billy budd

            What do duty and principle demand and what is the price of that demand? This question is one of the many forced upon Captain Vere when he is approached with the situation of a possible mutinous villain aboard the Bellipotent. Vere is forced to make a decision: should he let the possible villain go free, or accept Claggart's rumor as truth and condemn the man to death? Consequences would come with both actions, but perhaps Vere does not realize what the true cost of his decision will be. He doesn't know if Billy Budd is capable of treason; with his cheerful, innocent, friendly spirit, how could he be? Every man on the ship seems to be infatuated with Billy. Any imperfections seem to be hidden, and in that assumption, Billy is perfection. However, the bible proves that the only perfect human being who ever lived on this earth was Jesus Christ; drawing conclusion from each man's feelings for him, Billy becomes analogous to Christ and Adam before the Fall. But even with this parallel to holiness, could Vere risk the lives of every other man on that ship, including his own? The Captain is put in a very difficult position, yet must make the decision to put Billy to death or set him free. .
             With just a mere accusation, Captain Vere doesn't necessarily believe that Billy Budd is guilty of planning a mutiny aboard the Bellipotent. He even confronts Claggart with his doubt when he says, "Do you come to me, Master-at-arms, with so foggy a tale (67)?" But Vere feels that it is his duty as Captain to maintain an atmosphere of unity, not dissention, and therefore doesn't look at the true principality of this action. When actually taking principle into account on a moral level, Vere discovers things he's never before known about himself, and this perhaps haunts him the rest of his days. .