... he could be regarded as supporting Voltaire against Rousseau on the crucial question of the necessity for civilization. Billy, as Melville presents him, is indeed a person of admirable character, but his very nobility prevents him from adjusting satisfactorily to the demands of a civilization, which may well be ... corrupt, as Rousseau maintains it is, but which also embodies law, without which men could not live together as true human beings. Billy's crime, as Melville presents ... the skills most vital to civilized existence - the skill of verbal communication. "Though in the hour of ...

• Word Count: 1389
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Melville's novel, Billy Budd, tells the story of a young man who is recruited by the British Navy to the H.M.S. Bellipotent. He is received well by most of his fellow sailors who like Billy Budd are often alluded to people and stories from the Bible. Most critics agree that these allusions serve as a basis to which a character ... Captain Vere regarding the story of man's fall; however he does symbolize God in his decision concerning the fate of Billy. He is the character who must deal with the struggle between good and evil, and must try to act in a non-partisan manner (Burris 1). In thi...

• Word Count: 3760
• Approx Pages: 15
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... as a poem about a middle-aged man on the eve of his execution, Billy Budd is the only true work of fiction written by Melville (Bloom, Critical Views 198). The idea for the novella was probably suggested in part by an incident in 1842 in which a midshipman and ... seamen of the American brig Somers were hanged at sea for mutiny (Voss 44). Although it remained unpublished for until almost half a century after Melville's death, Billy Budd quickly became one of his most popular works (Bloom, Critical Views 198). Perhaps one of the most widely recognized themes in ... of order, and serving...

• Word Count: 1646
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

In the short novel "Billy Budd" written by Herman Melville, Captain Vere's choice of whether or not a single character such as Billy Budd possesses a higher importance than that of the general public is debated. The individual is not as essential or imperative as the well-being and welfare of ... arrive at a valid ending. Even though the "condemned one suffered less than he who . . . effected the condemnation," (Melville 72) Captain Vere realizes that it is crucial that he stays away from emotions "that may tend to enervate decision." (Melville 66) As an intellectual and accountable characte...

• Word Count: 381
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... main characters in Herman Melville's Billy Budd, Sailor: Billy Budd, John Claggart, and Captain Vere. The first two are depicted as a pair of opposites, for one is innocent, simple and good, while the other is intelligent but hypocritical and evil. Captain Vere is a more complex character, and much harder to ... quot;such a fine specimen of the genus homo, who in the nude might have posed for a statue of young Adam before the Fall" (Melville, P2332). "Billy in many respects was little more than a sort of upright barbarian, much such perhaps as Adam presumably might have been ere ... the...

• Word Count: 718
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... 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 written to be a medium between Billy Budd and Claggart. Vere, like Claggart, has experience that makes him a salted sailor. However, like Billy ... purity and brightness of the moon but just another side of the moon. Captain Vere's conflict between conscience and duty can be seen in Melville's imagery. The side that first disappeared during the eclipse was Captain Vere's paternal feelings towards Billy. The side that reappeared after t...

• Word Count: 1960
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... 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 written to be a medium between Billy Budd and Claggart. Vere, like Claggart, has experience that makes him a salted sailor. However, like Billy ... purity and brightness of the moon but just another side of the moon. Captain Vere's conflict between conscience and duty can be seen in Melville's imagery. The side that first disappeared during the eclipse was Captain Vere's paternal feelings towards Billy. The side that reappeared after t...

• Word Count: 1964
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School