Billy Budd

Name
Instructor’s name
Literature
Date
Billy Budd
Question One
Melville’s novella demonstrates an interaction between the concepts of innocence and knowledge for many different reasons. The author poses a question that touches on the causes of the first sin of Adam and Eve. He asks, “Is it better to be innocent and ignorant, but good and righteous, or is it better to be experienced and knowledgeable?” Therefore, the demonstration by Melville tries to tell us that we are required to balance the concept of innocence and that of knowledge by commissioning decency and virtue in our different societies.
The tautness amid Claggart and Billy takes place due to the extortions and occurrences that took place in the British ship, and this sets a later stage for confrontation. Therefore, this makes Billy pursue help from Dansker whom he regarded as a symbol of capability. On the same note, Billy is astonished when he is informed that Claggart is working behind his back since he believed him to be acquitted and credulous. Therefore, the author of the book tries to make us ask whether Billy should regard the counsel of familiarity and knowledge and tell the leader of the ship on the conspiracy or should he keep silent and formulate a way to come up with a solution.
Similarly, the demonstration aims at advising us that innocence is better than knowledge and experience in the world since it only exists after death and followed by triumphs. The book depicts on how Billy is branded a traitor and killed.

His shipmates had a different view, and they kept a trail of the pole in which he was slung until it befits a “mere dock-yard boom; to them, a chip of it was as a piece of the Cross” (Melville and Freeman, 87). Therefore, despite the death of Billy, his innocence will remain alive since it shall change the lives of many sailors for a long time.
Question Two
Melville portrays Billy as a Christ figure in his novella as he intends to make his readers connect his tale with the gospel that was led by Jesus Christ. He makes Billy portray the inescapable obliteration of a man who is innocent but lacks awareness. The book shows how Billy endures a persecution that was similar to that of Jesus. He was executed for same reasons as those of Christ, and he finally ascended taking “the full rose of the dawn” (Melville and Freeman, 376).
The reason for Melville portraying Billy as Christ in his novella was aimed at supporting his philosophy that being innocent while lacking knowledge and experience will make one meet with destruction. Therefore, Melville tries to tell us that one can only succeed in a tumbled domain through balancing the innocence is his heart and the knowledge and experience that he has gained since he was born.
Similarly, Melville portrays Billy as a Christ figure when he showed how Billy sacrificed his life of an innocent victim in a hostile society. On the same note, his persecution was similar to that of Jesus since Vere acted like Pontius Pilate since he permitted the death of Billy depending on the letter of the law instead of his conscience. Correspondingly, Claggart’s temptations to Billy towards evil and aiming to destroy him are like the temptation that Christ received from Satan when he was in his mission.
Work Cited
Melville, Herman and Frederic Barron Freeman. Billy Budd. Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press, 1948. Print.