Herman Melville Quotes

Powerful Herman Melville for Daily Growth

About Herman Melville

Herman Melville (1819-1891), an American novelist, poet, and short story writer, is renowned as a literary icon, best known for his whale-centric masterpiece "Moby-Dick." Born on August 1, 1819, in New York City to Allan Melville and Maria Gansevoort Melville, Herman was the third of five children. He grew up in a well-educated and affluent family that valued reading and the arts. Melville's life took a dramatic turn when he enlisted as a common seaman on a whaling ship at age 20. His experiences aboard the whaleship Acushnet, particularly the harrowing encounter with a sperm whale, provided the raw material for "Moby-Dick." After four years at sea and a brief stint in the Army, Melville returned home and began publishing short stories and poems in various magazines. In 1849, he published his first novel, "Typee," an autobiographical account of his time on the Marquesas Islands. His next book, "Omoo" (1847), chronicled his experiences among the Polynesians. However, it was "Moby-Dick," published in 1851, that catapulted Melville to fame and has since been regarded as a classic of American literature. Following the mixed reception of "Moby-Dick" and struggling with financial difficulties, Melville shifted his focus from sea tales to works dealing with social issues. His later novels, such as "Pierre: or The Ambiguities" (1852) and "The Confidence-Man" (1857), although less popular, demonstrate his literary brilliance and exploration of complex themes. Despite his prolific writing career and immense talent, Melville's popularity waned, and he died relatively unknown on September 28, 1891. However, in the years following his death, the literary world rediscovered and began to appreciate his body of work, solidifying Herman Melville's place as a seminal figure in American literature.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Call me Ishmael." - Moby Dick

The opening line, "Call me Ishmael," is a form of narration known as the first-person limited omniscient narrative. In "Moby Dick," Herman Melville introduces the protagonist, Ishmael, as both the narrator and main character. This technique allows readers to experience events through Ishmael's eyes, while also providing insight into the novel's themes and characters. The phrase serves to establish an intimate connection between the reader and the narrator, inviting us on a journey of self-discovery and adventure in pursuit of the elusive white whale.

"To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme." - Moby Dick

This quote emphasizes that to create an impactful, significant work, the subject matter or theme should be equally profound and far-reaching. In the case of "Moby Dick," Melville chose the theme of man versus nature (represented by the white whale) as a metaphor for deeper human struggles such as obsession, vengeance, and the inherent conflict between man's ambition and the capriciousness of fate. By selecting an epic and universal theme, he created a novel that resonates deeply with readers even today.

"It is not down in any map; true places never are." - Moby Dick

This quote by Herman Melville, from "Moby Dick," suggests that the most meaningful and profound experiences in life cannot be found on a traditional map or guidebook. These are the places (or life experiences) that one encounters when venturing beyond the known paths, where personal growth occurs and true understanding of oneself and the world is gained. In essence, Melville encourages exploration of the unknown and introspection to discover our own unique, authentic journeys in life.

"We were together. I forget the rest." - Billy Budd, Sailor and Harborsmaster

This quote by Herman Melville from "Billy Budd, Sailor and Harbormaster" emphasizes the profound power of camaraderie and shared experiences. The speaker forgets the details of their time together, implying that the connection and memories they built are more important than specific events or actions. It underscores the idea that strong relationships can create lasting bonds that endure beyond individual moments in life.

"The great sharks of the sea may be caught at any time, but only on certain bait." - Moby Dick

This quote emphasizes that success, represented by catching the "great sharks" or overcoming significant challenges, can only be achieved through the right approach, symbolized as "certain bait". Just as a fisherman must use the appropriate bait to catch a particular fish, one must employ specific strategies, knowledge, and mindset to overcome complex problems or reach lofty goals. This quote underscores the importance of understanding the unique requirements for success in any endeavor and reminds us that there is no universal formula for achieving greatness.

Yet habit - strange thing! what cannot habit accomplish?

- Herman Melville

Habit, Accomplish, Cannot, Strange Thing

There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes his whole universe for a vast practical joke.

- Herman Melville

Practical, Queer, Mixed, Occasions

There are times when even the most potent governor must wink at transgression, in order to preserve the laws inviolate for the future.

- Herman Melville

Laws, Preserve, Potent, Transgression

To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it.

- Herman Melville

Book, Enduring, Though, Flea

There is something wrong about the man who wants help. There is somewhere a deep defect, a want, in brief, a need, a crying need, somewhere about that man.

- Herman Melville

Deep, Need, Brief, Crying

To be hated cordially, is only a left-handed compliment.

- Herman Melville

Compliment, Only, Hated, Left-Handed

A smile is the chosen vehicle of all ambiguities.

- Herman Melville

Smile, Vehicle, Chosen, Ambiguity

Truth is the silliest thing under the sun. Try to get a living by the Truth and go to the Soup Societies. Heavens! Let any clergyman try to preach the Truth from its very stronghold, the pulpit, and they would ride him out of his church on his own pulpit bannister.

- Herman Melville

Church, Soup, Very, Pulpit

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.

- Herman Melville

Better, Fail, Than, Imitation

He piled upon the whale's white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst his hot heart's shell upon it.

- Herman Melville

Been, Hump, Mortar, Shell

Heaven have mercy on us all - Presbyterians and Pagans alike - for we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending.

