Who was Herman Melville?

New Delhi: To honour Herman Melville on the 161st anniversary of the publication of Herman Melville's popular novel Moby-Dick, Google today posted a doodle on its homepage. But who was Herman Melville and why his landmark novel Moby-Dick became so popular?

Born on August 1, 1819, Herman Melville was an American novelist and poet. He is quite known for his novel Moby-Dick. From October 1830 to October 1831, Melville attended the Albany Academy, and again from October 1836 to March 1837, where he studied the classics. His three years after Albany Academy (1837 to 1840) were occupied with teaching school.

On January 3, 1841, Herman Melville sailed from Fairhaven, Massachusetts on the whalign ship Acushnet. He later said that his life began that day. He deserted the Acushnet in the Marquesas Islands in July 1842. After which, for three weeks, he stayed among the Typee natives. He later wrote a book - Typee, which was Melville's first novel. In the book he describes a brief love affair with a beautiful native girl, Fayaway. Herman Melville's first three books gained much attention; his first book Typee became the bestseller.

When he was in Hawaii he became a controversial figure for his opposition to the activities of Christian missionaries seeking to convert the native population. HE worked there as a clerk for around four months, and later joined the crew of the frigate USS United States, which reached Boston in October 1844.

He described all such experiences in Typee, Omoo, and White-Jacket, which were published as novels. Melville completed his novel Typee in 1845. But he had difficulty getting it published. Eventually, it was published in 1846 in London, and became an overnight bestseller.

The Boston publisher afterwards accepted Omoo. Typee and Omoo helped Merville gain a huge popularity, and gave him overnight renown as a writer and adventurer.

Melville in 1847 married Elizabeth Shaw, daughter of chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Lemuel Shaw. He fathered four children - two sons and two daughters.

While living at Arrowhead, Herma found his new friend the author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Melville was highly inspired and encouraged by his new relationship with Hawthorne during the period that he was writing Moby-Dick (dedicating it to Hawthorne). Their friendship survived for a short time. Moby-Dick, or, The Whale did not make Melville rich. The book Moby-Dick (1851) never sold its initial printing of 3,000 copies in his lifetime. Moby-Dick, also published as The Whale was first published in three volumes by Richard Bentley, London on October 18, 1851. Harper & Brothers, New York, published the first American edition on November 14, 1851.

He later wrote Pierre there. However, these works could not help Melville achieve the critical success of his earlier books. Billy Budd was his last great novel.

If reports are to be believed, Melville was not financially successful as a writer. He earned just over $10,000 for his writing during his lifetime. Herman died in 1891 at the age of 72. When he died, he was almost completely forgotten. But in the early 20th century, "Melville Revival" took place and his work won recognition, especially Moby-Dick. He is said to be the first writer to have his works collected and published by the Library of America.

The doodle commemorates the 161st anniversary of the publication of Herman Melville's landmark novel Moby-Dick. The Google Moby-Dick doodle depicts a scene from the novel and shows Captain Ahab commandeering a whaling boat with a harpoon in his hands ready to strike at the enigmatic white sperm whale.

Moby-Dick is swimming and spouting in the rough sea has his eyes on the whaling boat. The water from the spout replaces the letter 'L' in the Google logo.