Summary
Herman Melville: Billy Budd
"Billy Budd", the last and posthumously published work of the famous writer Herman Melville, father of "Moby Dick", is a pearl of American literature of the 19th century. A timeless story of injustice and loss of innocence set in the time of the Napoleonic Wars, it follows a charismatic and handsome young sailor who is recruited from merchantman to a warship in the British Navy. In his new environment, he is loved among the sailors and quickly makes many friends, and his only visible flaw is an occasional voice defect that manifests itself in stuttering as soon as Billy finds himself in a stressful situation. Due to her beauty and innocence, the young sailor quickly becomes the target of the jealous and corrupt disciplinary officer Claggart. In the vast expanses of the sea, on the always full ship decks, in the mast baskets and cramped cabins, a fight as old as time itself will take place, the one between good and evil, innocence and lasciviousness, justice and injustice. Written in lush and dense language, rich in symbolism and allusions, this short novel shows Melville's enviable nautical knowledge, meticulous bravura in the psychological portrayal of characters, but also a philosophical approach to a subject of permanent importance. Primarily because of his brilliant novel "Moby Dick", which is an exemplary work of American romanticism, Herman Melville secured his place in the canon of world literature. He died almost forgotten, rejected by contemporary critics, but was rediscovered in the 20th century and called one of the most significant American prose voices of the 19th century. In addition to novels, Melville wrote short stories, essays and poems. Other important works include "Bartleby", "Benito Cereno" and "Billy Budd". Due to the poor critical reception of his works, as well as poor sales ("Moby Dick" sold only 3,000 copies during his lifetime), Melville was depressed and on the verge of financial ruin. Literary failure prompted him to take a job as a customs inspector at the port of New York, although he continued to write. Today, Melville is a commonplace of American and world culture, a writer of great breadth who gained fame undeservedly late.
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