Journal Entry

Chapter 3-5 

The Bellipotent sails for the Mediterranean in these difficult times. Many abuse still continue, and every officer in the fleet watches for signs of conflict and trouble. Nelson, the greatest naval hero of his time, has great personal influence over the men, but in battle some officers still stand over with boldness. In my opinion,   being too cautious in a fight is not a benefactor. Nelson should have been more decisive in the battle of Trafalgar rather than second guessing everything. 

Chapter 6-8

Even though the Great Mutiny had occurred, many sailors on the Indomitable take it unseriously. Captain Edward Fairfax Vere, a well-educated man, has worked hard in his job by his using ability and bravery than through family connections. He will never tolerated himself for any relaxation of discipline. This was definitely something that catches his attention.

Chapter 9-10 

Billy Budd loves his job and also working with other young men, but with plenty of free time to relax high up on the masts and look down on the decks below. Billy Budd suspected what he did not want to see.  Billy later made friends with one of the older sailors, known as the Dansker. Dansker previously served under Nelson aboard the H.M.S. Agamemnon, and during previous service he has acquired some impressive scars. Billy later encountered conflict with Claggart. Claggart disliked Billy very much because he believed that Billy was offended him. But Billy does not see Claggart's expression as the master-at-arms walks away. The Claggart's face becomes terrifying, closer to his true feelings, and the expression frightens him. I predict that John Claggart will plan something for revenge because his character is very unpredictable and surprising. 

Chapter 11-13

Claggart felt that their conflict was getting unsolvable. He will never get along or bear with Billy. The point of the story turns on the hidden nature of the master-at-arms. Though given to dark moods and hidden animosities, Claggart recognizes the hatred he has in Billy Budd. This insight intensifies Claggart's envy of Billy.Claggart takes the accident of soup on the deck not as a simple accident, but as evidence of Billy's dislike for him. Claggart's evilness and hatred have blind his eyes. Claggart are believing everything people rumoring Billy is saying about him. 

Chapter 14-17 

A few days after the soup incident, Billy has a horrible experience. One night, he was woken by a strange voice, which invites him to a secluded part of the deck. Billy, to listen to the Dansker's warning, does not suspect Claggart. The narrator defends the Billy's innocence.But he loses control, betraying strange emotions. Billy later thinks the master-at-arms acts strange but does not suspect him of malice. The narrator finishes Chapter 17 saying that while Billy more or less settles back into peace, Claggart's hatred continues to eat away at him. Something is going to clash. 

Chapter 18-23

As he leaves the captain's cabin, the surgeon is an annoyance. He disapproves of Captain Vere's move to call a drumhead court and prefers that Billy be held the prisoner until the fleet admiral can judge the case. The first lieutenant asks Billy if he agrees with the facts the captain has stated. Billy replies that the captain tells the truth, just that the master-at-arms spoke falsely, for he has been loyal to the king. He says he holds no malice toward Claggart and that he regrets that the man is dead, for he did not kill him. He justifies his deadly act as his only means of reply when speech failed him. My opinion in this is that everything could have been avoiding the entire madness if he did not believe the rumor. 

Chapter 24-30 

The officer of marines asks Billy about rumors of mutiny, but Billy again chooses to remain quiet. Then the officer asks why Claggart should lie. Billy still remained quiet and turns around glance  at Captain Vere. After further questions, Captain Vere states that it is a mystery that has nothing to do with military justice and turns the court's attention once more to Billy. In a long conversation, Captain Vere relates that the crew owes allegiance to the king and not to Nature. He contends that Billy must hang under the law of the Mutiny Act. I predict that he will later receive everything that he had done to Billy. He will be punished. 

At the end of the book, different perspectives on the story were presented. The naval newspaper of portraying Billy as a mutinous man with murderous intent, and then the sailor's poem that turns him into a  mysterious shaman. Leaping forward a few days, the ship’s purser and surgeon discuss the strange fact that Billy’s body dangled from his execution rope with grief in the moments after he was hanged.

Dismissing the purser’s inspection about Billy’s death as inauthentic, the surgeon abruptly takes his leave to attend to a patient in the sick bay. Later Claggart was found dead. A few weeks after the Claggart’s death and Billy’s execution, news of the incident appears in a naval chronicle. The report describes the cause that, led by “one William Budd,” who turned upon his accuser, Claggart, and “vindictively stabbed him in the heart.” In the years that follow Billy Budd’s tragic ending, his legend begins to spread. The area which he was hanged is regarding and venerated by many in the manner of the Christian cross. As his reputation continues to spread, another indicator  composes some lines in his memory. The last of the three chapters concludes with a poem composed by another foretopman, one who served with Billy. The gist of this chapter, the shortest of the three, is that Billy has become a legend to British sailors.