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

rules no matter how small, and his job seems to fit his secretive,
spider-like personality perfectly. The odd thing about Claggart is
that he seems to be quite intelligent, and no one can quite figure
out how he got to be in the navy. Rumor has it that Claggart was a
small-time criminal in England, and that he was drafted into the
navy directly from prison. But no one seems to know anything about
him for sure, and he doesn't give away anything. Even his
citizenship is in doubt, because Claggart's accent has a hint of
something foreign. This vagueness about his background is the one
thing he has in common with Billy. His intelligence links him, as
we'll see, with Captain Vere. But Claggart's depraved nature is
totally unique.

Where Billy has the innocence of Adam and becomes a victim like
Christ, Claggart has the deceitfulness and envy of Satan, and he
doesn't hesitate to use these personality traits to bring about
Billy's downfall. In a symbolic reading of the book, there's no
question that he represents evil. But it's also worthwhile to take a
closer look at the man behind the symbol and try to fathom the
"mystery of iniquity" that he embodies. Claggart is depraved by
nature--he didn't learn to be evil by associating with evil people
or picking up bad habits. His evil is inborn. In fact, he doesn't
even have bad habits. On the outside, he's straight, clean-living,
calm, and rational. He applies all the powers of his intelligent
mind to bringing about his hateful purposes, but he does so in
secret. If you were to meet him, you'd think there was something
slimy about him, but you'd never have any idea just how sick he was
inside. Because of his secrecy and surface tranquility, Claggart is
the most dangerous kind of madman there is. Yes, madman: You finally
have to conclude that Claggart is insane.

Why does he pick on Billy? There are several possible reasons. One
is envy: Claggart sees how popular Billy is. He's smart enough to
understand that Billy's good looks go with a good heart; he half
wishes he could be like Billy, but since he knows this is impossible,
he moves in for the kill.

Why must men like Claggart be around to mess things up for the rest
of us? Does every Eden have to have its snake? The presence of John
Claggart in Billy Budd suggests that evil is part of our world, and
it will always attach itself to innocence and try to corrupt or
destroy it. The judges and leaders are not the only ones who must
deal with this problem--it is everyone's concern.


BILLY BUDD: CAPTAIN VERE

In Billy Budd, the role of judge and leader is played by the
Honorable Edward Fairfax Vere, the commander of the Bellipotent.
Vere is a member of the English aristocracy; in fact, Vere is the