Billy Budd Essays: Three Main Characters

Billy Budd: Three Main Characters

Billy Budd, a 19th century novel written by Herman Melville, involves three main characters: Billy Budd, John Claggart and Captain Vere. In the beginning of the novel, Melville portrays each character with distinct personality; Billy Budd is represented as the simple-minded sailor, Claggart is viewed as the villain, and Captain Vere is seen as the honorable superior of the ship. As the novel develops, the earlier images of these characters are contradicted as previously unseen traits of each character are revealed.

John Claggart represents the epitome of a demon-haunted man. In chapter twenty, Melville carefully describes the change in Claggart’s twisted figure as he speaks to Billy with a “hypnotic stare” of his charge against the handsome sailor. His image initially was of “a serpent fascination;” however, his facial expression corrodes as he reveals his anger and antipathy toward Billy face to face. First, his eyes change their color from a “wonted rich violet” to a “muddy purple.” Melville even portrays him almost as a non-human being, an “alien eyes of an uncatalogued creature.” Furthermore, as opposed to his initial image, Melville compares the man to a “hungry lurch of the torpedo-fish.” Melville deliberately transforms Claggart’s demonic trait to a more extreme level.

Billy Budd plays a role of a good-hearted and simple peacemaker. His winsome looks and innocent nature wins the loyalty of many sailors except for John Claggart. During Billy’s brief moment of his stay in Captain Vere’s cabin, one can see that his angelic image morphs into an image of a deadly creature. When John Claggart shocks Billy with the accusation of being involved in a rebellious group, Billy becomes “impaled, struck by white leprosy.” He is dumbfounded and tongue-tied as if the hypnosis- ***Hypnotist?***Claggart – had actually mesmerized him into blocking his ability to speak. Captain Vere even urges Billy to defend himself; however, one knows for a fact that Billy’s main weakness is his inability to speak out in such situation. Melville also compares Billy to an old schoolmate of Captain Vere. Just like the young schoolmate, Billy shrinks into a helpless child, struggling to spit out a word. That moment of helplessness is broken when Billy slashes out with a cannonball punch at Claggart. Instantaneously, Billy’s image of a good-natured sailor is replaced by the image of a manslayer. It is that unexpected transformation in Billy’s nature which puts his life on trial.