Billy Budd: A Story of Protested Innocence
Describe Billy Budd. Why do you think Melville might have created a character like Billy?
Described early on by the author as the Handsome Sailor, Billy Budd is Melville's story of a handsome, innocent young foretopman who, unable to defend himself verbally due to a stutter, fatally strikes an officer who falsely accuses him of mutiny. This incident leads to his execution despite his evident moral purity and the captains seeming reluctance to enforce harsh naval law. In sum, Melville creates Billy Budd as an archetype of pure innocence and natural goodness - a character whose physical beauty mirrors his inner virtue.
What types of things do you predict might happen to him?
The protagonist is repeatedly described as having a child-like innocence, manifesting both in his demeanor and his naive inability to perceive evil in others. Conversely, Billys stutter, which emerges when he is emotionally distressed, represents his inability to defend himself against the corruption...
The reference to being turned down and facing negative consequences because of us suggests the social price of going against established norms, much as Billys natural goodness ultimately conflicts with naval authority and
structure. Likewise, the repeated question, So you think you should? and mention that everyones laughing evokes the tension between individual conscience and societal judgment that runs throughout Melville's work. This connects to Billy's position as someone who stands apart from conventional society, though in his case through innate innocence rather than…
