Melville’s Anger in the Depictions of Snakes

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This study focuses on the depictions of snakes in Herman Melville’s “The Happy Failure” and Billy Budd, Sailor. We can see the similar implications in Moby-Dick, where the image of the white whale and the Leviathan overlap. It is possible to say that Melville tries to put certain meanings into such depictions. In “The Happy Failure,” the narrator’s uncle tries to test his invention, the Great Hydraulic-Hydrostatic Apparatus, but fails. He destroys this snake-like machine, changes his stubborn attitude, and willingly accepts the failure. We can see the possibility that Melville, who was not satisfied with the poor reputation of his novels, reflects his anger through this character. In Billy Budd, Sailor, it is worth noting that Claggart, Billy’s senior officer, is depicted with snake-like expressions. Melville had grieved over his son’s death, so it seems appropriate that he put the image of a snake into Claggart, who is beaten to death by Billy, to relieve his anger. I think it reasonable that Melville attained salvation by using the depictions of snakes in these stories and making the snake-like machine and character the objects of anger.