Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas, Volume Two, Scholarly Edition

by Herman Melville, Harrison Hayford (Editor), G. Thomas Tanselle (Editor), Hershel Parker (Editor)

Overview

Melville's second book, Omoo, begins where his first book, Typee, left off. As the author said, "It embraces adventures in the South Seas (of a totally different character from 'Typee') and includes an eventful cruise in an English Colonial Whaleman (a Sydney Ship) and a comical residence on the island of Tahiti." The popular success of his first novel encouraged Melville to write a sequel, hoping it would be "a fitting successor." Typee describes Polynesian life in its "primitive" state, while Omoo represents it as affected by non-native influences.

This scholarly edition aims to present a text as close to the author's intention as surviving evidence permits. Based on collations of all editions publishing during Melville's lifetime, it incorporates author corrections and many emendations made by the present editors. This edition of Omoo is an Approved Text of the Center for Editions of American Authors (Modern Language Association of America).

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780810101623
Publisher:	Northwestern University Press
Publication date:	06/01/1968
Series:	Melville
Edition description:	1
Pages:	381
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

HERMAN MELVILLE (1819-1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. He is best known for his novel Moby-Dick. His first three books gained much contemporary attention (the first, Typee, becoming a bestseller), and after a fast-blooming literary success in the late 1840s, his popularity declined precipitously in the mid-1850s and never recovered during his lifetime. When he died in 1891, he was almost completely 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. He was the first writer to have his works collected and published by the Library of America.

Date of Birth:

August 1, 1819

Date of Death:

September 28, 1891

Place of Birth:

New York, New York

Place of Death:

New York, New York

Education:

Attended the Albany Academy in Albany, New York, until age 15

Table of Contents

Chapter I	My Reception Aboard	1
Chapter II	Some Account of the Ship	5
Chapter III	Further Account of the Julia	9
Chapter IV	A Scene in the Forecastle	12
Chapter V	What Happened at Hytyhoo	15
Chapter VI	We Touch at La Dominica	19
Chapter VII	What happened at Hannamanoo	21
Chapter VIII	The Tattooers of La Dominica	25
Chapter IX	We steer to the Westward--State of Affairs	28
Chapter X	A Sea-parlour described, with some of its Tenants	33
Chapter XI	Doctor Long Ghost a Wag--One of his Capers	36
Chapter XII	Death and Burial of Two of the Crew	39
Chapter XIII	Our Destination changed	45
Chapter XIV	Rope Yarn	46
Chapter XV	Chips and Bungs	50
Chapter XVI	We encounter a Gale	52
Chapter XVII	The Coral Islands	54
Chapter XVIII	Tahiti	58
Chapter XIX	A Surprise--More about Bembo	60
Chapter XX	The Round Robin--Visitors from Shore	66
Chapter XXI	Proceedings of the Consul	70
Chapter XXII	The Consul's Departure	76
Chapter XXIII	The Second Night off Papeetee	78
Chapter XXIV	Outbreak of the Crew	83
Chapter XXV	Jermin encounters an old Shipmate	85
Chapter XXVI	We enter the Harbour--Jim the Pilot	88
Chapter XXVII	A Glance at Papeetee--We are sent aboard the Frigate	93
Chapter XXVIII	Reception from the Frenchman	97
Chapter XXIX	The Reine Blanche	99
Chapter XXX	They take Us Ashore--What happened there	102
Chapter XXXI	The Calabooza Beretanee	106
Chapter XXXII	Proceedings of the French at Tahiti	112
Chapter XXXIII	We receive Calls at the Hotel de Calabooza	117
Chapter XXXIV	Life at the Calabooza	121
Chapter XXXV	Visit from an old Acquaintance	123
Chapter XXXVI	We are carried before the Consul and Captain	128
Chapter XXXVII	The French Priests pay their Respects	131
Chapter XXXVIII	Little Jule sails without Us	135
Chapter XXXIX	Jermin serves Us a Good Turn--Friendships in Polynesia	140
Chapter XL	We take unto Ourselves Friends	145
Chapter XLI	We Levy Contributions on the Shipping	147
Chapter XLII	Motoo-Otoo--A Tahitian Casuist	150
Chapter XLIII	One is judged by the Company He keeps	153
Chapter XLIV	Cathedral of Papoar--The Church of the Cocoanuts	155
Chapter XLV	A Missionary's Sermon; with some Reflections	159
Chapter XLVI	Something about the Kannakippers	164
Chapter XLVII	How They dress in Tahiti	168
Chapter XLVIII	Tahiti as it is	171
Chapter XLIX	Same Subject continued	177
Chapter L	Something happens to Long Ghost	181
Chapter LI	Wilson gives us the Cut--Departure for Imeeo	185
Chapter LII	The Valley of Martair	188
Chapter LIII	Farming in Polynesia	192
Chapter LIV	Some Account of the Wild Cattle in Polynesia	196
Chapter LV	A Hunting Ramble with Zeke	199
Chapter LVI	Mosquitoes	203
Chapter LVII	The Second Hunt in the Mountains	205
Chapter LVIII	The Hunting-Feast; and a Visit to Afrehitoo	210
Chapter LIX	The Murphies	212
Chapter LX	What they thought of Us in Martair	216
Chapter LXI	Preparing for the Journey	219
Chapter LXII	Tamai	222
Chapter LXIII	A Dance in the Valley	225
Chapter LXIV	Mysterious	227
Chapter LXV	The Hegira, or Flight	229
Chapter LXVI	How We were to get to Taloo	234
Chapter LXVII	The Journey round the Beach	236
Chapter LXVIII	A Dinner-Party in Imeeo	242
Chapter LXIX	The Cocoa-Palm	245
Chapter LXX	Life at Loohooloo	249
Chapter LXXI	We start for Taloo	251
Chapter LXXII	A Dealer in the Contraband	255
Chapter LXXIII	Our Reception in Partoowye	259
Chapter LXXIV	Retiring for the Night--The Doctor grows Devout	264
Chapter LXXV	A Ramble through the Settlement	267
Chapter LXXVI	An Island Jilt--We Visit the Ship	270
Chapter LXXVII	A Party of Rovers--Little Loo and the Doctor	274
Chapter LXXVIII	Mrs. Bell	277
Chapter LXXIX	Taloo Chapel--Holding Court in Polynesia	279
Chapter LXXX	Queen Pomaree	284
Chapter LXXXI	We visit the Court	289
Chapter LXXXII	Which ends the Book	294