Typee : A Peep at Polynesian Life

by Melville, Herman; Bryant, John; Bryant, John

• ISBN13: 9780140434880
• ISBN10: 0140434887
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-01-01
• Publisher: Penguin Classics

Summary

At one time the most popular of Melville's works, Typee was known as a travelogue that idealized and romanticized a mysterious South Sea island for readers in the ruthless, industrial, "civilized " world of the nineteenth century. But Melville's story of Tommo, the Yankee sailor who enters the flawed Pacific paradise of Nuku Hiva, is also a fast-moving adventure tale, an autobiographical account of the author's own Polynesian stay, an examination of the nature of good and evil, and a frank exploration of sensuality and exotic ritual. This edition of Typee, which reproduces the definitive text and the complete, never-before-published manuscript reading text, includes invaluable explanatory commentary by John Bryant.

Author Biography

Herman Melville (1819-91) was an American novelist, short-story writer, lecturer, and poet. Melville worked as a bank clerk, a clerk in a cap and fur store, a teacher, a sailor, an author, a farmer, and finally as a customs inspector. Besides his masterpiece, Moby-Dick, his books include Omoo (the sequel to Typee), The Confidence-Man, White-Jacket, Pierre, and The Piazza Tales. Melville died in obscurity at the age of seventy-two

