Throughout American history, few authors have earned the right to be called great. Herman Melville is one of those rare ones. However, Melville's journey to becoming one of America's greatest early authors was not an easy one. As an author writing during the heart of the American Renaissance and the Transcendentalist era, a time when people believed that humans were one with nature and God, Melville chose to break the mold. Facing many trials during his life, Herman Melville became an author renowned for his anti-transcendentalist style, but he was perhaps the most underrated author of his time. On August 1, 1819, Herman Melville was born into a family of war heroes and wealthy merchants. . His father, Allan Melville, was a Boston merchant wealthy enough to provide a comfortable life for his family. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when Allan Melville went bankrupt in 1830, forcing him to abandon the town and the Melville family. Herman Melville, now poor and fatherless, was left in the care of his strict mother, Maria Gansevoort. Having no formal education, Melville taught himself using literature and the Bible. (Anderson. “Herman” 294). Moving from house to house, Melville now finds life a struggle. However, through this struggle, a fascination with the sea developed within him. Melville's enchantment with the sea inspired him to take on the daring challenge of becoming a sailor. Setting out on his first voyage on the St. Lawrence, Melville was ready to see his sea dreams come true. Instead, he found himself facing bad weather and a disorganized crew (“Herman” 590). As the St. Lawrence continued to recede, so did Melville's captivation with the sea. Despite this difficult first experience, Melville decided to try sailing again. In January...... middle of paper...... York: Bantam Books, 1967. Print.The Athenaeum. De Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. 614-616. New York: Bantam Books, 1967. Print. Duyckinck, Evert. “Melville’s Moby-Dick; or the whale. of the literary world in Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. 607-613. New York: Bantam Books, 1967. Print. “Herman Melville: Biographical Note”. To Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. 590-596. New York: Bantam Books, 1967. Print. Melville, Herman. Billy Budd and Typee. New York: Washington Square Press Inc., 1962. Print. Melville, Herman. “Letter to Hawthorne.” 1851. In Anderson, Robert et al. Elements of literature. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1989. 317. Print. Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. New York: Bantam Books, 1967. Print. Melville, Herman. America. The Literary Network. and Web. December 06, 2011.Melville, Herman. Shiloh. The Literary Network. and Web. December 6. 2011.