Redburn | Redburn

At a glance:

Author: Herman Melville
First Published: 1849
Type of Work: Novel
Type of Plot: Bildungsroman
Time of Work: c. 1839
Genres: Long fiction, Bildungsroman, Adventure
Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., Suffering, United States or Americans, Suicide, Nineteenth century, Friendship, Immigration or emigration, England or English people, Ships, Sailing or sailors, Atlantic Ocean, Shipping
Locales: New York, NY, Oceans, Liverpool, England

Highlander. Ship on which the young sailor Wellingborough Redburn travels between Liverpool and New York City; based on the actual ship, the St. Lawrence, in which Melville made a similar trip in 1839. As with his depiction of Liverpool, Melville’s description of the ship serves different purposes at different times. At first the ship is simply a dose of reality counteracting Redburn’s fantasies. Before actually going to sea, Redburn has an idealized notion of sailor life. Once aboard ship, he discovers the hardships of being a sailor but also...

Redburn | Redburn

At a glance:

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