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Billy Budd: Was Captain Vere Right? Captain Vere makes the right decision by executing Billy Budd. If Captain Vere lets Billy live the rest of the crew might get the impression that they will not be held accountable for their crimes. If the crew feels that they can get away with what ever they want then there is a chance that they might form a rebellion and have a mutiny.
A mutiny would destroy the stability and good name of the ship and the crew. Captain Vere does not want to see this happen. There are three main reasons Captain Vere makes the right decision by executing Billy Budd. These reasons are that if Billy lives then a mutiny might occur, because the law states that a crime as severe as Billy's is punishable by death, and Captain Vere feels sorry for Billy and does not want Billy to suffer with guilt until a martial court could give a decision. If Billy is not executed then corruption might occur on the ship and cause a mutiny. Captain Vere knows that a mutiny might occur and does not want it to happen.
Captain Vere could possibly be using Billy's execution for his crime of killing Claggart as an example for the rest of the crew. It shows the crew what will happen to them if they try to start a mutiny. After Billy's death Captain Vere obviously feels regret for executing Billy. Captain Vere's last words are? Billy Budd, Billy Budd? (p. 76) show an example of this. Those last words might symbolize that Captain Vere killed Billy for the wrong reasons.
If Captain Vere uses Billy's death for an example to the rest of the crew then it might not necessarily be the wrong reason. Captain Vere has to decide between one life and the lives of the entire crew. No matter what Captain Vere's reasons are he does make the right decision. Another reason Captain Vere might of executed Billy Budd is because Captain Vere follows the law to the letter.
The law states that mutiny is punishable to by death. Some readers might not see this accidental murder as mutiny, but killing a superior officer in the British navy is considered mutiny. In Captain Vere's decision he shows the crew that no infractions of the law will be tolerated. In the story Captain Vere is described as? never tolerating an infraction of discipline? (p. 16). This trait could be the reason for Billy's death.
Another reason Captain Vere might execute Billy Budd is that he does not want Billy to suffer with his extreme guilty until a martial court can see his case. Captain Vere probably had a personal attachment to Billy. This is evident when Captain Vere says, ? struck dead by an angel of God! Yet the angel must hang! ? (p. 51).
This statement implies Captain Vere's true feelings for Billy. If Captain Vere had let a martial court try the case then they would most likely come to the same conclusion. Because of this fact Captain Vere did not find it necessary to make Billy wait for a trial. Captain Vere made the right decision by executing Billy for his crimes. Although the decision was controversial it kept stability among the crew. The crews fate is more important than any individual sailors fate.
If Captain Vere had made the opposite decision than there probably would be a very horrible fate for the Bellipotent. Billy Budd could be considered a tragic hero. In his short life Billy touched more lives than most people do in there entire lives. Billy is somebody that most readers would agree is a tragic hero.
Even though Billy Budd is so great, Captain Vere made the right decision.
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Research essay sample on Captain Vere Billy Budd
