LITR 4232:
American Renaissance
University
of Houston-Clear Lake, spring 2002
Student Presentation Summary
Discussion Notes: First
half of Billy Budd
Reader: Stephanie
Allen
Discussion Notes Recorder: Sherri
O’Rourke
Pgs. Discussed:
Pages 2656-57
last paragraph; page 2659 3rd
paragraph; page 2664 2nd
paragraph; page 2665 last paragraph
chapter 3; 2667 2nd
paragraph; page 2659 3rd
paragraph (next to last sentence); page 2681
last paragraph.
My
presentation discussed the use of the gothic/sublime, the use of historical
facts and the incorporation of religion in the story Billy Budd by Herman
Melville.
Gothic and/or
sublime:
Pages 2656-57,
use of light and dark contrast-- the dark man’s face beamed
Page 2659--
Red whiskers
Billy Budd is
light, blonde, and blue eyed and cheerful disposition compared to Claggart who
is dark and brooding.
Melville used a lot of historical data
throughout the first half of the story. The
plot really doesn’t begin until about the fourth chapter.
Examples of the use of historical data that I discussed can be found on
the following pages:
Page 2664
Page 2665
Page 2667
Religious
Allusions:
Billy Budd’s
portrayal as a young, innocent and light is an allusion to Jesus.
Claggart on the other hand is portrayed as dark, conniving, vindictive,
jealous man: an allusion to the devil.
Page 2659:
captain refers to Billy Budd as a peacemaker.
This is an allusion to Jesus.
Page 2681:
the stranger in the shadows temps Billy.
This could be an allusion to Satan’s tempting Jesus.
Question for the class: What do you think Melville was trying to say about Christianity or good vs. evil?
Student:
Instead of Melville trying to say anything specific about the characters,
He wants us to look a lot deeper, and form our own opinion.
Val:
Melville was concerned about humanity being dealt with correctly.
He mentions Thomas Paine.
Dr. White:
Yes, Paine was an atheist.
Val: No
matter what a person’s religious affiliation is, that does not mean that
people should not be treated correctly.
Dr. White:
Melville presents a broad view of morality.
Val:
He seems to say that Christianity is not the only right way.
Dr. White:
We can see this in his discussion of Calvin.
Student:
He takes the discussion of humanity much deeper, and that there are multiple
goods regardless of the Christian aspect.
Dr. White:
Even Billy is flawed. He is
illiterate. We want to see him as perfect, but there is trouble coming
from Billy, as well.
Angie:
Red Whiskers is a representation of the gothic.
Dr. White:
The red flag of mutiny could be a gothic representation, as well.
Liz: The
image of Billy is so much weaker than what is going on within him. She added a remark about passion playing in the weakest
people.
Dr. White:
Claggart is seen in mildly satanic terms. He
is devious, has a sweet voice, and on page 2685, it says that he looks like the
“man of sorrows”, which a reference to Jesus.
Liz:
There is evidence of Claggart’s passion; we all have inner feelings.
Dr. White:
We all want something, or feel put upon. Claggart
sees the soup spill as a malicious act against him. Billy can’t interpret anything.
He sees everything at face value. He
was told to think twice about Claggart, and that he is sneaky.
Claggart is like Billy in that when it comes to his own desires, he
cannot look deeper than what seems to be obvious.
Robin:
She says that she is struck by Melville’s work—by his multiple levels of
allegory, i.e. the Christ/Satan, good/evil theme.
It reminds her of the transcendentalists, and how the reader is supposed
to find their place in the reading.
Dr. White:
It all depends on who is doing the interpreting.