Billy Budd summary

Billy Budd

Posthumously published in London in 1924, Billy Budd, Sailor was the final novel written by American writer Herman Melville. Melville began working on the story in 1888, but the work remained unfinished until the time of his death in 1891. The novel was discovered in 1919 by Columbia Professor and Melville biographer Raymond M. Weaver, who edited the novel for publication. Considered a masterpiece by British critics, the novel became an instant classic when it was published in America. Set during the Napoleonic Wars at the end of the eighteenth century, the story follows Billy Budd, a handsome British seaman with a verbal stutter who is falsely accused of staging a mutiny aboard the HMS Bellipotent. The novel was adapted as a stage play in 1951, the Broadway production of which went on to win the Donaldson Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards for best play. In 1962, the play was adapted as a feature film produced, co-written, directed, and starring Peter Ustinov. Additionally, Claire Denis’s 1999 film, Beau Travail, is loosely based on the novel.

Narrated in the omniscient third-person, the novel begins in 1797, when the Royal Navy is still feeling the aftermath of two major mutinies in the lead up to the French Revolution. A large, handsome young seaman named Billy Budd is inspected and recruited to board the HMS Bellipotent warship. Bidding farewell to his former merchant ship, The Rights of Man, Billy packs up his gear and climbs the Bellipotent under the direction of boarding officer Lieutenant Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe is pleased to learn that Billy, in addition to being an ideal physical specimen, served as a respected peacemaker on his former ship. The only shortcoming Billy seems to have is a verbal stutter, which worsens under emotional duress. When Billy witnesses the violent lashing of a crewmember, he becomes deeply upset. In an attempt to avoid a similar fate, Billy acts in line and goes about his business, though he is beset by constant scrutiny over the smallest of infractions. Billy asks an elderly sailor Dansker about the constant persecution, to which Dansker explains that the new Master-At-Arms, John Claggart, is envious of Billy’s innocence, kindness, and “significant personal beauty.” As a result, Claggart holds a grudge against Billy. Billy discards Dansker’s theory, yet continues to wonder why he is the subject of intense persecution.

Later, Billy accidentally drops a bowl of soup on the floor of the ship’s dining room, the contents of which spill near Claggart’s feet. Claggart makes a lighthearted joke about the accident, inciting laughter among the crew. Billy takes this jocular remark as winning the approval of Claggart, but Claggart is secretly offended and deems the accident a sign of Billy’s contempt for him. Claggart obsesses over the incident as proof of Billy’s hostility, and as a result, encourages his assistant, Squeak, to continue impugning Billy’s reputation behind his back.

Billy Budd, Sailor

Herman Melville

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Billy Budd, Sailor Summary

 

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Posthumously published in London in 1924, Billy Budd, Sailor was the final novel written by American writer Herman Melville. Melville began working on the story in 1888, but the work remained unfinished until the time of his death in 1891. The novel was discovered in 1919 by Columbia Professor and Melville biographer Raymond M. Weaver, who edited the novel for publication. Considered a masterpiece by British critics, the novel became an instant classic when it was published in America. Set during the Napoleonic Wars at the end of the eighteenth century, the story follows Billy Budd, a handsome British seaman with a verbal stutter who is falsely accused of staging a mutiny aboard the HMS Bellipotent. The novel was adapted as a stage play in 1951, the Broadway production of which went on to win the Donaldson Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards for best play. In 1962, the play was adapted as a feature film produced, co-written, directed, and starring Peter Ustinov. Additionally, Claire Denis’s 1999 film, Beau Travail, is loosely based on the novel.

