Melville's City Literary and Urban Form in Nineteenth-Century New York [Hardcover]

Through an examination of Melville's works, Kelley forges an analysis of connections between urban and literary form.Melville's City argues that Melville's relationship to the city is considerably more complex than has generally been believed. By placing him in the historical and cultural context of nineteenth-century New York, Kelley presents a Melville who borrows from the colorful cultural variety of the city while at the same time investigating its darker and more dangerous social aspects. Through examination of works spanning Melville's career, she forges a new analysis of the connections between urban and literary form.Melville's City argues that Melville's relationship to the city is considerably more complex than has generally been believed. By placing him in the historical and cultural context of nineteenth-century New York, Kelley presents a Melville who borrows from the colorful cultural variety of the city while at the same time investigating its darker and more dangerous social aspects. Through examination of works spanning Melville's career, she forges a new analysis of the connections between urban and literary form.Melville's City argues that Melville's relationship to the city is considerably more complex than has generally been believed. By placing him in the historical and cultural context of nineteenth-century New York, Kelley presents a Melville who borrows from the colorful cultural variety of the city while at the same time investigating its darker and more dangerous social aspects. Through examination of works spanning Melville's career, she forges a new analysis of the connections between urban and literary form.Introduction: Proud City, Proudest Town; Part I. Travelling the Town: 1. Urban space; 2. Spectator in the capital; 3. Provincial in a labyrinth; Part II. Escaping the City: 4. Town ho; 5. Sojourner in the city of man; 6. Pilgrim in the city of God; Conclusion. Citified man; Notes; Index. Highly recommended for all collections. Cl#8