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Reading Melville Pierre, or The Ambiguities of Southern Literary Studies

J.R.R. Tolkien

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Herman Melville's 1852 novel Pierre, or The Ambiguities is a complex and challenging work that has puzzled and fascinated readers for over a century. The novel tells the story of Pierre Glendinning, a young man who is torn between his desire for a conventional life and his longing for something more meaningful. Pierre's journey takes him from the comforts of his family home to the slums of New York City, where he witnesses the horrors of poverty and injustice. Along the way, he encounters a cast of characters who represent the different possibilities and perils of the American experience.

Reading Melville's Pierre; or, The Ambiguities (Southern Literary Studies)

by Brian Higgins

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Print length	:	237 pages

Pierre has been variously interpreted as a bildungsroman, a psychological thriller, and a political allegory. It is a novel that is rich in symbolism and ambiguity, and it has been the subject of much critical debate. In this essay, I will explore the novel's complex relationship to the American South, arguing that Pierre can be read as a critique of the South's plantation culture and its legacy of slavery.

The South in Pierre

The South is a recurring presence in Pierre, both as a setting and as a theme. The novel opens with a description of Pierre's family plantation, Saddle Meadows, which is located in the upstate New York countryside. Saddle Meadows is a place of wealth and privilege, but it is also a place where the dark secrets of the past are buried. Pierre's father, Mr. Glendinning, is a wealthy landowner who has made his fortune through the exploitation of slave labor. Pierre's mother, Mrs. Glendinning, is a gentle and loving woman, but she is also haunted by the knowledge of her husband's crimes.

Pierre's relationship to the South is complex. On the one hand, he is drawn to the South's sense of history and tradition. He longs for a life of simplicity and grace, like the life that his father lived before him. On the other hand, Pierre is appalled by the South's racism and violence. He witnesses the horrors of slavery firsthand, and he is determined to fight against it.

The Ambiguities of Southern Identity

The characters in Pierre represent the different possibilities and perils of Southern identity. Pierre Glendinning is a complex and contradictory character who embodies both the best and worst of the South. He is a passionate idealist who is willing to fight for what he believes in, but he is also a naïve and self-destructive young man. Pierre's cousin, Glendinning Stanly, is a more conventional Southern gentleman who is content to live a life of ease and privilege. Stanly is a kind and compassionate man, but he is also blind to the injustices of the South.

Other characters in the novel represent the different ways that the South has been shaped by slavery. Isabel Banford is a young woman who has been raised in the North, but she is drawn to the South by her desire to find her father, a slave who escaped from Saddle Meadows. Isabel is a strong and independent woman, but she is also haunted by the legacy of slavery. Plot, a former slave who works as a servant at Saddle Meadows, is a complex and enigmatic character who represents the resilience of the African American people. Plot is a kind and gentle man, but he is also a survivor who has witnessed the horrors of slavery firsthand.

Melville's Critique of the South

Pierre is a powerful indictment of the South's plantation culture and its legacy of slavery. Melville does not shy away from depicting the horrors of slavery, and he shows how slavery corrupts both the slave owners and the slaves. Pierre's father, Mr. Glendinning, is a cruel and heartless man who treats his slaves like chattel. Pierre's mother, Mrs. Glendinning, is a kind and loving woman, but she is unable to stand up to her husband and prevent him from abusing his slaves. Pierre himself is a witness to the horrors of slavery, and he is determined to fight against it.

Melville's critique of the South is not limited to slavery. He also attacks the South's sense of honor and its cult of violence. Pierre's cousin, Glendinning Stanly, is a perfect example of the Southern gentleman who is willing to defend his honor at any cost. Stanly is a kind and compassionate man, but he is also quick to anger, and he is willing to resort to violence to protect his reputation.

Melville's critique of the South is a complex and nuanced one. He does not simply condemn the South as a place of evil. He also recognizes the South's beauty and its rich cultural heritage. However, Melville ultimately believes that the South's plantation culture and its legacy of slavery are a blight on the American nation.

Pierre, or The Ambiguities is a challenging and rewarding novel that offers a complex and nuanced portrait of the American South. Melville's novel is a powerful indictment of the South's plantation culture and its legacy of slavery, but it is also a celebration of the South's beauty and its rich cultural heritage. Pierre is a novel that is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the complexities of the American South.

Reading Melville's Pierre; or, The Ambiguities (Southern Literary Studies)

by Brian Higgins

4.6 out of 5