Typee · Chapter
XXVI explained
The narrator reflects on the marital customs of the Typees, noting the ease of separation and the absence of large families.
What happens
The narrator reflects on the marital customs of the Typees, noting the ease of separation and the absence of large families. He contrasts this with the licentiousness of Tahiti and the destructive impact of European contact. He describes the burial practices observed at Nukuheva and laments the future devastation of the valley by French colonization and missionary efforts, which he argues bring vice, disease, and depopulation. He also satirizes the Hawaiian monarchy and praises Mehevi as a noble savage, while recounting observations of romantic entanglements among the Typees.
Themes in this chapter
Colonialism and Its Effects
The narrator condemns French and missionary colonization for bringing vice, disease, and depopulation to Polynesia, contrasting the idyllic Typee life with the destructive 'civilizing' process.
Cultural Relativism
The narrator compares Typee marriage customs favorably to those of Tahiti and criticizes Western judgments, arguing that Typee society has its own virtues.
Gender Roles and Sexuality
Discusses the easy separation of spouses, the absence of large families, and the romantic intrigues of Mehevi and others, highlighting a different sexual and marital order.
The Idealized Primitive
Mehevi is portrayed as a noble savage, superior to the degraded Hawaiian king, and the Typee valley is described as a paradisaical abode threatened by civilization.
Characters to notice
- Mehevi
Praised as King of the Cannibal Valley; observed romping with a young woman and suspected of fathering her child.
- Marheyo
Noted as having a nuptial understanding with Tinor, though another man takes liberties with her.
- Tinor
Marheyo's partner; subject of another man's advances in Marheyo's presence.
- Kory-Kory
Determined to explain marital customs to the narrator during the Feast of Calabashes.
- Narrator
Observes and reflects on Typee marriage, population, burial practices, and the impact of civilization.
Key passages
“As nothing stands in the way of a separation, the matrimonial yoke sits easily and lightly, and a Typee wife lives on very pleasant and sociable terms with her husband.”
Because divorce is easy, marriage is relaxed and harmonious for Typee women.
Describes the ease of marital separation in Typee society.
“Let the savages be civilized, but civilize them with benefits, and not with evils; and let heathenism be destroyed, but not by destroying the heathen.”
Civilize the natives with good, not harm; eliminate paganism without killing the people.
A plea for humane colonization.
“The Anglo-Saxon hive have extirpated Paganism from the greater part of the North American continent; but with it they have likewise extirpated the greater portion of the Red race.”
European settlers wiped out both Native American religion and the Native people themselves.
Critique of the destructive impact of colonization.