Billy Budd: Was Captain Vere Right? Essay, Research Paper

Billy Budd: Was Captain Vere Right?

Captain Vere makes the right determination by put to deathing Billy Budd. If

CaptainVere lets Billy live the remainder of the crew might acquire the feeling that

they will non be held accountable for their offenses. If the crew feels that they

can acquire off with what of all time they want so there is a opportunity that they might

organize a rebellion and have a mutiny. A mutiny would destruct the stableness and

good name of the ship and the crew. Captain Vere does non desire to see this

happen. There are three chief grounds Captain Vere makes the right determination by

put to deathing Billy Budd. These grounds are that if Billy lives so a mutiny might

occur, because the jurisprudence states that a offense every bit terrible as Billy & # 8217 ; s is punishable by

decease, and Captain Vere feels sorry for Billy and does non desire Billy to endure

with guilt until a soldierly tribunal could give a determination.

If Billy is non executed so corruptness might happen on the ship and

cause a mutiny. Captain Vere knows that a mutiny might happen and does non desire

it to go on. Captain Vere could perchance be utilizing Billy & # 8217 ; s executing for his

offense of killing Claggart as an illustration for the remainder of the crew. It shows the

crew what will go on to them if they try to get down a mutiny. After Billy & # 8217 ; s

decease CaptainVere evidently feels sorrow for put to deathing Billy. Captain Vere & # 8217 ; s

last words are? Billy Budd, Billy Budd? ( p. 76 ) show an illustration of this. Those

last words might typify that Captain Vere killed Billy for the incorrect grounds.

If CaptainVere uses Billy & # 8217 ; s decease for an illustration to the remainder of the crew so it

might non needfully be the incorrect ground. CaptainVere has to make up one’s mind between

one life and the lives of the full crew. No affair what Captain Vere & # 8217 ; s

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Ns are he does do the right determination.

Another ground CaptainVere might of executed Billy Budd is because

CaptainVere follows the jurisprudence to the missive. The jurisprudence states that mutiny is

punishable to by decease. Some readers might non see this inadvertent slaying as

mutiny, but killing a superior officer in the British naval forces is considered mutiny.

In Captain Vere & # 8217 ; s determination he shows the crew that no misdemeanors of the jurisprudence will

be tolerated. In the narrative CaptainVere is described as? ne’er digesting an

misdemeanor of subject? ( p. 16 ) . This trait could be the ground for Billy & # 8217 ; s

decease.

Another ground Captain Vere might put to death Billy Budd is that he does non

desire Billy to endure with his extreme guilty until a soldierly tribunal can see his

instance. Captain Vere likely had a personal fond regard to Billy. This is

evident when Captain Vere says, ? struck dead by an angel of God! Yet the angel

must hang! ? ( p. 51 ) . This statement implies Captain Vere & # 8217 ; s true feelings for

Billy. If Captain Vere had let a soldierly tribunal try the instance so they would

most likely semen to the same decision. Because of this fact Captain Vere did

non happen it necessary to do Billy wait for a test.

Captain Vere made the right determination by put to deathing Billy for his offenses.

Although the determination was controversial it kept stableness among the crew. The

crew & # 8217 ; s destiny is more of import than any single crewman & # 8217 ; s destiny. If Captain

Vere had made the opposite determination than there likely would be a really atrocious

destiny for the Bellipotent. Billy Budd could be considered a tragic hero. In his

short life Billy touched more lives than most people do in there full lives.

Billy is person that most readers would hold is a tragic hero. Even though

Billy Budd is so great, Captain Vere made the right determination.