Narrated in the omniscient third-person, the novel begins in 1797, when the Royal Navy is still feeling the aftermath of two major mutinies in the lead up to the French Revolution. A large, handsome young seaman named Billy Budd is inspected and recruited to board the HMS Bellipotent warship. Bidding farewell to his former merchant ship, The Rights of Man, Billy packs up his gear and climbs the Bellipotent under the direction of boarding officer Lieutenant Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe is pleased to learn that Billy, in addition to being an ideal physical specimen, served as a respected peacemaker on his former ship. The only shortcoming Billy seems to have is a verbal stutter, which worsens under emotional duress. When Billy witnesses the violent lashing of a crewmember, he becomes deeply upset. In an attempt to avoid a similar fate, Billy acts in line and goes about his business, though he is beset by constant scrutiny over the smallest of infractions. Billy asks an elderly sailor Dansker about the constant persecution, to which Dansker explains that the new Master-At-Arms, John Claggart, is envious of Billy’s innocence, kindness, and “significant personal beauty.” As a result, Claggart holds a grudge against Billy. Billy discards Dansker’s theory, yet continues to wonder why he is the subject of intense persecution.

Later, Billy accidentally drops a bowl of soup on the floor of the ship’s dining room, the contents of which spill near Claggart’s feet. Claggart makes a lighthearted joke about the accident, inciting laughter among the crew. Billy takes this jocular remark as winning the approval of Claggart, but Claggart is secretly offended and deems the accident a sign of Billy’s contempt for him. Claggart obsesses over the incident as proof of Billy’s hostility, and as a result, encourages his assistant, Squeak, to continue impugning Billy’s reputation behind his back.

 

One night, Billy is stirred out of bed on the upper-deck by an unknown figure who asks to meet him in a remote corner of the ship. Billy confoundedly agrees. During the mysterious meeting, Billy is puzzled when, after some ambiguous chatter, he sees the anonymous figure fan two guineas in exchange for cooperation of some kind. Billy does not understand what the mysterious person is asking for, and raises his stuttering voice in anger while uncharacteristically threatening violence. The mysterious figure retreats into the darkness. Billy is asked about the encounter by two fellow sailors, to which Billy responds that he simply chased a lost sailor back to the part of the ship he belonged to.

Following a brief dust-up with a rival warship, Claggart approaches the Captain of the Bellipotent, Edward Fairfax “Starry” Vere. Claggart informs Vere that there is a potential mutiny onboard, and that Billy Budd is the rebellious ringleader. Vere calls Billy and Claggart to his cabin for a private conference. Upon repeating Claggart’s accusations, Billy, incensed with Claggart, cannot refute the claims because of his stutter. In a frustrated rage, Billy lashes out at Claggart, striking him in the forehead and killing him.

Dispatching Billy to the stateroom, Vere calls high-ranking officials into his cabin. Vere soon orders a drumhead court-martial, serving as convening authority, prosecutor, defense attorney, and lone witness. Vere presents the facts of the case to the jury. After confessing to the blow but maintaining his innocence of intent and denying any involvement of mutiny, Billy remains silent during the trial. After deliberation that results in a hung jury, Vere presides over the case. Vere and the jury believe Billy is innocent. Yet, citing the Mutiny Act and Articles of War, Vere has no choice to but to persuade the jury to convict Billy or else face potential mutiny in the future. Billy is found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, scheduled for the following day. Billy, at peace, is resigned to his fate.

At roughly four a.m. the following morning, Billy is hanged in the ship’s main yard. While he is strung up and the crewmembers watch as he is executed, Billy utters his final words “God Bless Captain Vere!” In unison, the assembled crewmen echo the phrase. Billy dies with a surprising sense of serenity as the sun rises. Following Billy’s death, the Bellipotent engages in battle with the French warship Athee (The Atheist). Captain Vere is fatally wounded in the skirmish. Vere’s final words are “Billy Budd, Billy Budd.” The novel ends with the legend of Billy Budd memorialized among various naval contingents. Despite a faraway newspaper reporting Billy Budd as a mutinous murderer who killed an innocent Claggart, the sailors think differently and revere Billy’s legacy, worshipping his memory.

In 1955, General Motors Theater produced a live telecast of Billy Budd, staring a young William Shatner in the title role. In 2007, Focus on the Family adapted Billy Budd as an audio drama for their Radio Theater program. The novel has been adapted several times by the Metropolitan Opera House in Manhattan.