Billy Budd: Downloadable Teaching Unit (Sparknotes Literature Study Guides)
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- Synopsis
- While 'Moby Dick' is Herman Melville&’s best known book, 'Billy Budd, Sailor' is considered by many to be his greatest work. Billy, a foundling from Bristol, has an innocence, good looks and a natural charisma that make him popular with the crew. His only physical defect is a stutter which grows worse when under intense emotion. He arouses the antagonism of the ship&’s master-at-arms, John Claggart. Claggart, while not unattractive, seems somehow defective or abnormal next to Billy. Despite Claggart&’s animosity towards him, Billy saves Claggart&’s life further infuriating the man. Claggart then accuses Billy of conspiring to mutiny. Billy, dumfounded by the accusation, becomes unable to defend himself against Claggart&’s words because of his stuttering and in frustration strikes the lying Claggart with a blow so powerful that it kills the man instantly. In the ensuing trial Melville explores good and evil, justices and mercy, right and wrong, and natural law verses man&’s law. A Masterpiece for the Ages!
- Copyright:
- 1999
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Publisher Quality
- ISBN-13:
- 9781952438530
- Publisher:
- Start Publishing LLC
- Date of Addition:
- 04/28/20
- Copyrighted By:
- Start Publishing LLC
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Literature and Fiction, Outdoors and Nature
- Submitted By:
- Bookshare Staff
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.