"Cliff Notes - Billy Budd" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cliff Notes)

bring this dreadful punishment upon himself. But try as he might, he
keeps getting into trouble over minor details having to do with his
bags and bedding. He just can't figure it out, so he asks the
Dansker, a wise old friend, for advice. When the Dansker tells him
that Claggart is down on him, Billy can't believe it. Claggart's
always been so kind! There has to be some other explanation.

A few days later, when Billy is having lunch, he accidentally spills
his soup across Claggart's path. Oddly enough, Claggart's only
response is to tap Billy on the back and tell him jokingly that it
was "handsomely done." Billy takes this as proof that Claggart
really likes him. But how wrong he is! Claggart is so depraved and
paranoid that he trumps up this soup-spilling into a major offense
and starts plotting Billy's demise.

Claggart gets one of his henchmen to approach Billy at night and
offer him money to join in a mutiny. Billy is so shocked that he
starts to stutter. Though he furiously rebuffs the man, he fails to
report him to the authorities because he doesn't want to be an
informer.

Meanwhile, the Bellipotent is sent out on a scouting mission and
sails miles away from the British fleet. Claggart chooses this
moment to spring his trap. He goes to Captain Vere and tells him
that Billy Budd is causing trouble on board and hints that he might
be leading a mutiny. Vere has trouble believing this story, so he
decides to bring Claggart and Billy together in secret and force the
truth to come out. The meeting takes place in his cabin. Claggart
delivers his accusation, and Billy is so surprised and upset at the
lie that his stutter gets the better of him. In an agony of
frustration, he punches Claggart in the forehead, and the blow kills
him instantly. Though Vere sympathizes with Billy and believes him
to be honest, he feels he must carry out his role as captain and
follow the naval rules exactly. He calls in three officers for a
hasty court martial and argues that, according to the regulations,
Billy must be hanged. While acknowledging that Billy is innocent in
the eyes of God, Vere insists on an immediate execution. One of the
officers suggests that they convict Billy, but pardon him, which
Vere rejects. He convinces them that to do so would encourage the
crew to mutiny because it would seem as if the officers were scared
of them.

Vere breaks the news to Billy himself: He's been found guilty and
must hang in the morning. Billy takes it calmly, and, in fact, the
two men embrace like father and son.

The entire ship's crew gathers to watch the dawn hanging. At the
moment before death, Billy calls out, "God bless Captain Vere!" and
the crew echoes his blessing. As he ascends on the yardarm, the sun
streaks through a cloud and shines gloriously on his face. His body