God created Adam and Eve after his image and likeness, as a result God allowed man to abide in his presence because of their innocence and purity. Once man partook of the forbidden fruit, evil, they were exiled from paradise. In the novel Billy Budd, often paralleled to Adam, the protagonist's primary quality is his extraordinary and even disturbing innocence, and naveté. In the novel and the story of Adam and Eve, its clear how evil will destroy innocence. .
At twenty-one years of age, Billy has never directly confronted evil. Due to his striking good looks and affable nature, he has always been well liked and admired by everyone. As a consequence, he navely assumes that other people always mean him the best. He has not yet developed the prudent cynicism of an individual like the dansker, who is well aware of mens evil inclinations. Billy has no defense of a hateful man like Claggart and cannot perceive his malice.
If Billy represents innocence, then the antagonist-john Claggart- represents evil. His innate wickedness is causeless, Melville suggests that he was born evil "In whom was the mania of an evil nature.but born with him and innate, in short a depravity according to nature-(Melville 38). Claggarts inner motives are to sophisticated for Billy to understand. In the novel's Christian allegory claggart represents Lucifer, trying to pervert and destroy morality and human innocence. On another level he is paralleled to the serpent in the Garden of Eden, which tempts them into eating of the forbidden tree.
With the development of these two characters, the author presents us with the climax of the novel, where Claggart is out to destroy Billy Budd. It is not clear as to why claggart has such a hatred for Billy, but nevertheless he employs vicious methods and lies to see billy killed. .
Billy's demise is brought about by his own innocence and outside evil influences. When Claggart-in presence of the ship's captain- openly accuses Billy of conspiracy to commit mutiny, Billy has no words with which to confront his allegations because he cannot comprehend Claggarts evil or formulate any clear thoughts about him; and ultimately he ends claggarts life with brute force.
