I was particularly looking forward to Chapter 17 of Pierre after Dr. Stockton mentioned that from 17 on is where Melville starts to receive bad reviews of Moby Dick.
The chapter starts off with an embittered passage about two modes of writing, of which the narrator (fairly unambiguously Melville himself at this point I would argue) chooses to elect neither, finishing with the proclamation that “I write precisely as I please.” Melville separates writing into writing that all events/facts are set down together as they occur in time, and the other as the narrative calls for them. We’ve already talked about how Melville heads away from being a celebrated author to basically dying in obscurity. He continues his rant, discussing the literary hobby of Pierre -and dismisses his lack of criticism, noting that he is young and immature. Melville obviously needs a hug…
I wonder whether or not we can accept the aphoristic comment that he writes for himself, as we’ve seen through the historical context that he cares deeply about Hawthorne’s opinion, if no one elses’, and he is obviously angry about the lack of critical success/understanding for Moby Dick, which he believes to have been his great novel.
I’m excited to continue reading Pierre because of the opportunity to read more about what Melville thinks about writing, especially in response to negative criticism.
Did anyone else find Melville and Hawthorne’s relationship a little strange? Temple presents it in her essays that Melville as this really optimistic guy who thinks that we can overcome societal structures to come together as fellow (hu)man. His letters to Hawthorne show him trying to convince him that this sort of intimate bond is possible, despite what society tells them about relations between religion and sex and class. Temple points out that Moby-Dick’s Ishmael exemplifies that. Ish leaves society, develops close relationships with the men around him, and manages to live his life the way that he feels he should – in spite of how the society of the time would have viewed it. What an idealist.
And Nathaniel?
Well, his letters were destroyed, but Temple makes a good case for projecting Hawthrone on Coverdale. This makes Hawthorne out to be a the cynical opposite of his friend. While Melville sees the possibility for new sorts of relationships and overcoming contemporary society, Hawthorne feels like there is no escaping these ties. Coverdale and Hollingsworth clearly have chemistry, Coverdale (Hawthorne?) does not have it in him to transcend the boundaries that say that he should not act on his feelings (the same can be said for his relationships with the women in the commune).
whether or not it is wholly accurate, Temple paints a picture of Melville just laying himself out emotionally to Hawthorne, and Hawthorne, with what we can assume is a horrified look on his face, telling Melville that he is sick in the head and has no idea how reality functions. This really makes me curious to see if Pierre (which is chronologically after Moby and Blithedale) answers back to Hawthorne. While I’m sure thinking of the pair’s literary works as a conversation is overstating the case, it would seem that there is an element of this present.
These two could have made a great sitcom pair, don’t you think?
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