Billy Budd, Sailor 5

Study Guide Questions for Ch. 18-20

If you are looking for the beginning of the study for Billy Budd, Sailor by Herman Melville then you can go HERE for a brief introduction. At the bottom of the introduction you will find the links to each section of the study guide as it becomes available. If you would like to see the growing list of book studies available for free on this site you can go HERE. Enjoy!

Virtues/Vices/Great Ideas: (Find them in the Text)

Despotism, Prudence, Recklessness

Grammar Questions: (The Information of the Text)

1. What were some reasons given for why the Bellipotent was sometimes selected for missions of a “more important kind?”

2. How did Claggart go about obtaining an audience with Captain Vere?

3. What did Claggart come to tell Captain Vere?

4. What was Captain Vere’s reaction to the claim Claggart made?

5. What did Billy think the Captain might want from him once he received the call to come to Vere’s cabin?

6. How was Claggart described as he made his accusation directly to Billy’s face?

7. What prevented Billy from responding to Claggart’s allegations?

8. What did Billy do to Claggart?

9. Whom did Captain Vere call to his cabin after sending Billy to an adjoining room?

10. What course of action did Captain Vere determine upon after the incident between Claggart and Billy?

Logic Questions: (Interpreting, Comparing/Contrasting, Reasoning)

1. Melville tells us that “the character of her commander” was a very significant factor as to why the Bellipotent was chosen for special assignments. What do you think are some factors which made Captain Vere notable for his ability to deal with “unforeseen difficulties…demanding knowledge and ability in addition to those qualities implied in good seamanship?”  

2. The story tells us that something in Claggart’s “aspect” provoked “a vaguely repellent distaste” for Captain Vere. Why do you think this might be?

3. What is meant by the statement, “there is a yardarm-end for the false witness?”

4. What do you think Captain Vere thought of Claggart’s story concerning Billy? Why do you think as you do?

5. How many references or allusions to the Christian Scriptures as you can find in chapters 18-19? Why are these significant to the meaning of this story?

6. Why do you think Billy did what he did to Claggart?

7. Why do you think Captain Vere decided to call for a “drumhead court” rather than just keep Billy confined until they returned to the whole fleet?

Rhetoric Questions: (The Analysis of Ideas in the Text)

1. What makes a person trustworthy? How can we discern whether or not a person should be believed or disbelieved? Do you think that the skill of discernment as to other people’s character is something that can be developed or is it simply something that some people have and others don’t? If you think it can be developed, how should we pursue this? If you think it cannot, why?

2. Was it right or wrong what Billy did to Claggart? Explain your reasoning.

Theological Analysis: (Sola Scriptura)

1. Read Genesis 37. What does Joseph’s story have in common with Billy Budd’s?

2. Read Acts 5:1-11. Why does Captain Vere reference this story in regard to what has just taken place?