Billy Budd

Detailed Summary & Analysis

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 (not in all editions) Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31

Themes

All Themes Natural Character and Appearance Duty, Loyalty, and Camaraderie Justice Individual vs. Society The Present vs. the Past Storytelling, Rumor, and Truth

Quotes

Characters

All Characters Billy Budd Captain Vere John Claggart The Dansker The Surgeon

Symbols

All Symbols Ship Names Christian Imagery

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Shakespeare Translations

Billy Budd

Herman Melville

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Introduction

Plot Summary

Detailed Summary
& Analysis

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12 (not in all editions)
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31

Themes

All Themes
Natural Character and Appearance
Duty, Loyalty, and Camaraderie
Justice
Individual vs. Society
The Present vs. the Past
Storytelling, Rumor, and Truth

Quotes

Characters

All Characters
Billy Budd
Captain Vere
John Claggart
The Dansker
The Surgeon

Symbols

All Symbols
Ship Names
Christian Imagery

Theme Wheel

Billy Budd Study Guide

It's easy to cite LitCharts for use in academic papers and reports.

MLA

Fredericksen, Erik. "Billy Budd." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 15 Dec 2013. Web. 6 Dec 2019.

Chicago

Fredericksen, Erik. "Billy Budd." LitCharts LLC, December 15, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2019. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/billy-budd.

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