Herman Melville's
Mardi
(1849) has stood the test of time as a superb allegorical fantasy, and as the third in a trilogy reflecting on Melville's experiences on the sea. Set on a fictional Pacific island, this adventure, love story, and exploration of the metaphysical sets the stage for later writers in the twentieth century who delve into the psychological. Appearing only two years before
Moby Dick
, the book may be regarded as the key to Melville's philosophical, religious, political, and social ideas during the most significant and productive period of his career. The incidents and scenes described in Mardi are often tragic in their implications, and the comments are highly critical of nineteenth-century society, but the vivid writing is laced with sparkling humor, spicy adventure, and crackling conversation.