Billy Budd

Billy Budd Summary | Chapter 1 Summary

The nickname of "Handsome Sailor" is bestowed on one young man who is particularly adept at his job on a ship; possesses extraordinary strength, beauty, and superior moral character; and is in possession of rare leadership qualities. The narrator cites an example he once observed: a very black native African "of the unadulterated blood of Ham." Bigger than the average man, he was dressed in colorful garb and wore large gold hoops in his ears. He was the jovial center of a group of his admiring shipmates who were of various shades, hues, and cultures.

This story is about another sailor, Billy Budd, a 21-year-old fair-skinned, blue-eyed foretopman of the British fleet toward the end of the 1790s, who is also exemplary of the "Handsome Sailor" title. He has recently been impressed into the King's service from a homeward-bound English merchantman, Rights of Man, into an outward-bound seventy-four, the HMS. Bellipotent. Upon boarding the commercial ship, Lieutenant Ratcliffe of the Bellipotent immediately selects Billy from among all the other sailors, and he goes along without protest. The response of the lieutenant is that the king will be happy to know that the Captain has cheerfully surrendered the "flower of his flock."

Captain Graveling, Billy's captain aboard the merchantman, protests to the lieutenant. He explains that because Billy is so competent and so popular, his once rowdy ship has been peaceful. Before Billy came on board, it had been "a rat-pit of quarrels," the captain says. When he joined the crew, he was immediately popular with all the men except the one who had been their leader, Red Whiskers, who continually insulted him. Billy remained pleasant and tried to reason with this "big, shaggy chap with fiery red whiskers." When his insults didn't work, Red Whiskers one day touched him under the ribs with a knife whereupon Billy "quick as lightning" let his arm fly and gave the big sailor a sound drubbing. Following this, Red was Billy's friend and supporter for life. With Billy gone, the Captain declared, "There will be no harmony on board."

On board his new ship, Billy is made foretopman and assigned to the starboard watch. Other sailors who had been impressed complain about being taken unwillingly from the merchant ship when they were on their way home, but not Billy. He is cheerful and well liked by his new fellow crew members.