Melvilles White Jacket as Public Forum on Corporal Punishment :: Melville White Jacket Essays

Melvilles egg white detonating device as Public Forum on Corporal penalty   Author, Herman Melville utilized many of his literary works as a everyday forum for politics. Subsequently, the nineteenth century became a time period of not bad(p) go forthspokenness among authors who condemned many of societies woes. Authors such as Thoreau, Longfellow and Emerson all voiced their impedance to these tragedies. Melville wrote openly about slavery, abuse, and many other social injustices. In his novel, egg white Jacket, Melville wrote against corporal penalization aboard United States Naval Frigates. He cited many instances of flogging, imprisoning sailors, and other humiliating procedures endured by navy men at the hold of commanding officers. Unfortunately, corporal punishment was a legal means of punishment as governed by the Articles of War.   Melville interjected a positive feeling into the narrative, White Jacket, by introducing three humanitarians. These included Mad Jack, Colbrook, and Jack Chase. Each of these point of references spoke out against corporal punishment in the narrative however, the ultimate decision to punish the men remained in the hands of the unforgiving captains at sea. The main character of the novel occurred as White Jacket. Unfortunately, he committed an unwitting criminal offense and was to be subjected to flogging. In his frantic last moments prior to flogging, White Jacket envisi geniusd himself grabbing Captain Claret and flinging them both over the side to the more than forgiving sea. Fortunately, humanitarians, Colbrook and Chase, both stepped forward at great risk to themselves and protected White Jacket from humiliation and abuse. White Jackets desperate attempt to fudge punishment conveyed to society the drastic measures needed to induce change. In the end, it remained explicit that Melville likened the ship to a working model of society. He observed that ocean discipline was not compatible with democrat ic ideology. Author Eleanor Simpson stated in her essay, Melville and the Negro, that Melville attacks all forms of arbitrary government and legalized brutality. Though his immediate target is the troops machine as codified in the Articles of War, his whole stance is one of democratic rebellion against the law or act of government, which undermines or exclusively ignores the dignity and rights of men.   Melville stated, He knows the same law which impels it-the same law by which the culprits of the day must suffer that by that very law he also is liable at any time to be judged and condemned.