- Herman Melville

Need, About, Sadly, Cracked

There is no dignity in wickedness, whether in purple or rags; and hell is a democracy of devils, where all are equals.

- Herman Melville

Hell, Hell Is, Wickedness, Rags

Know, thou, that the lines that live are turned out of a furrowed brow.

- Herman Melville

Know, Turned, Brow, Thou

It is not down in any map; true places never are.

- Herman Melville

True, Places, Never, Map

In this world, shipmates, sin that pays its way can travel freely, and without passport; whereas Virtue, if a pauper, is stopped at all frontiers.

- Herman Melville

Way, Frontiers, Stopped, Freely

There is one knows not what sweet mystery about this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath.

- Herman Melville

Some, Hidden, Beneath, Gently

There are hardly five critics in America; and several of them are asleep.

- Herman Melville

Critics, Them, Several, Hardly

Faith, like a jackal, feeds among the tombs, and even from these dead doubts she gathers her most vital hope.

- Herman Melville

Faith, Like, Doubts, Tombs

There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method.

- Herman Melville

Some, Which, Method, Enterprises

Better sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian.

- Herman Melville

Sleep, Better, Drunken, Cannibal

A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.

- Herman Melville

College, Ship, Whale, Yale

Hope is the struggle of the soul, breaking loose from what is perishable, and attesting her eternity.

- Herman Melville

Her, Eternity, Perishable, Struggle

Some dying men are the most tyrannical; and certainly, since they will shortly trouble us so little for evermore, the poor fellows ought to be indulged.

- Herman Melville

Will, Some, Certainly, Tyrannical

At sea a fellow comes out. Salt water is like wine, in that respect.

- Herman Melville

Salt, Like, Fellow, Wine

There are some persons in this world, who, unable to give better proof of being wise, take a strange delight in showing what they think they have sagaciously read in mankind by uncharitable suspicions of them.

- Herman Melville

Think, Give, Some, Delight

There is a touch of divinity even in brutes, and a special halo about a horse, that should forever exempt him from indignities.

- Herman Melville

Touch, About, Divinity, Exempt

It is impossible to talk or to write without apparently throwing oneself helplessly open.

- Herman Melville

Talk, Throwing, Apparently, Open

Toil is man's allotment; toil of brain, or toil of hands, or a grief that's more than either, the grief and sin of idleness.

- Herman Melville

Hands, Idleness, Either, Grief

A man thinks that by mouthing hard words he understands hard things.

- Herman Melville

Hard Things, Hard Words, Understands

Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its ragged edges.

- Herman Melville

Truth, Always, Ragged, Edges

Old age is always wakeful; as if, the longer linked with life, the less man has to do with aught that looks like death.

- Herman Melville

Death, Always, Like, Linked

They talk of the dignity of work. The dignity is in leisure.

- Herman Melville

Work, Talk, Dignity, Leisure

The march of conquest through wild provinces, may be the march of Mind; but not the march of Love.

- Herman Melville

Love, Mind, Through, March

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.

- Herman Melville

Hell, Last, Thee, Sake

Where do murderers go, man! Who's to doom, when the judge himself is dragged to the bar?

- Herman Melville

Go, Himself, Doom, Bar

There is all of the difference in the world between paying and being paid.

- Herman Melville

World, Difference, Paying, Paid

We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.

- Herman Melville

Fibers, We Cannot, Ourselves, Fellow

There is no quality in this world that is not what it is merely by contrast. Nothing exists in itself.

- Herman Melville

World, Contrast, Itself, Exists

To know how to grow old is the master work of wisdom, and one of the most difficult chapters in the great art of living.

- Herman Melville

Art, Grow, Living, Master

Let us speak, though we show all our faults and weaknesses, - for it is a sign of strength to be weak, to know it, and out with it - not in a set way and ostentatiously, though, but incidentally and without premeditation.

- Herman Melville

Strength, Set, Though, Weaknesses

He who has never failed somewhere, that man can not be great.

- Herman Melville

Man, Never, He, Failed

There is nothing namable but that some men will, or undertake to, do it for pay.

- Herman Melville

Will, Nothing, Some, Undertake

Is there some principal of nature which states that we never know the quality of what we have until it is gone?

- Herman Melville

Principal, Some, Which, Quality

Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises... the best excellence in the children of any other land.

- Herman Melville

Excellence, Other, Before, Mediocrity

There is sorrow in the world, but goodness too; and goodness that is not greenness, either, no more than sorrow is.

- Herman Melville

World, Either, Too, Goodness

To be called one thing, is oftentimes to be another.

- Herman Melville

Another, One Thing, Thing, Oftentimes

Truth is in things, and not in words.

- Herman Melville

Truth, Words, Things, Truth Is

Friendship at first sight, like love at first sight, is said to be the only truth.

- Herman Melville

Love, Friendship, Truth, First

I am, as I am; whether hideous, or handsome, depends upon who is made judge.

- Herman Melville

I Am, Handsome, Depends, Judge

Whatever fortune brings, don't be afraid of doing things.

- Herman Melville

Doing, Fortune, Afraid, Brings

Art is the objectification of feeling.

- Herman Melville

Art, Objectification, Feeling

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