Mardi: And a Voyage Thither

After publishing two works of autobiographical fiction that many readers found implausible (Typee and Omoo), Melville set about writing a work of fiction to see if the public might find it more believable. Mardi, however, is far more than the South Seas adventure of the first two novels. The book contains some of Melville's most splendid descriptions of nature and also substantial samples of the philosophical musings that would make Moby Dick famous.