<P> Herman Melville ( August 1 , 1819 -- September 28 , 1891 ) was an American novelist , short story writer , and poet of the American Renaissance period . His best known works include Typee ( 1846 ) , a romantic account of his experiences in Polynesian life , and his whaling novel Moby - Dick ( 1851 ) . His work was almost forgotten during his last 30 years . His writing draws on his experience at sea as a common sailor , exploration of literature and philosophy , and engagement in the contradictions of American society in a period of rapid change . He developed a complex , baroque style ; the vocabulary is rich and original , a strong sense of rhythm infuses the elaborate sentences , the imagery is often mystical or ironic , and the abundance of allusion extends to biblical scripture , myth , philosophy , literature , and the visual arts . </P>
<P> Herman Melville ( August 1 , 1819 -- September 28 , 1891 ) was an American novelist , short story writer , and poet of the American Renaissance period . His best known works include Typee ( 1846 ) , a romantic account of his experiences in Polynesian life , and his whaling novel Moby - Dick ( 1851 ) . His work was almost forgotten during his last 30 years . His writing draws on his experience at sea as a common sailor , exploration of literature and philosophy , and engagement in the contradictions of American society in a period of rapid change . He developed a complex , baroque style ; the vocabulary is rich and original , a strong sense of rhythm infuses the elaborate sentences , the imagery is often mystical or ironic , and the abundance of allusion extends to biblical scripture , myth , philosophy , literature , and the visual arts . </P>
who was the first known author in the history of western literature
who was the first known author in the history of western literature
Herman Melville
Herman Melville