Herman Melvilles Billy Budd - Innocence is More Important that Wisdom :: Billy Budd Essays

Herman Melvilles Billy Budd - innocence is More Important that Wisdom In Billy Budd, the author, Herman Melville, presents a forefront that stems directly from the original sin of ouAdam and Eve Is it better to be indigent(p) and ignorant, but good and righteous, or is it better to be experienced and well-educated? Through this work, Billy Budd,Melville is telling us that we need to strike nearly kind of balance between these two ideas we need to have faith and virtue we need to be in the world, but not of the world. To dilate his theme, Melville uses a few examples who are all very different, the most of the essence(predicate) of which is Billy Budd. Billy is the focal point of the book and the single person whom we are meant to learn the most from. On the ship, the Rights-of-Man, Billy is a cynosure among his shipmates a leader, not by authority, but by example. All the members of the crew witness up to him and love him. He is strength and beauty. Tales of his prowess are recited. Ashore he is the champion, afloat the spokesman on every suitable occasion always first of all(9). Despite his popularity among the crew and his hardworking attitude, Billy is transferred to another British ship, the Indomitable. And enchantment he is accepted for his looks and happy personality, ...hardly here is he that cynosure he had previously been among those minor ships companies of the merchant marine(14). It is here, on the Indomitable that Billy says good-bye to his rights. It is here, also, that Billy meets John Claggart, the master-at-arms. A man in whom was the mania of an execration nature, not engendered by vicious training or corrupting books or licentious living but born with him and innate, in short a ungodliness according to nature(38). Here then, is presented a man with a personality and character to contrast and conflict with Billys. Sweet, innocent Billy immediately realizes that this man is someone he does not wish to cross and so afte r perceive Claggart whip another crew-member for neglecting his responsibilities, Billy resolved that never through remissness would he make himself liable to such a visitation or do or omit aught that might merit nonetheless verbal reproof(31). Billy is so good and so innocent that he tries his hardest to stay out of trouble. What then was his surprise and concern when in the long run he found himself getting into petty trouble occasionally or so such matters as the stowage of his bag.