文档介绍：American novelist, essayist and poet . Born in August 1, 1819 in the United States of New York Best known for his novel Moby-Di ck Early life He was born into an American merchant family. His father's bankruptcy led him a bad life. His father was died. Three years later he had to drop out of school. Family circumstances was worse he had to a seek job. He worked as a farmer, staff, teachers, seaman, Navy. Travels in the Pacific (1841-1845) In 1841, he became a seaman on the whaling ship. He went to many places in the world. He and the other partners on the whaling ship , with the captain ’ s autocratic behavior to do a struggle. He had lived for a period of time at a man-eating custom tribe. Later, he joined the American warship "American ". In 1845 when he landed in Boston, ending his own life at sea. Retiring from the army In 1845, he left the army and returned to American, started his writing life. In 1867, he had a customs job. In 1891, he died at his home in New York City When he died in 1891, he was pletely forgotten. It was not until the "Melville Revival" in the early 20th century that his work won recognition, especially Moby- Dick, which was hailed as one of the literary masterpieces of both American and world literature. In 1919 the unfinished manuscript for his novella Billy Budd was discovered by his first biographer. He published a version in 1924 which was quickly acclaimed by notable British critics as another masterpiece of Melville's. He was the first writer to have his works collected and published by the Library of America . Summary The story tells the adventures of wandering sailor Ishmael and his voyage on the whaling ship Pequod , commanded by Captain Ahab. Ahab has one purpose on this voyage: to seek out Moby Dick . It destroyed Ahab's boat and bit off his leg, which now drives Ahab to take revenge. The whale eventually destroys the whaleboats and crew, and sinks the Pequod. The gene