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
	p. 3
The Sea
Longings for Shore
A Land-sick Ship
Destination of the Voyagers
The Marquesas
Adventure of a Missionary's Wife among the Savages
Characteristic Anecdote of the Queen of Nukuheva
	p. 9
Passage from the Cruising Ground to the Marquesas
Sleepy times aboard Ship
South Sea Scenery
Land ho!
The French Squadron discovered at Anchor in the Bay of Nukuheva
Strange Pilot
Escort of Canoes
A Flotilla of Cocoa-nuts
Swimming Visitors
The Dolly boarded by them
State of affairs that ensue
	p. 16
Some Account of the late operations of the French at the Marquesas
Prudent Conduct of the Admiral
Sensation produced by the Arrival of the Strangers
The first Horse seen by the Islanders
Reflections
Miserable Subterfuge of the French
Digression concerning Tahiti
Seizure of the Island by the Admiral
Spirited Conduct of an English Lady
	p. 20
State of Affairs aboard the Ship
Contents of her Larder
Length of South Seamen's Voyages
Account of a Flying Whaleman
Determination to Leave the Vessel
The Bay of Nukuheva
The Typees
Invasion of their Valley by Porter
Reflections
Glen of Tior
Interview between the old King and the French Admiral
	p. 30
Thoughts previous to attempting an Escape
Toby, a Fellow Sailor, agrees to share the Adventure
Last Night aboard the Ship
	p. 34
A Specimen of Nautical Oratory
Criticisms of the Sailors
The Starboard Watch are given a Holiday
The Escape to the Mountains
	p. 41
The other side of the Mountain
Disappointment
Inventory of Articles brought from the Ship
Division of the Stock of Bread
Appearance of the Interior of the Island
A Discovery
A Ravine and Waterfalls
A sleepless Night
Further Discoveries
My Illness
A Marquesan Landscape
	p. 50
The Important Question, Typee or Happar?
A Wild-Goose Chace
My Sufferings
Disheartening Situation
A Night in a Ravine
Morning Meal
Happy Idea of Toby
Journey towards the Valley
	p. 58
Perilous Passage of the Ravine
Descent into the Valley
	p. 66
The Head of the Valley
Cautious Advance
A Path
Fruit
Discovery of Two of the Natives
Their singular Conduct
Approach towards the inhabited parts of the Vale
Sensation produced by our Appearance
Reception at the House of one of the Natives
	p. 76
Midnight Reflections
Morning Visitors
A Warrior in Costume
A Savage AEsculapius
Practice of the Healing Art
Body Servant
A Dwelling-house of the Valley described
Portraits of its Inmates
	p. 88
Officiousness of Kory-Kory
His Devotion
A Bath in the Stream
Want of Refinement of the Typee Damsels
Stroll with Mehevi
A Typee Highway
The Taboo Groves
The Hoolah-Hoolah Ground
The Ti
Time-worn Savages
Hospitality of Mehevi
Midnight Misgivings
Adventure in the Dark
Distinguished Honors paid to the Visitors
Strange Procession and Return to the House of Marheyo
	p. 97
Attempt to procure Relief from Nukuheva
Perilous Adventure of Toby in the Happar Mountain
Eloquence of Kory-Kory
	p. 104
A great Event happens in the Valley
The Island Telegraph
Something befalls Toby
Fayaway displays a tender Heart
Melancholy Reflections
Mysterious Conduct of the Islanders
Devotion of Kory-Kory
A rural Couch
A Luxury
Kory-Kory strikes a Light a la Typee
	p. 113
Kindness of Marheyo and the rest of the Islanders
A full Description of the Bread-fruit Tree
Different Modes of preparing the Fruit
	p. 118
Melancholy condition
Occurrence at the Ti
Anecdote of Marheyo
Shaving the Head of a Warrior
	p. 123
Improvement in Health and Spirits
Felicity of the Typees
Their enjoyments compared with those of more enlightened Communities
Comparative Wickedness of civilized and unenlightened People
A Skirmish in the Mountain with the Warriors of Happar
	p. 131
Swimming in company with the Girls of the Valley
A Canoe
Effects of the Taboo
A pleasure Excursion on the Pond
Beautiful freak of Fayaway
Mantua-making
A Stranger arrives in the Valley
His mysterious conduct
Native Oratory
The Interview
Its Results
Departure of the Stranger
	p. 143
Reflections after Marnoo's Departure
Battle of the Pop-guns
Strange conceit of Marheyo
Process of making Tappa
	p. 149
History of a day as usually spent in the Typee Valley
Dances of the Marquesan Girls
	p. 153
The Spring of Arva Wai
Remarkable Monumental Remains
Some ideas with regard to the History of the Pi-Pis found in the Valley
	p. 157
Preparations for a Grand Festival in the Valley
Strange doings in the Taboo Groves
Monument of Calabashes
Gala costume of the Typee damsels
Departure for the Festival
	p. 163
The Feast of Calabashes
	p. 169
Ideas suggested by the Feast of Calabashes
Inaccuracy of certain published Accounts of the Islands
A Reason
Neglected State of Heathenism in the Valley
Effigy of a dead Warrior
A singular Superstition
The Priest Kolory and the God Moa Artua
Amazing Religious Observance
A dilapidated Shrine
Kory-Kory and the Idol
An Inference
	p. 180
General Information gathered at the Festival
Personal Beauty of the Typees
Their Superiority over the Inhabitants of the other Islands
Diversity of Complexion
A Vegetable Cosmetic and Ointment
Testimony of Voyagers to the uncommon Beauty of the Marquesans
Few Evidences of Intercourse with Civilized Beings
Dilapidated Musket
Primitive Simplicity of Government
Regal Dignity of Mehevi
	p. 188
King Mehevi
Allusion to his Hawiian Majesty
Conduct of Marheyo and Mehevi in certain delicate matters
Peculiar system of Marriage
Number of Population
Uniformity
Embalming
Places of Sepulture
Funeral obsequies at Nukuheva
Number of Inhabitants in Typee
Location of the Dwellings
Happiness enjoyed in the Valley
A Warning
Some ideas with regard to the Civilization of the Islands
Reference to the Present state of the Hawiians
Story of a Missionary's Wife
Fashionable Equipages at Oahu
Reflections
	p. 200
The Social Condition and General Character of the Typees
	p. 206
Fishing Parties
Mode of distributing the Fish
Midnight Banquet
Timekeeping Tapers
Unceremonious style of eating the Fish
	p. 210
Natural History of the Valley
Golden Lizards
Tameness of the Birds
Mosquitos
Flies
Dogs
A solitary Cat
The Climate
The Cocoa-nut Tree
Singular modes of climbing it
An agile young Chief
Fearlessness of the Children
Too-Too and the Cocoa-nut Tree
The Birds of the Valley
	p. 217
A Professor of the Fine Arts
His Persecutions
Something about Tattooing and Tabooing
Two Anecdotes in illustration of the latter
A few thoughts on the Typee Dialect
	p. 226
Strange custom of the Islanders
Their Chanting, and the peculiarity of their Voice
Rapture of the King at first hearing a Song
A new Dignity conferred on the Author
Musical Instruments in the Valley
Admiration of the Savages at beholding a Pugilistic Performance
Swimming Infant
Beautiful Tresses of the Girls
Ointment for the Hair
	p. 231
Apprehensions of Evil
Frightful Discovery
Some remarks on Cannibalism
Second Battle with the Happars
Savage Spectacle
Mysterious Feast
Subsequent Disclosures
	p. 240
The Stranger again arrives in the Valley
Singular Interview with him
Attempt to Escape
Failure
Melancholy Situation
Sympathy of Marheyo
The Escape	p. 245
Provisional cession to Lord George Paulet of the Sandwich Islands	p. 254
Sequel: The Story of Toby	p. 259
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