White Jacket, or The World in a Man-of-War
Herman Melville
Play
Length 17 h 31 min
Chapters 91
First published 1850
This is a tale based on Melville's experiences aboard the USS United States from 1843 to 1844. It comments on the harsh and brutal realities of service in the US Navy at that time, but beyond this the narrator has created for the reader graphic symbols for class distinction, segregation and slavery aboard this microcosm of the world, the USS Neversink. (Introduction by James K. White)
Chapters
1
I - Preface and The Jacket Read by James K. White 7:02
2
II - Homeward Bound Read by James K. White 4:53
3
III - A Glance At The Principal Divisions, Into Which A Man-of-War's Crew Is Divided Read by James K. White 13:46
4
IV - Jack Chase Read by James K. White 13:29
5
V - Jack Chase on a Spanish Quarter-Deck; VI - The Quarter-Deck Officers, Warrant Officers, and Berth-Deck Underlings Of A Man-of-War; Where They Live In The Ship; How They Live; Their Social Standing On Shipboard; And What Sort Of Gentlemen They Are Read by James K. White 30:30
6
VII - Breakfast, Dinner, And Supper Read by James K. White 7:36
7
VIII - Selvagee Contrasted With Mad-Jack Read by James K. White 11:32
8
IX - Of The Pockets That Were In The Jacket; X - From Pockets To Pickpockets Read by James K. White 11:37
9
XI - The Pursuit of Poetry Under Difficulties Read by James K. White 11:39
10
XII - The Good or Bad Temper of Men-of-War's Men, In a Great Degree, Attributable to Their Particular Stations and Duties Aboard Ship Read by James K. White 15:03
11
XIII - A Man-of-War Hermit In A Mob Read by James K. White 7:54
12
XIV - A Draught In A Man-of-War; XV - A Salt-Junk Club In A Man-of-War, With A Notice To Quit Read by James K. White 29:35
13
XVI - General Training In A Man-of-War Read by James K. White 20:04
14
XVII - Away! Second, Third, and Fourth Cutters, Away! Read by James K. White 7:30
15
XVIII - A Man-of-War Full As A Nut Read by James K. White 4:03
16
XIX - The Jacket Aloft Read by James K. White 8:52
17
XX - How They Sleep In A Man of War Read by James K. White 6:59
18
XXI - One Reason Why Men-of-War's Men Are, Generally, Short-Lived Read by James K. White 8:24
19
XXII - Wash-Day And House-Cleaning In A Man-Of-War Read by James K. White 11:27
20
XXIII - Theatricals In A Man-of-War Read by James K. White 17:58
21
XXIV - Introductory To Cape Horn Read by James K. White 10:43
22
XXV - The Dog-Days Off Cape Horn Read by James K. White 10:53
23
XXVI - The Pitch of the Cape Read by James K. White 16:20
24
XXVII - Some Thoughts Growing Out Of Mad Jack's Countermanding His Superior's Order Read by James K. White 13:28
25
XVIII - Edging Away Read by James K. White 9:09
26
XXIX - The Night-Watches Read by James K. White 9:27
27
XXX - A Peep Through a Port-Hole at the Subterranean Parts of a Man-of-War Read by James K. White 9:28
28
XXXI - The Gunner Under Hatches Read by James K. White 11:16
29
XXXII - A Dish of Dunderfunk Read by James K. White 5:52
30
XXXIII - A Flogging Read by James K. White 13:27
31
XXXIV - Some of the Evil Effects of Flogging Read by James K. White 11:25
32
XXXV - Flogging Not Lawful Read by James K. White 11:41
33
XXXVI - Flogging Not Necessary Read by James K. White 13:38
34
XXXVII - Some Superior Old "London Dock" From the Wine-Coolers of Neptune Read by James K. White 6:05
35
XXXVIII - The Chaplain and Chapel In A Man-of-War Read by James K. White 10:49
36
XXXIX - The Frigate In Harbour.--The Boats.--Grand State Reception of The Commodore Read by James K. White 15:05
37
XL - Some of the Ceremonies in a Man-of-War Unnecessary and Injurious Read by James K. White 4:26
38
XLI - A Man-of-War Library Read by James K. White 6:55
39
XLII - Killing Time In A Man-of-War In Harbour Read by James K. White 17:54
40
XLIII - Smuggling In A Man-of-War Read by James K. White 15:24
41
XLIV - A Knave In Office In A Man-of-War Read by James K. White 27:10
42
XLV - Publishing Poetry In A Man-of-War Read by James K. White 4:23
