Billy Budd

by

Herman Melville

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Billy Budd makes teaching easy.

Ship Names

The names of both of the ships Billy serves on are significant. He is originally a sailor on the Rights-of-Man, which the narrator notes takes its name from a book by Thomas Paine. Paine's… read analysis of Ship Names

Christian Imagery

Throughout the novella, Billy Budd is admiringly compared to various Christian figures. He is often described as similar to Adam, emphasizing his complete innocence and lack of experience with the civilized, corrupt world. However, toward… read analysis of Christian Imagery