Polynesian Trilogy - Tahi

Author: Herman Melville [USA]
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Typee is neither strictly a memoir nor entirely fictional; rather, it is a work that "blends adventure, anecdotes, ethnology, and social criticism." On the surface, Typee does resemble a travelogue, narrating some unforgettable experiences of the protagonist, Tommo. Tommo and his companion Toby abandon the ship Dolby due to the tedious drifting life and the cruel commands and abuse of the captain, venturing into the exotic Typee Valley. They discover that it is not as terrifying as the legends say, though there are indeed bad people here, just as in white society—Typee is a place with both kind and evil people. Their initial impression was as follows: "I felt truly wonderful! How can I describe everything before me? A long valley, winding like a huge framework of intersecting branches, beautiful scenery. The more I walked forward, the more charming and enchanting the canyon seemed. In the distance, it appeared even broader, stretching into the far-off valley." Tommo, filled with curiosity, was willing to risk his life to explore. He found everything before him so tempting that even if he were to be devoured by the natives, it would be worth a try. Thus, the funeral rites, dances, religious ceremonies, and tattooing of the natives all became Tommo's interests and what he wanted to understand about the "other." To his surprise, he and his companion were not eaten by the natives but were given extraordinary "respect" and "hospitality." Tommo could row with the native beauty Feiau, play freely, and live a life almost as good as that of a married couple.
The Typee Trilogy is a work by Melville created in the 1840s: Typee, Omoo, and Mardi. They appear to describe the author's voyage to the South Pacific and his experiences with the cannibalistic natives of the Marquesas Islands, but anyone who pays a little attention will notice that Melville's early works are not merely adventure stories or biographically colored narratives. Like any other literary masterpiece, they shine with intellectual brilliance. Whether Melville's observations during his drifting in the South Pacific were based on reality or not, he at least experienced a society vastly different from his own time—the Polynesian colonial society. This book is the novel Typee, based on the author's life in the South Pacific. It depicts the thrilling experiences of the author among the cannibalistic Typee tribe on the Marquesas Islands, revealing the destruction that capitalist civilization brought to the simple lives of the indigenous people, which led to condemnation from the church. The work brought a new realm and content to American literature and was widely popular among American readers, earning Melville the reputation of an oceanic writer.