Typee: A Peep At Polynesian Life

Details

Almost from the time of its publication, Melville's first book, Typee (1846), has been recognized as a classic of travel and adventure literature. It was immensely popular in Melville's lifetime, and often regarded as his best work. It established his reputation as the literary discoverer of the South Seas, and continued to inspire the likes of Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Frederick O'Brien.

Loosely based on Melville's first-hand experience as a guest-captive of the (allegedly cannibalistic) natives of the Marquesas Islands, it is a fast-moving and humorous adventure tale, describing the Typee culture, customs, and beliefs with a mixture of admiration, curiosity, and criticism. The narrator also describes his escape attempts, his friendship with his companion Toby and servant Kory-Kory, and his island romance with the beautiful Fayaway.

The book is both an anthropological study and a philosophical reflection on the contrast between civilization and savagery, an examination of the nature of good and evil, and a frank exploration of sensuality and exotic ritual.

The subtitle--"A Peep at Polynesian Life"--obliquely suggests an island "peep show," wherein the narrator (who only calls himself "Tom") is a kind of "Peeping Tom": the legendary character who refused to avert his eyes during Lady Godiva's famous ride through town. In that vein, Tom encounters "noble" and "nubile" savages alike.

Initially rejected by critics as too fantastic to be true, scholars continue to discuss the book's veracity in terms of its imaginative embellishments and unacknowledged use of secondary sources.

Week 1: 6/9: chapters 1-11
Week 2: 6/16: chapters 12-24
Week 3: 6/23: chapters 25-34, The Story of Toby

Note: This meetup will be recorded for private use.

Typee:

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