Billy Budd

War shapes all moral trajectories in this story in many ways. War defines peace and tragedy due to the use and action of disagreement. In Billy Budd, (The movie), Billy ended up getting hung because he was accused of killing a member on the H.M.S. Indomitable. While these men were on the ship, they had certain rights that were stated under the Articles Of War. Each individual was punished under these statements.

Ratcliff states, “Go find the captain and report to him the wind’s abeam. Respectfully suggest we ought to take in topsails.” (Coxe and Chapman page 46). This quote relates to the suffering that these sailors have to deal with while they are out to sea at war. They have to respect the captain’s orders at all times otherwise they will be punished. This kind of life that they are going through is kind of ridiculous because it’s so dull and boring. I would hate to be treated like that because it makes you fell miserable.

O’Daniel states, “Ah, I do love to see two Englishmen fighting each other. It’s fonder they are of killing themselves than fighting their proper foes. (Laughs hoarsely) (Coxe and Chapman page 13) The meaning of this quote has to do with the presence of a fight. The main object of war is “fighting”. If O’Daniel was a good man than he shouldn’t even bring up this statement because he is heating up conflict. I think that he has some inner problems because he tends to be a little stubborn with others.

I think that this quote that Billy states is rather fascinating because it has a lot of meaning to it. “I’d rather be buried at sea than on the beach, when I come to die. Will you stand by the plank, Tom, So I’ll shake a friendly hand before I sink? Oh! But it’s dead I’ll be then, come to think! (All Laugh) (Coxe and Chapman page 29) Billy is telling the reader’s in this quote that he really doesn’t care if he dies or not because he knows that he did the right thing. When he killed the man, he knew in his heart that he had to do what he had to do. He would rather be buried at sea than at the beach because at least he knows that he would be dead somewhere where he feels that he did the right thing in his power.