The Confidence-Man His Masquerade
Oct 2021 · Otbebookpublishing
Ebook
245
Pages
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About this ebook
The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade, first published in New York on April Fool's Day 1857, is the ninth book and final novel by American writer Herman Melville. Centered on the title character, The Confidence-Man portrays a group of steamboat passengers. Their interlocking stories are told as they travel the Mississippi River toward New Orleans. The novel's title refers to its central character, an ambiguous figure. He sneaks aboard a Mississippi steamboat on April Fool's Day. This stranger attempts to test the confidence of the passengers. Their varied reactions constitute the bulk of the text. Each person, including the reader, is forced to confront the placement of his trust. The novel is written as cultural satire, allegory, and metaphysical treatise, dealing with themes of sincerity, identity, morality, religiosity, economic materialism, irony, and cynicism. Many readers place The Confidence-Man alongside Melville's Moby-Dick and "Bartleby, the Scrivener" as a precursor to 20th-century literary pre-occupations with nihilism, existentialism, and absurdism.
About the author
Herman Melville (1819-1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet whose work has left an indelible mark on American literature. Born in New York City, Melville's early life was marked by financial instability and a series of adventures that would later fuel his literary imagination. He spent several years at sea, experiences that profoundly influenced his writing and provided the raw material for his most celebrated works.Melville's literary career began with the publication of "Typee" (1846) and "Omoo" (1847), semi-autobiographical tales of his adventures in the South Seas, which brought him early fame. However, his later works, such as "Moby-Dick" (1851), initially perplexed both critics and readers with their complex narrative structures and philosophical depth. Today, "Moby-Dick" is hailed as one of the greatest American novels, a profound exploration of obsession, humanity, and the natural world.Melville's later years were marked by relative obscurity and financial hardship, but his work experienced a renaissance in the early 20th century, earning him posthumous recognition as a literary genius. His innovative narrative techniques and deep psychological insights influenced contemporary writers such as William Faulkner and F. Scott Fitzgerald.Melville's revolutionary ideas about individuality, society, and the human condition resonate with modern readers, offering timeless reflections on the complexities of existence. His life and work continue to be a source of fascination and scholarly study, underscoring his enduring legacy in the canon of American literature.
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