Melville’s Codes and Ambiguities in Pierre: Critical Dimensions Re-Examined

This paper explores the various critical approaches to Herman Melville’s Pierre and reveals that the novel is not a book of eccentricities and incoherence, as has been claimed by some critics; rather, it reflects its author’s philosophical mind and sophistication. Through a close study of the various theoretical approaches to the novel, this study shows that the ambiguities of Pierre are not an indication of the novelist’s lack of control over his narrative, but rather a reflection of the fact that he intended the book for a particular audience, namely the highly-educated individuals