The novel Billy Budd. Sailor is the narrative about the brush of Billy Budd. a beautiful crewman who is popular on the war vessel Bellipotent. and eventually died. because he killed the master-at-arms. Claggart. unwittingly. Actually Captain Vere. the captain of Bellipotent. likes Billy Budd. besides. he knows that Billy is guiltless.
But harmonizing to his responsibility on the ship as a captain. he decides to force Billy to decease. In the late 1700s. in Great Britain. because of the two mutinies that happened. the power of a captain on a ship became strong and influenceable.
The Britannica recorded that. sometimes the captain could name for a person’s decease punishment without opening a tribunal or even a impermanent tribunal ( “Mutiny” ) . The state already suffered two mutinies. which made their state in upset and pandemonium. Besides. for each of the two times. the authorities resolved with “…pay rise. and improved life conditions” ( Melville 132 ) and the leaders were even “…hanged from the yardarm…whipped or imprisoned” ( Melville 132 ) .
They did non desire these to go on once more. so they strongly opposed the occurrence of it once more. For Captain Vere. even though he does non hold a strong influence that could allow Billy straight be hanged without worrying about the argument on the tribunal. he needs to seek his best to avoid the occurrence of another mutiny.
He believes. if he does non decide this instance ruthlessly. it will go a ruinous fuse of the mutiny in the hereafter. He is truly afraid of the mutiny. because if the mutiny eventually happens. the first people that will be killed by the treasonists. In add-on. Captain vere “had assumed a singularly tragical character that for a clip jeopardized the life of its commander” ( Melville 73 ) during the Nore Mutiny. that makes him strongly afraid of the mutiny.
This is the chief ground that makes him make up one's mind to take Billy to decease. In fact. Captain Vere likes Billy Budd. While Claggart is stating him that Billy is shaving a rebellion. Captain Vere says “Do you come to me. Master-at-arm. with so foggy a narrative? …heed what you speak…there is a yardarm-end for the false witness” ( Melville 77 ) . This fragment shows clearly that Captain Vere is side with Billy. non Claggart. Besides. when Captain Vere is deceasing. he “was heard to murmur words incomprehensible to his attender: ‘Billy Budd. Billy Budd. ’” ( Melville 123 ) .
This action shows that Captain Vere truly cares about the decease of Billy. even though he himself made it to go on. Captain Vere. is like the male parent figure of Billy. but he. as a brilliant male parent. killed his guiltless boy. However. even though Captain Vere basically is a good and gracious cat with “…a certain unaffected modestness of manhood sometimes attach toing a resolute nature. a modestness evidenced at all times non naming for pronounced action…” ( Melville 27 ) . he is besides a adult male who has high regard on his naval forces and his state. He “is in the one specific like a true monk…keep…his vows of commitment to material responsibility. ” ( Melville 89 ) .
His military spirit is really dignity and unbeatable. because he is in the high place in the British naval forces for a long clip. He loves his state. This belief. which is besides in the head of many officers of the British naval forces. support him all the clip when he needs to do determinations. Pacing up and down between “being nice” or “being lawful” .
Captain Vere chooses to stand on the side of his state at the terminal. He successfully avoided the possible new rebellion on the war vessel. but he killed the “handsome sailor” Billy Budd. Cipher knows if he feels guilty in his head. but for this old captain in a naval forces. “being lawful” is clearly the best pick and lone pick for him.
Plants Cited
Melville. Herman. Billy Budd. Sailor. New York. New york: Simon & A ; Schuster. 2009. Print. “Mutiny. ” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. . 2012. Web. 18 Dec. 2012.
Author: Levi Jennings