43
XLVI - The Commodore on the Poop, And One of 'The People" Under the Hands of the Surgeon Read by James K. White 13:20
44
XLVII - An Auction In A Man-of-War Read by James K. White 16:51
45
XLVIII - Purser, Purser's Steward, And Postmaster In A Man-of-War Read by James K. White 8:11
46
XLIX - Rumors Of A War, And How They Were Received By The Population Of The Neversink Read by James K. White 6:57
47
L - The Bay of All Beauties Read by James K. White 8:08
48
LI - One of "The People" Has An Audience With The Commodore And The Captain On The Quarter-Deck Read by James K. White 7:58
49
LII - Something Concerning Midshipmen Read by James K. White 14:25
50
LIII - Seafaring Persons Peculiarly Subject To Being Under The Weather.--The Effects Of This Upon A Man-Of-War Captain Read by James K. White 7:18
51
LIV - The People Are Given "Liberty" Read by James K. White 13:36
52
LV - Midshipmen Entering The Navy Early Read by James K. White 5:56
53
LVI - A Shore Emperor On Board A Man-Of-War Read by James K. White 12:14
54
LVII - The Emperor Reviews The People At Quarters Read by James K. White 6:02
55
LVIII - A Quarter-Deck Officer Before The Mast Read by James K. White 4:42
56
LIX - A Man-Of-War Button Divides Two Brothers Read by James K. White 8:33
57
LX - A Man-Of-War's-Man Shot At Read by James K. White 4:50
58
LXI - The Surgeon Of The Fleet Read by James K. White 11:40
59
LXII - A Consultation Of Man-Of-War Surgeons Read by James K. White 7:35
60
LXIII - The Operation Read by James K. White 28:06
61
LXIV - Man-Of-War Trophies Read by James K. White 6:24
62
LXV - A Man-Of-War Race Read by James K. White 14:45
63
LXVI - Fun In A Man-Of-War Read by James K. White 8:27
64
LXVII - White-Jacket Arraigned At The Mast Read by James K. White 12:58
65
LXVIII - A Man-Of-War Fountain, And Other Things Read by James K. White 10:11
66
LXIX - Prayers At The Guns Read by James K. White 12:22
67
LXX - Monthly Muster Round The Capstan Read by James K. White 13:24
68
LXXI - The Genealogy Of The Articles Of War Read by James K. White 7:52
69
LXXII - "Herein Are The Good Ordinances Of The Sea, Which Wise Men, Who Voyaged Round The World, Gave To Our Ancestors, And Which Constitute The Books Of The Science Of Good Customs" --The Consulate Of The Sea Read by James K. White 16:46
70
LXXIII - Night And Day Gambling In A Man-Of-War Read by James K. White 13:11
71
LXXIV - The Main-Top At Night Read by James K. White 21:50
72
LXXV - "Sink, Burn, And Destroy."--Printed Admiralty Orders In Time of War Read by James K. White 12:43
73
LXXVI - The Chains Read by James K. White 9:07
74
LXXVII - The Hospital In A Man-Of-War Read by James K. White 19:08
75
LXXVIII - Dismal Times In The Mess Read by James K. White 6:13
76
LXXIX - How Man-Of-War's Men Die At Sea Read by James K. White 8:35
77
LXXX - The Last Stitch Read by James K. White 7:52
78
LXXXI - How They Bury A Man-Of-War's Man At Sea Read by James K. White 2:49
79
LXXXII - What Remains Of A Man-Of-War's Man After His Burial At Sea Read by James K. White 3:15
80
LXXXIII - A Man-Of-War College Read by James K. White 13:01
81
LXXXIV - Man-Of-War Barbers Read by James K. White 13:58
82
LXXXV - The Great Massacre of the Beards Read by James K. White 20:51
83
LXXXVI - The Rebels Brought To The Mast Read by James K. White 5:07
84
LXXXVII - Old Ushant At The Gangway Read by James K. White 12:36
85
LXXXVIII - Flogging Through The Fleet Read by James K. White 10:12
86
LXXXIX - The Social State In A Man-Of-War Read by James K. White 8:26
87
XC - The Manning Of Navies Read by James K. White 27:08
88
XCI - Smoking-Club In A Man-Of-War, With Scenes On The Gun-Deck Drawing Near Home Read by James K. White 14:55
89
XCII - The Last Of The Jacket Read by James K. White 11:35
90
XCIII - Cable And Anchor All Clear Read by James K. White 7:30
91
The End Read by James K. White 6:34
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens gutenberg.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
