Random House’s First trade edition of Moby Dick; Or the Whale with illustrations from Rockwell Kent affected the life and modern conception of Melville’s novel in two distinct and interesting ways. First, this edition contributed significantly to the popularity of the novel and second its impact on the growth of Moby Dick scholarship and literary studies more broadly.
Given our modern perspective and understanding of Moby Dick within the American literary canon, I am shocked to learn that Melville’s novel languished in relative obscurity at the beginning of its life. In 1920 literary scholars began to gain traction leading to the growth of the story’s popularity with the broader reading public. The fame of the novel grew further in 1926 with the creation of The Lakeside Press’s 3-volume edition with illustrations from Rockwell Kent. The explosion of the novel’s notoriety came with Random House’s publishing of the First trade edition in 1930 in Octavo format, which is the subject of this post. Perhaps, the success of this edition comes from the fact that it is the perfect size for the average reader’s hand. The 3-volume edition, published by The Lakeside Press, uses a folio format and functions as a coffee table book. The more useable Random House edition better combines the function of the novel as both a work of art and a useable item. (Manhattan Rare Books Company, 2024).
One can easily see why this edition plays such a critical role in Moby Dick’s rise into the upper echelon of American Literary Achievement. The Manhattan Rare Books Company wrote that this edition represents “one of the greatest matches between illustrator and subject matter in the history of print.” I agree complete with this analysis. After reading the novel with these engraving included, I noticed the fantastic nature of the images and wondered if the novel could exist without them. This ties into Roger Chartier’s idea that authors do not write books; they write texts(Chartier, 2015). The craftsmanship of the printers and the talent of Rockwell Kent make this edition of Moby Dick truly special. Consider the last book you read. Would you have the same reading experience if you read a low-quality edition?
Bad or low-quality editions significantly damage the reading experience. Yes, there is nothing wrong with reading paperback editions, and for the most part, these are the version of texts I read, but a fantastic edition makes for a sensational reading experience. Indeed, I as a reader have a deep attachment to beautiful books. I enjoy holding high-quality work and feeling the effort of the variety of artisans whose creation I have the opportunity to experience. Currently Penguin Random House produces a clothbound edition of Moby Dick in their “Penguin Clothbound Classics” line of products. Perhaps, we as a society think that classic texts prove themselves worth of the beauty that truly talented artists imbue into their physical forms Rockwell Kent’s stunting illustrations contribute significantly to the already tremendous reading experience. While, yes, Melville’s prose is elegant, there is something special about opening the novel and seeing a full-page picture of Ishmael.
The editions with illustrations from Rockwell Kent hold a unique position at the center of scholarly intrigue. This book’s position as a work of art and one of the great triumphs of illustrations in the history of printing leads scholars like Matthew Jeffrey Adams to consider the role of these images in the development of academic writing surrounding the novel more generally. Adams argues that Kent’s work functions as literary criticism because of his extensive research into Melville’s source material and visual inspirations. Kent then employed these same images in his own artistic rendition. Adams also suggest that Kent’s work begins the development of the academic discipline “Melville and the Visual Arts.” (Adams, 2018). I agree with Adams’ argument. Obviously, Kent put significant work into researching his illustrations. The design of the images perfectly integrates with the text as seen in the image above. The chapter finishes detailing Ishmael’s journey to New Bedford and immediately see the engraving of Ishmael walking. So, just as I established my mental imagine of Ishmael and his journey Kent presents his own. Thus, providing me with the opportunity to compare our visual understanding of the character. This is such a fun experience that I find it difficult to imagine reading the novel without it.
Indeed, Moby Dick; Or the Whale’s history is long and rich, beginning with its publication in 1851 and its 70-year journey to fame and rightful position at the heart of the American literary canon as well as its role at the subject of extensive scholarly research.
With prices on rare book websites ranging from 1,500 to 4,500 dollars this edition has monetary value. There are, of course, much more valuable books out there like the Sarajevo Haggadah or the first edition of the Gutenberg Bible. As a subject of scholarly and recreational interest as well as a symbol of American Literary culture and canon this edition has significant value. Further, we should consider this version an example for future generations. Even as we continue with digitization efforts, and the eBook market continues to grow, we must still remember the value of high-quality physical copies. These editions possess the opportunity to bring authorial and visual art together. We must work to maintain this fantastic element of physical culture.
Works Cited
Abrams, Matthew Jeffrey. “Illuminated Critique: The Kent Moby Dick” Word & Image, Vol.33, no.10, 2018. https://dickinson.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01DICKINSON_INST/1d86qtd/cdi_scopus_primary_2_s2_0_85041602666. Accessed 6 November 2024.
Chartier, Roger. “Communities of Readers.” The Broadview Reader in Book History, edited by Michelle Levy and Tom Mole, Broadview Press, 2015, pp.251-266.
“Melville Herman. Rock Well Kent. Moby Dick” Manhattan Rare Books Company, https://www.manhattanrarebooks.com/pages/books/2845/herman-kent-melville-rockwell/moby-dick-moby-dick. Accessed 6 November 2024.
“First Edition Points and Criteria for Moby Dick (illustrated by Rockwell Kent)” First Editions Points, http://www.fedpo.com/BookDetail.php/232. Accessed 6 November 2024.
“Moby Dick by Melville, Hardcover, Random House” AbeBooks, https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Melville&bi=h&bx=off&ds=30&pn=Random+House&recentlyadded=all&sortby=1&tn=Moby+Dick&wassortselected=true&yrh=1930. Accessed 6 November 2024.
