A specialist in the field of Arabic and Islamic history here examines Herman Melville’s interest in the Near East and discusses its influence on his work. An analysis of Islamic elements in Melville’s symbolism, particularly in Mardi, Moby-Dick, and Clarel, throws new light on the interpretation of these works. Dorthee Metlitsky Finkelstein is lecturer in English at the University of California, Berkeley. Yale Publications in American Studies, 5.
