Billy Budd - Was he Christ

A detailed Summary of Billy Budd - Was he Christ

In Herman Melville's Billy Budd, Sailor, readers are introduced to the conflict of good and evil between Billy Budd and Claggart. However, there is another conflict, which, in ways is more significant than the epic clash of good and evil. Vere's struggle between duty and conscience is more significant because it occurs in the mind. Whereas Billy Budd was clearly the noble sacrificed hero and Claggart was the vindictive villain, duty is just as noble as conscience and conscience is just as noble as duty. Melville sets up this conflict by placing a man with the intuition and innocence of a child, in the hands of a captain amidst war. In a description of Captain Vere it can be anticipated that Vere, who values peace and common good, would be in conflict with his job, which requires him to be a militaristic authoritarian. Captain Vere learns important lessons when innocent hands bring about destruction of life. Vere was moved by his beckoning duty as captain, to convince the drumhead court to convict Billy Budd. However, the paternal emotions towards Billy Budd and his rational thinking did invoke indecision. Captain Vere realizes, when he has to act, he does not have the strength of conviction he had thought. Vere's character is writ

The allegory of Billy Budd suggests that the human condition is a balancing act. Whether it is between the complete innocence of Billy and the naturally depraved Claggart, or Vere's duty and conscience. The manifestation of complete opposites in the characters of Billy Budd and Claggart give readers a very clear sense of the enemy, and which character to emulate. However, Billy Budd and Claggart are very exaggerated views of balancing opposite interests. Melville, more subtly, uses the murder of Claggart by Billy Budd, to show the readers the balance needing to be achieved within Captain Vere. His struggle between duty and conscience are representative of different interests. These different interests might not be clearly right and wrong. Duty is just as noble as emotion and vice versa. Despite what people think of themselves, it is very hard to strike that balance in which both interests can be achieved. Vere's actions when wavering between emotion and duty reflect how actions counteract one another. One minute Vere was calm and the next he was passionately exclaiming. The human condition is always shifting, always looking for that balance of interests. People believe strongly in many things, but when the strong beliefs are pitted against one another balance must be found. As Vere learned, in the face of conflict between two rights, he finds his convictions shaken.

Captain Vere is able to fulfill his duty in convincing the drumhead court to punish Billy by execution. At the execution Captain Vere, "as before, the central figure among the assembled commissioned officers - stood...facing forward" (375). Captain Vere is described as a central figure, because he is the middle ground between all the men on the ship. Vere was characteristically between Billy and Claggart, as he is with the rest of the ship. Vere feels strongly for Billy, but he does not doubt he made the right decision. That is why he is the middle ground between the commissioned officers. Some love Billy and wish him not to be executed. Others believe executing Billy will keep mutineers from acting up. Captain Vere is the only one who feels both. He keeps conscience and duty separate, but does not judge one to be "righter" than the other. Captain Vere is also described as "facing forward". Vere is not regretting his decision and going forth with it. That is why during the execution his position of "facing forward" is significant to understanding Vere's feelings towards Billy. He loves Billy, yet understands that he is doing the right thing. Therefore, Vere is not regretful. Instead he has learned his weakness in suppressing emotion and fulfilling duty. Billy, right before he is executed says " 'God bless Captain Vere!' " (375) With those words "Captain Vere, either through stoic self-control or a sort of momentary paralysis induced by emotional shock, stood erectly rigid" (376). This time when Vere is motionless, his stanc

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Approximate Word count = 1960
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English