Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas

Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas (1847) is Melville's sequel to Typee. The title is taken from a Polynesian term for "a rover, or rather, a person wandering from one island to another," fitting Melville's intention to portray the "'man about town' sort of life, led, at the present day, by roving sailors in the Pacific."

Beginning where the first book left off, the narrator flies from Nuku Hiva, then flies from his ship to another island, before flying back again--all the while supplemented with Melville's flights of fancy.

The distinction between fact and fiction is obscured by Melville's ironic sense of humor, and (as with Typee) contemporary reviewers were skeptical. Even the dedication to Melville's uncle--ironically, "a man who rarely left his home"--was not spared. Said one review: "Of the existence of Uncle Gansevoort... we are wholly incredulous."

Melville responded with redoubled irony in his third book, writing: "Not long ago, having published two narratives of voyages in the Pacific, which, in many quarters, were received with incredulity, the thought occurred to me, of indeed writing a romance of Polynesian adventure, and publishing it as such; to see whether, the fiction might not, possibly, be received for a verity: in some degree the reverse of my previous experience."

Schedule:

• Week 1: 6/30: chapters 1-27
• Week 2: 7/7: chapters 28-55
• Week 3: 7/14: chapters 56-82

Note: This meetup will be recorded for private use.

Omoo:

• Gutenberg
• Google Play
• Librivox

Supplemental:

• Noetic podcast with Jonathan Cook

Trivia:

• Sophia (wife of Nathaniel) Hawthorne nicknamed Melville "Mr. Omoo."

This meetup is part of a series on Fig Leaves and Fancy Pants.