Billy Budd, Sailor

An Introduction and Study Guide

“Call me Ishmael.” That’s the opening line to Moby Dick which made its mark on the literary world as one of the most memorable opening lines in the history of novel writing. Billy Budd, Sailor, a novella by the same author, is not only lesser known to the world but it also almost never saw the light of day at all. The manuscript of this little story was never published during the lifetime of its author, Herman Melville. It was found by a professor named Raymond Weaver. It had been stuffed inside a breadbox and left in a disordered state, only to be discovered nearly thirty years after Melville’s death. Weaver took great pains to organize the material, decipher the many scribbled notes of Melville and put it into publication shape.

Compared to Moby Dick this little book may seem insignificant. Certainly in size it is not a whale of a book, but in content it has all the same spirit as his more well-known masterpiece. Melville is perhaps at his best when he is writing about the sea and life in relation to it (not to disparage his other brilliant works like Bartleby the Scrivener which are landlocked tales). It’s no wonder, of course, when you learn that Melville (1819-1891) was himself a veteran sailor who lived quite an adventuresome life on the sea. It is reported that he took part himself in not one but two mutinies. He was exiled on an island as a result of one of these and lived, surprisingly peaceably, with cannibals for a time. Eventually he managed his way back to the mainland of the United States and began to write stories of the sea (and land) with all his adventures to fuel his own imagination.

Billy Budd certainly benefits from his life experiences. He writes about something he knows firsthand, namely mutiny or the potential for it and what that potentiality does to the psychology of a crew in tense times. The story is set at the close of the 18th century during a time of revolution. The United States had successfully forced the British to withdraw from America and acknowledge them as a separate sovereign nation. The commoners of France, looking to the American success, had risen against the monarchy and noble blood in their own country, starting a bloodthirsty revolution of their own (of notably different character than the American Revolution).

Following these revolutions there had recently been two sizable mutinies within the British navy. These mutinies were caused, undoubtedly, by some real abuses of the common enlisted sailors who were not being duly cared for by the officers (who were largely constituted by men of noble blood and rank). Recent events told the people that change was possible if only they were willing to rise up and lay hold of it for themselves. Even so, both of the mutinies were eventually quelled, some concessions were made to the sailors for a better living, and the British Navy carried on.

At the time of this story the British naval forces were by far superior in number and quality to any other navy in the world. The British Empire stretched far and wide (as far as Africa and India) and many naval battles continued to be fought to subdue new enemies and maintain dominion over previously conquered areas. The demand for able bodied and capable sailors required more men than that which they were receiving into naval service by willing enlistment. As a result of this demand many men were being impressed into service against their will.

It is this air of revolution, the tension of recent mutinies, and the need for sailing men to maintain control of British interests around the world which sets the scene for our story. But take my word for it, no take Melville’s word for it, “the story in which he [Billy Budd] is the main figure is no romance.” Romance being a technical term other than its modern usage, Melville is saying that this story is not one about far reaching adventure into the wide world. One should not read this book expecting to hear about foreign wars or even exchanges of cannon fire between the British blue jackets and pirates on the open sea. No, this book is about one ship, its crew and captain, and what happens upon it. The wider world practically vanishes from the story because the ship is the world of the story.

Loaded with powerful biblical imagery the reader is to be encouraged to look for biblical and allegorical parallels in the story. Melville, though not perfectly orthodox in his own religious convictions, was brought up in the Dutch Reformed tradition. The Bible and its stories flow through Melville’s veins and he bleeds all over his stories. So meet Billy Budd, the “Handsome Sailor.” A man of mythical-like qualities, of unknown origin, of rare virtue, with an essential role to play in the microcosm of a particular British warship, the H. M. S. Bellipotent. It is a world that is jeopardized by a serpent on board and Billy has been chosen to play a crucial part in its story.

Below you will find links to each section of the study guide for Melville’s Billy Budd, Sailor as they become available. If you would like to pick up a copy of the book to join in the study you may do so by clicking HERE. For a list of other Great Books study guides already available, in development, or planned for the future you can click HERE.

Lesson 1: Chapters 1-2

Lesson 2: Chapters 3-8

Lesson 3: Chapters 9-13

Lesson 4: Chapters 14-17

Lesson 5: Chapters 18-20

Lesson 6: Chapters 21-23

Lesson 7: Chapters 24-30