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Billy Budd is a classical tragedy novel. In this novel, one theme might be the corruption of innocence by society, but another might be the consummate peacemaker who brings about unity of man through martyrdom. The narrator never actually says his name, but tells how Billy was accused of mutiny and kills Captain Claggart. In turn Billy is hung and killed for alleged mutiny. Billy is first take from his original ship and put on Claggart's, who at first likes Billy. The action starts rising the moment Claggart reports Billy to Captain Vere as a conspirator in mutiny.
The story reaches its climax in the confrontation between Billy and Claggart. After Billy's hanging the story starts to come to a close. This story reminded me of the movie, The Negotiator. Billy is like Samuel Jackson in that they are both setup in a crime that they did not do, or took any part in. On the other hand they have opposites like Samuel get to go free, but Billy ends up dying but he get to go back to nature that he adores so much. All the action of the novel takes place aboard a British naval ship named the H.
M. S. Bellipotent during the year 1797. Although the setting is a ship, the sea is greatly overlooked because the book looks inward. The atmosphere of the ship stand out against the background of war and mutiny during theses times. There are only three main characters, Billy Budd, John Claggart, and Captain Vere.
The rest play some importance in the novel but not that much. The narrator introduces Billy as the foretop man in the British Fleet. Billy has blue eyes and a youthful figure and is the center of attention. He is surrounded by flat and stereotypical characters that go about their tasks like robots.
A youth of outstanding beauty and sincere kindness, he exhibits extreme innocence reflecting his lack of awareness that evil exists. Billy's only flaw is a tendency to stutter when under emotional stress. Wherever Billy goes, he is acknowledged as a peacemaker, yet he maintains his manhood by handy applications of his fists when need to be. For this reason, and for the role he plays in the novel, Billy resembles Christ, who also resorted to violence in driving the moneychangers from the Temple. Billy's obscure origin also accentuates his universality.
His profession allies him with the journeyman. His illiteracy and penchant for song connects him with the birds and other simple creatures of nature, with which he shares kinship. Tanned by the sun at his high post, Billy accepts the blessing of nature, to which he returns after his execution. If Billy is the representative of good, at one with the universe, Claggart is the epitome of evil and resides on the periphery of order. The serpent in Billy's Eden, Claggart serves as both tempter and destroyer. Melville's comparison of Claggart to Tecumseh, the Shawnee, treacherous enemy to the English colonists, to Titus Oates, diabolical plotter against Charles II, and Ananias, shameless liar stuck dead by God, clearly and concisely sum up his evil nature.
As a disciplinarian, he shows a rattan as a symbol of his policing role. He takes an evil role in that he tempts Billy to commit mutiny. Claggart's background is mysterious which represents a lurking evil. Captain Vere is the most controversial of the three, he is intelligent like Claggart but his intelligence brings him wisdom rather than monomania. As a forthright commander, he represents the synthesis of heart and mind. His most symbolic and controversial act is the trial and execution of Billy Budd, who seems like a son to him.
Vere wants nothing unexpected in his day and rules his ship by the book. In the matter if Billy's alleged conspiracy, he puts the welfare of the ship above personal feelings. Fearing the consequences if Billy's alleged conspiracy goes unpunished, he persuades the court to give sympathy and act for the goodness of society. Although he feels compassion for Billy, he must make an example of himself to preserve law and order on the ship.
There is a handful of other characters that are confronted during the story. The Danger has a pale jagged scar across his face, weasel eyes, and a blue-peppered expression. He is a favorite among the men. He demonstrates unsentimental wisdom.
He also gives Billy a nickname, Baby, and warns him that Claggart is down on him. All that means is that Claggart is out to get Billy. Squeak is a small-stature corporal aboard the ship who sneaks around in order to give Claggart false reports of petty offenses allegedly committed by Billy. Captain Graveling is the captain of Billy's original ship, the Rights-of-Man.
He prizes Billy's qualities and regrets losing him to the Bellipotent. Lieutenant Ratcliff is burly and cynical about his role as impressment officer. The Aftergaurdsman is one who gets Billy accused of mutiny by Claggart. He gets Billy out of bed one night, takes him aside, and offers a bribe for his part in a purported mutiny. Later he plays innocent through casual humor. The Sailing Master was the only one who proposed a lesser sentence for Billy.
The Senior Lieutenant was the most reluctant to condemn Billy, he later takes command of the ship and leads the crew to victory over the French. He also hears Captain Vere's dying word and correctly interprets their significance. My favorite part of the book was when Billy enters Captain Vere's cabin and sees Claggart. He thinks that the master-at-arms will give a report of Billy's performance. Vere orders the sentry to let nobody enter the room. Then Vere tells Claggart to tell the story that he related to the captain.
So Claggart tells Billy the story and Billy becomes speechless. When Vere orders Billy to speak in his defense Billy is still speechless. Then Vere tells Billy to take his time and places his hand on him shoulder. After a moment or two Billy's right hand wails out, decking Claggart on the forehead. Claggart falls to the deck, dead. Vere tries with Billy to revive Claggart, but it is like handling a dead snake.
The surgeon comes in and knows right away that Claggart is dead, but does the usual tests to confirm. The captain says Claggart is Ananias, struck dead by an angel of God who must hang for his deeds. I think that this is the best part of the entire book because Claggart gets what is coming to him. I mean maybe he doesnt deserve to die, but for setting up Billy like that, he deserves to be severely punished. According to the detection page, Melville owed much to his former sea friend, Jack Chase, whose looks and spirit served as the model for Billy. The setting comes from Melville's memories of his navy years aboard the man-of-war United States.
More significant to the subject matter was a scandal resulting from an abortive mutiny on the U. S. brig-of-war Somers. The captain, Mackenzie, held a shipboard court and hung three of the troublemakers, one of whom was the son of Secretary of War John Spencer. When the Somers returned to port, Mackenzie meet the fury of the Spencer family, ye...
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Research essay sample on Captain Vere Billy Budd
