- Paperback: 244 pages
- Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Company (June 1975)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 067261040X
- ISBN-13: 978-0672610400
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 1.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 249 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
In the time before steamships, or then more frequently than now, a stroller along the docks of any considerable seaport would occasionally have his attention arrested by a group of bronzed mariners, man-of-war's men or merchant sailors in holiday attire, ashore on liberty. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
In the time before steamships, or then more frequently than now, a stroller along the docks of any considerable seaport would occasionally have his attention arrested by a group of bronzed mariners, man-of-war's men or merchant sailors in holiday attire, ashore on liberty. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Elisabeth, Billy Budd,
By A Customer
This review is from: Billy Budd, Sailor (Mass Market Paperback)
Melville's short novel, Billy Budd, relates the late eighteenth century story of a naive, innocent, young sailor, who is hated by John Claggart, the ship's master-at-arms. Good versus evil, the individual versus society, absolute law versus mercy are all themes in the novel. Billy Budd contains many Christian allusions, and some commentators have suggested the novel is a Christian allegory that depicts the sacrifice of an innocent man. The narrator repeatedly draws comparisons between Billy Budd and Christ and Claggart and Satan. Although the reader must be willing to wade through many unfamiliar allusions and difficult vocabulary, the novel has a simple, but gripping plot line with universal themes.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Elisabeth, Billy Budd,
By A Customer
This review is from: Billy Budd, Sailor (Mass Market Paperback)
Melville's short novel, Billy Budd, relates the story of a naive, innocent, young sailor hated by John Claggart, the ship's master-at-arms. The reason for Claggart's hatred is unknown; he is simply the representative of evil. In the presence of the ship's captain, Claggart falsely accuses Billy of mutiny. In response, Billy strikes Claggart with such force that Claggart falls dead. Concerned with the possibility of mutiny, Captain Vere convenes a court which follows Vere's directions, convicts Billy, and sentences him to death by hanging. The sentence is carried out.The novel contains many Christian allusions, and some commentators have suggested Billy Budd is an allegory of Christ and the sacrifice of an innocent man. The narrator repeatedly draws comparisons between Billy and Christ and Claggart and Satan. The most difficult parts of Billy Budd were Chapters 3 and 4, which seemed unconnnected with plot at that point in the novel. Later, the reader understands the connection between the descriptions of two mutinies on other ships and Billy Budd. However, I am not sure the reader is ever entirely clearly ion the relevance of Admiral Nelson in Chapter 4. Although the reader has to be willing to wade through many allusions and difficult vocabulary, the novel has a great plot and universal themes. The innocent victim, the evil heart, the individual versus society theme, the letter of the law versus mercy theme, the internal conflicts in Captain Vere, the Christ imagery all make for a classic novel. I recommend Billy Budd.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Last Testament.,
By artist with no country (gachis) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Billy Budd, Sailor (Paperback)
Whether its considered a novella, a short novel, or whatever else, no matter, Billy Budd is the greatest work of its kind ever written and one of the great works of world literature. Whether it fits neatly into any traditional literary category is of no importance. "Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its ragged edges."Such rare substance and depth condensed into a mere 90 pages creates intense heat and blinding light, an incandescence, that only genius could then fashion into the long, smooth, jewel-like chains of the poetic prose sentences that make up this book. Melville forges them in the white-hot smithy of his soul then links them together, beginning to end, giving us the revelation story of Billy Budd. "Welkin-eyed" Billy Budd is a young British merchant sailor, the "Handsome Sailor", the embodiment of spontaneous, good-natured vitality and innocence, naturally loved by his fellow sailors, an "Angel of God." But he is also the "fated boy" with a seemingly minor weakness of stuttering when he is upset, a weakness that proves tragic in a world of darkness. Billy is forcibly enlisted onto a war ship to serve the British king in his struggle against the post-revolutionary France of Napoleon. On ship Billy meets the very intelligent, proper, conservative, highly regarded Master-at-Arms, Claggart. Behind his facade, Claggart's soul is as weak and depraved as Billy's is good and strong. The proud Claggart secretly admires Billy beyond endurance and grows to loathe and detest him because of this. Claggart goes to Captain Vere and falsely accuses Billy of mutiny. Billy is brought in and accused to his face. The shocked Billy is inwardly paralyzed, reduced to "a strange dumb gesturing and gurgling", by the mystery of such maliciousness and evil. He can't comprehend it and doesn't know how to defend himself. Like an innocent tormented animal he strikes out and Claggart falls silent, permanently silent. Then the real horror at the heart of this story is revealed. Captain Vere, the embodiment of all conventional nobility, courage and wisdom, deceives himself with his lofty rationality and with much sentimentality, but no more real feeling than a puppet, he follows protocol and, though he knows Billy is innocent, condemns him to be hanged and given over to the sea. Cuffed with darbies (manacles or irons) and bound in hammock the "Angel of God" is dropped into the darkness. Fathoms down, fathoms down, how I'll dream fast asleep. This story combined with the author's ongoing pronouncements reveals a realm of American art where Melville stands alone. He is America's greatest, only truly prophetic, artist. Enter this little book openly, seriously, and it will serve you for life. Read it again and again until you hear its voice.
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