Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land I

Book excerpt: Herman Melville (1819–1891) was an American poet and novelist of the American Renaissance, best known for his allusive adventure novel “Moby-Dick.” Mysterious and unpredictable, the “Pierre: or, The Ambiguities” contains all the good and intriguing features of the Gothic fi ction genre. Being the major author’s historical work in later years, the novel “Clarel: A Poem and Pilgrimage in the Holy Land” considered to be one of the longest in the American literature. The book tells the story of an American named Clarel and his companions, on a pilgrimage through the Palestinian ruins. It consists of four parts: Jerusalem, The Wilderness, Mar Saba, and Bethlehem.