White-Jacket Or, The World in a Man-of-War

by Melville, Herman; Tanner, Tony; Dugdale, John

• ISBN13: 9780192838018
• ISBN10: 0192838016
• Additional ISBN(s): 9780192818287
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-03-30
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

In 1843, after three years of voyaging in the South Seas, Melville signedup as an ordinary seaman on the man-of-war United States, and headed for home.What he observed on that trip formed the basis of White-Jacket, a success bothas a story and as an expose of certain naval practices of which the public wasonly dimly aware.Melville's subtitle, 'The World in a Man-of-War', points to its broad theme:the autocratic, male regime aboard the Neversink is perhaps no more than amicrocosm of pre-Civil War America. But under his scandalized liberalism, hisdesire to expose and to reform a barbaric system which reflects badly on theDeclaration of Independence, runs an unspoken connection. The treatment metedout to the white men on the man-of-war is the same as that experienced by blackslaves in every state. With hindsight, Melville's novel is double-edged. This isthe only paperback edition currently available.

Table of Contents

Introduction	ix
Note on the Text	xxxv
Select Bibliography	xxxvii
A Chronology	xxxix
Herman Melville
WHITE-JACKET
Preface	1	(2)
The Jacket	3	(2)
Homeward Bound	5	(2)
A Glance at the principal Divisions into which a Man-of-war's Crew is divided	7	(5)
Jack Chase	12	(5)
Jack Chase on a Spanish Quarter-deck	17	(3)
The Quarter-deck Officers, Warrant Officers, and Berth-deck Underlings of a Man-of-war; where they live in the Ship; how they live; their social Standing on Shipboard; and what sort of Gentlemen they are	20	(9)
Breakfast, Dinner, and Supper	29	(3)
Selvagee contrasted with Mad Jack	32	(4)
Of the Pockets that were in the Jacket	36	(3)
From Pockets to Pickpockets	39	(2)
The Pursuit of Poetry under Difficulties	41	(4)
The good or bad Temper of Man-of-war's-men in a great degree attributable to their particular Stations and Duties aboard Ship	45	(6)
A Man-of-war Hermit in a Mob	51	(3)
A Drought in a Man-of-war	54	(3)
A Salt-Junk Club in a Man-of-war, with a Notice to quit	57	(9)
General Training in a Man-of-war	66	(7)
Away! Second, Third, and Fourth Cutters, Away!	73	(3)
A Man-of-war full as a Nut	76	(2)
The Jacket aloft	78	(3)
How they sleep in a Man-of-war	81	(2)
One Reason why Man-of-war's-men are generally short-lived	83	(3)
Wash-day and House-cleaning in a Man-of-war	86	(5)
Theatricals in a Man-of-war	91	(7)
Introductory to Cape Horn	98	(4)
The Dog-days off Cape Horn	102	(4)
The Pitch of the Cape	106	(6)
Some Thoughts growing out of Mad Jack's countermanding his Superior's Order	112	(5)
Edging away	117	(4)
The Night-watches	121	(3)
A Peep through a Port-hole at the subterranean Parts of a Man-of-war	124	(4)
The Gunner under Hatches	128	(4)
A Dish of Dunderfunk	132	(2)
A Flogging	134	(6)
Some of the evil Effects of Flogging	140	(4)
Flogging not lawful	144	(4)
Flogging not necessary	148	(6)
Some superior old `London Dock' from the Wine-coolers of Neptune	154	(2)
The Chaplain and Chapel in a Man-of-war	156	(4)
The Frigate in Harbour---the Boats---Grand State Reception of the Commodore	160	(6)
Some of the Ceremonies in a Man-of-war unnecessary and injurious	166	(2)
A Man-of-war Library	168	(3)
Killing Time in a Man-of-war in Harbour	171	(7)
Smuggling in a Man-of-war	178	(6)
A Knave in Office in a Man-of-war	184	(10)
Publishing Poetry in a Man-of-war	194	(2)
The Commodore on the Poop, and one of `the People' under the Hands of the Surgeon	196	(5)
An Auction in a Man-of-war	201	(6)
Purser, Purser's Steward, and Postmaster in a Man-of-war	207	(3)
Rumours of a War, and how they were received by the Population of the Neversink	210	(3)
The Bay of all Beauties	213	(3)
One of `the People' has an Audience with the Commodore and the Captain on the Quarter-deck	216	(3)
Something concerning Midshipmen	219	(6)
Seafaring Persons peculiarly subject to being under the Weather---the Effects of this upon a Man-of-war Captain	225	(3)
`The People' are given `Liberty'	228	(6)
Midshipmen entering the Navy early	234	(2)
A Shore Emperor on board a Man-of-war	236	(5)
The Emperor reviews `the People' at Quarters	241	(2)
A Quarter-deck Officer before the Mast	243	(2)
A Man-of-war Button divides two Brothers	245	(3)
A Man-of-war's-man shot at	248	(2)
The Surgeon of the Fleet	250	(5)
A Consultation of Man-of-war Surgeons	255	(3)
The Operation	258	(11)
Man-of-war Trophies	269	(3)
A Man-of-war Race	272	(6)
Fun in a Man-of-war	278	(3)
White-Jacket arraigned at the Mast	281	(5)
A Man-of-war Fountain, and other things	286	(4)
Prayers at the Guns	290	(5)
Monthly Muster round the Capstan	295	(4)
The Genealogy of the Articles of War	299	(3)
`Herein are the good Ordinances of the Sea, which wise Men, who voyaged round the World, gave to our Ancestors, and which constitute the Books of Science of good Customs'	302	(6)
Night and Day Gambling in a Man-of-war	308	(4)
The Maintop at Night	312	(9)
`Sink, Burn, and Destroy'	321	(4)
The Chains	325	(4)
The Hospital in a Man-of-war	329	(7)
Dismal Times in the Mess	336	(2)
How Man-of-war's-men die at Sea	338	(4)
The last Stitch	342	(3)
How they bury a Man-of-war's-men at Sea	345	(1)
What remains of a Man-of-war's-man after his Burial at Sea	346	(1)
A Man-of-war College	347	(5)
Man-of-war Barbers	352	(5)
The great Massacre of the Beards	357	(8)
The Rebels brought to the Mast	365	(2)
Old Ushant at the Gangway	367	(5)
Flogging through the Fleet	372	(4)
The social State in a Man-of-war	376	(3)
The Manning of Navies	379	(11)
Smoking-club in a Man-of-war, with Scenes on the Gun-deck, drawing near Home	390	(5)
The Last of the Jacket	395	(5)
Cable and Anchor all clear	400	(5)
The End	402	(3)
Variant Readings	405	(6)
Explanatory Notes	411	(23)
Sails	434	(1)
Some Nautical Terms	435