"The Twisted Mind": Madness in Herman Melville's FictionDrawing from two biographies of Melville, the author explores Melville's exposure to the topic of insanity in his life experiences and his reading. He then traces chronologically the development of the theme in Melville's fiction from Typee and Omoo through The Confidence-Man and Billy Budd, Sailor, finding parallels in Melville's initial fear, his struggle for understanding, and his ultimate acceptance and keen comprehension of insanity. |
Contents
Chapter Two Scientific Background | 9 |
Chapter Four Insane Figures in Redburn and WhiteJacket | 32 |
MobyDick | 50 |
Copyright | |
6 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
abnormal aboard accounts activities Ahab Ahab's Allan American appear asylum Bartleby become beginning behavior Billy Budd Captain causes Chapter characters City complex condition Confidence-Man crew critics death delirium described disease early effects emotional evidence experiences explains father fear feelings fiction figures final friends Herman Melville Howard ideas important indicate interest involved Isabel Ishmael kind later letter Library living Mardi materials Melville's mental mind Moby-Dick monomania months moral insanity narrator nature Note novel observations obsessed officers Omoo passage perhaps Pierre Pierre's poor portrayals possible Press Prichard psychological qualities Redburn references regarded remarkable reveals sailor sanity scene seems sense ship shows Society sometimes soul stories Street suffering suggest things thought tion Treatise Typee unconscious understanding University Vere whaling White-Jacket writing York York City