Billy Budd, Sailor

While Moby Dick is Herman Melville's best known book Billy Budd Sailor is considered by many to be his greatest work.Billy a foundling from Bristol has an innocence good looks and a natural charisma that make him popular with the crew. His only physical defect is a stutter which grows worse when under intense emotion. He arouses the antagonism of the ship's master-at-arms John Claggart. Claggart while not unattractive seems somehow defective or abnormal next to Billy. Despite Claggart's ani...