Biblical allusions in billy budd

In Billy Budd there are many similarities between the story of the fall of man and the roles of Billy, the foretopman; Claggart, the master-at-arms; and Vere, the Captain. In this novel Billy shows many similarities to Adam (Study 24). Billy possesses a masculine beauty, a brute strength, and a superior code of morals above his shipmates. “Captain Vere congratulates his officers on gaining in Billy, “such a fine specimen of the genus homo who, in the nude might have posed for the statue of young Adam before the fall” (Miller 220). This allusion makes the reader reflect on the cre

When Billy does die, he is so accepting that he blesses the very man who convicted him with his last words, “God bless Captain Vere!” (Melville 71). Captain Vere symbolizes God in that it is he who orders Billy to die just as God told Jesus He must die in the Garden before his cruel and barbaric passion. As Jesus died his last words were, “Forgive them Father for they no not what they do!” Just as Billy had in effect forgiven Captain Vere by blessing him, Jesus forgives those who put Him to death (Parker 155).

“It seems that Billy may have died before he suffered the pain of hanging. This is a parallel to the crucifixion. After so much time on the cross, God allegedly took Jesus Christ’s life freeing him from pain” (Watson 1). Billy dies without he pain of hanging as well. He shows no signs of suffering, which cannot be explained by any of the expert witnesses. “The spar from which the Foretopman was suspended, was for some few years kept trace of by the sailors. Their knowledge followed it from ship to dock-yard and again from dock-yard to ship, still pursuing it even when at last reduced to a mere dock-yard boom. To them a chip of it was as a piece of the Cross” (Melville 77). His story becomes immortalized among the navy just as the martyrdom of Christ. A chip of the spar Billy was hung on is regarded as something sacred and special to the sailors just as Christians revere relics of the cross Jesus died on around the world for their sacredness.

ation of Adam who was perfect in body, mind, and spirit.

In Billy Budd Great Britain can be likened to that of ancient Rome. Like Seaman Budd, the modern warrior is used by the State and sacrificed whenever necessary as an acceptable loss. Regarding naval service, Melville is correct when he states that strict discipline is necessary onboard warships, because martial law not only prepares the crew for conflict and survival, but also quells the rebellious heart of most men. But this is true only if the military is used for defense. If the central regime, like Great Britain in this case, is set upon world conquest in order to reconstruct other peoples into the image of the conquerors, martial law becomes a tool for oppression, and not for discipline (Watson 1).

Even though the execution of seaman Budd seems unjust, the reader cannot dismiss easily the logic of Captain Vere’s argument that military officers and enlisted men have an allegiance to the demands of the central government and not to conscience (Watson 1).

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