby the Scrivener

- Clarel

Where was Herman Melville born?

1. Washington
2. Millville
3. New York
4. Philadelphia

How many children did he have?

1. 1
2. 5
3. 2
4. 3

What is his most famous book?

1. Moby Dick
2. Benito Cereno

What was his mentor's name?

Characteristics

• Past movements 
  
• Name explanation
• Criticized
• National self-confidence
• Distinguish from the British literature
• Humanism

Famous writers

• Richest periods
• Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Henry David Thoreau
• Herman Melville

• Emily Dickinson
• Edgar Allen Poe

Famous Writers

• Feminism 
• Optimistic writers
• Dark writers
• Emily Dickenson

Spirit of time

• Transcendental movement
• Young country
•  1830, independent 1776
• Transport
• Equality
• Movement against slavery

What do you already know about abolitionism?

Abolitionism

• 1830-1865
• North- and South-America
•  books
• Civil war

Benito Cereno

• Delano and Benito Cereno, Babo
• hierarchy
• turning point
•  Delano's ship
• punished

Abolitionism and Benito Cereno

• Pro or anti-slavery 

Pro slavery

Three black boys, with two Spanish boys, were sitting together on the hatches, scraping a rude wooden platter, in which some scanty mess had recently been cooked. Suddenly, one of the black boys, enraged at a word dropped by one of his white companions, seized a knife, and

though called to forbear by one of the oakum-pickers, struck the lad over the head, inflicting a gash from which blood flowed.

In amazement, Captain Delano inquired what this meant. To which the pale Benito dully muttered, that it was merely the sport of the lad.

“Pretty serious sport, truly,” rejoined Captain Delano. “Had such a thing happened on board the Bachelor’s Delight, instant punishment would have followed.”

Pro slavery

• Slaves: agressive
  
• Spanish: sad, pathetic

Anti-slavery

• Slaves submissive
• Slaves not in charge
• No less

Relevance today

• America 
• Racism today:              George Floyd
•  Mental illness

Opinion

• hard, interesting 
• important period of time
• Sad, but interesting