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Idealism in Melville's Billy Budd |
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The idealism in Melville's Billy Budd revolves around the conflict between the individual and society and the vulnerability of innocence. Billy Budd is a twenty-one-year-old sailor who is idealistic, innocent, and incapable of perceiving evil intentions in others. Good looking and emitting a "virtue" of character "sugaring the sour" of his nature, Billy is vulnerable to the evil on board the H.M.S. Bellipotent in the form of the Master-at-Arms, Claggart (Melville p. 47). Suffering from a speech impediment and unable to comprehend evil in others, Billy is vulnerable to Claggart's lies and allegations against him. When faced with Claggart's evil, Billy can only respond by using brute force. He is condemned to death and hanged on the orders of Captain Vere. Billy's idealism, that is his innocence and vulnerability, cause him to act in a way that goes against the rigid law and order of the Bellipotent. Though the evil lies in others, not Billy, his idealism manifests actions in him that must be punished by death.
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Category: Literature - I
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