1819 – 1891

Herman Melville

American writer and poet (1819–1891)

essayistart collectorlibrettistnovelistliterary critic

Born

1819-08-01, Manhattan

Died

1891-09-28

Birthplace state

New York

Biography

Herman Melville was an American writer of the American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works are Moby-Dick (1851); Typee (1846), a romanticized account of his experiences in Polynesia; and Billy Budd, Sailor, a posthumously published novella. At the time of his death, Melville was not well known to the public, but 1919, the centennial of his birth, was the starting point of a Melville revival. Moby-Dick would eventually be considered one of the Great American Novels.

Occupation

Herman Melville is recorded as a essayist, a art collector, a librettist, a novelist, a literary critic, a lecturer, a customs officer, a seaman, a poet, a sailor, a teacher and a writer, born in New York (1819–1891).

Connections to New York

Herman Melville was born in Manhattan, New York in 1819. Explore other notable figures from New York, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from New York›New Yorkhistory ›Historic sites in New York›

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Geology

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Conflict & War

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The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

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The Community

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Notable People

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Historical Maps

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Finds & Access

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Literature

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Points of Interest

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More notable figures from New York

Other historical figures born in New York, ranked by historical prominence.

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt

president of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1882–1945)

Theodore Roosevelt

26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909 (1858–1919)

Stanley Kubrick

American filmmaker (1928–1999)

Walt Whitman

American poet, essayist and journalist (1819–1892)

Eleanor Roosevelt

American diplomat and activist, First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1884–1962)

Martin Van Buren

president of the United States from 1837 to 1841

Frequently asked about Herman Melville

Who was Herman Melville?

Herman Melville was American writer and poet (1819–1891), born in New York (1819 – 1891).

When and where was Herman Melville born?

Herman Melville was born on 1819-08-01 in Manhattan.

When did Herman Melville die?

Herman died on 1891-09-28.

What was Herman Melville known for?

Herman Melville is recorded as a essayist, a art collector, a librettist, a novelist, a literary critic, a lecturer, a customs officer, a seaman, a poet, a sailor, a teacher and a writer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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