99 Top Quotes By Herman Melville, The Author Of Typee
Herman Melville was one of the greatest American writers and poets of the American Renaissance period. Tragically, most of the recognition that Melville today is showered upon came in after his life. He started his career as a sailor, later serving as a crew man in various vessels. It was his experience at sea that shaped much of his future career as a novelist and writer. The experience and adventure at sea formed the crux and gave a background for his debut book, ‘Typee’. His early success prompted him to write the novels, ‘Mardi’ and ‘Redburn’. He then came up with his masterpiece ‘Moby-Dick’. Although the novel failed commercially then, it is today considered as a work of sheer genius. Melville’s style was complex and baroque. His works are rich in vocabulary and have a strong sense of rhythm to them. Also, Melville in most of his works plays with imagery, creating allusion that extends to scripture, myth, philosophy, literature and the visual arts. His sheer genius can also be seen in his quotes that maps the emotional, physical and psychological existence of humans. He has written quotes on love, dignity, hope, democracy, success, failure, friendship, truth and so on. Read on to find some of the highly meaningful quotes by Herman Melville.
It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.
I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing.
A smile is the chosen vehicle of all ambiguities.
I do not think I have any uncharitable prejudice against the rattlesnake, still, I should not like to be one.
Better to sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunk Christian.
It is not down on any map; true places never are.
Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed.
As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.
I try all things, I achieve what I can.
I would prefer not to.
Talk not to me of blasphemy, man; I'd strike the sun if it insulted me.
For there is no folly of the beast of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men
...and Heaven have mercy on us all - Presbyterians and Pagans alike - for we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending.
Call me Ishmael.
Ignorance is the parent of fear.
I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.
A man thinks that by mouthing hard words he understands hard things.
...to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.
Human madness is oftentimes a cunning and most feline thing. When you think it fled, it may have but become transfigured into some still subtler form.
Think not, is my eleventh commandment; and sleep when you can, is my twelfth.
It is the easiest thing in the world for a man to look as if he had a great secret in him.
Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its jagged edges.
Real strength never impairs beauty or harmony, but it often bestows it, and in everything imposingly beautiful, strength has much to do with the magic.
To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.
A noble craft, but somehow a most melancholy! All noble things are touched with that.
I have written a wicked book, and feel spotless as the lamb.
Our souls are like those orphans whose unwedded mothers die in bearing them: the secret of our paternity lies in their grave, and we must there to learn it.
Beneath those stars is a universe of gliding monsters.
We cannot live for ourselves alone. Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads, and along these sympathetic fibers, our actions run as causes and return to us as results.
Whatever my fate, I'll go to it laughing.
