that Carl Gustav Jung made on the su bject. As this quest for ... e também ã luz da
psicologia — especialmente os estudos que. Carl Gustav ..... the hanging of Bill'y
Budd is M elv ille 's final ... The religious level is primary during the period of.
UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE SANTA CATARINA CURSO DE PÕS-GRADUAÇÃO EM INGLÊS
[NDiVIDUALISM AND THE PURSUIT OF THE UNCONSCIOUS IN MELVILLE AND CONRAD 1
D is s e r t a ç ã o subm etida à U n iv e r s id a d e F e d e r a l de S an ta C a t a r in a p a ra a obtenção do Grau de M estre em L etra s
- Opção In g lê s
e L itera
tu ra Corres pond ent e-.
JASON PII4ENTA MIRANDA
F l o r ia n ó p o l is 1985
11
Esta D is s e r t a ç ã o f o i
ju lg a d a adequad a p ara a obtenção do grau
de
MESTRE EM LETRAS
Opção In g lê s
e L i t e r a t u r a C o rresp o n d en te e aprovada em sua
forma
f i n a l p elo Programa de PÓs- Graduação.
P rpf.
A rno ld S e l i g (ra rd en stein . ORIEOTADOR
P h . D,
P r o f f Carmen Rosa C ald as- C o ulth a r d , P h .D . (em T e s e ) C oordenado ra do Curso d e Pós-Graduação enl L e t ra s - Opção In g lê s e L it e r a t u r a C orrespondente.
A p resen tad a p e r a n te a Comissão Exam inadora composta dos professo res :
P r o f . A rno ld
S e lig ^ r d ^ n s t e i n ,
P h .D .
P r o f ^ S u s ana Bornéo F u n c k , P h .D ,
Pro f.
S e r g io B e l l e i , P h .D .
Ill
ao t h o s e r a r e c r e a tu r e s who do not a ccept c o e r c i o n , nor a u t h o r i t a r i a n i s m , nor t y r a n n y —
th o se r a r e sam ples
the human r a c e who never bow t h e i r heads
and b a c k b o n e s .
of
IV
AGRADECIMENTOS
Ao P r o fe s s o r A rnold S e l i g G o r d e n s t e in à P r o fe s s o r a S u s an a Eornéo Funck Ao P r o fe s s o r S érg io B e l l e i Ao P r o fe s s o r John Bruce D e r r ic k à M aria Pim enta d e Mi rand a à T â n ia F a r ah Prehn à I z a b e l de F . de 0 .
Brandão
à Gladys M a c ie l d e L a ra Aos p r o fe s s o r e s do Piogram a d e Pós-Graduação em L ín g u a L ite ra tu ra In g le s a .
e
V
ABSTRACT
T his d i s s e r t a t i o n i s novels
:he r e s u l t o f the a n a l y s is o f the
B i l l y Budd, S a i l o r and Moby-Di c k , by the A m erican autho r
Herman M e l v i l l e ;
and The N ig g e r o f the
"N a s c i s s u s "
and H eart of
D a r k n e s s , by the P o lis h - E n g lis h a u th o r Jo sep h C onrad. A l l these fo u r novels Heart o f Darkness i s
have t h e w a te r s
as t h e i r s e t t i n g :
a s t r a n g e a d v e n tu r e up the Congo R i v e r ,
and
t h e o t h e r th ree are s e a a d v e n t u r e s .
Ho w ever, they a re not mere
adventures.
t h a t stand
They a re sy m b o lic t r ip s
th e i n d i v i d u a l in t o h is own i n t e r i o r . t h is d i s s e r t a t i o n :
the m o t if o f th e
the i n d i v i d u a l has to make i n h is h is
u n c o n s c io u s .
It is
That i s
fo r a p lu n g e o f the m a in s t u d y o f
"j o u r n e y w i t h i n , "
the jo u r n e y
own i n t e r i o r i n o rd er to awaken
the q u e s t f o r kn ow ledge th at h ere i s
examined i n the lig h t o f th e E a s t e r n concept o f " i l l u m i n a t i o n ," and a lso i n the l i g h t o f p s y c h o lo g y —
e s p e c i a l l y the s t u d ie s
t h a t C a r l Gustav Jung made o n th e s u b j e c t . As t h is q u est fo r know ledge i s t h e problon o f how t h e s e two authors in d iv id u a lism is
a q u e s t o f th e i n d i v i d u a l , t r e a t th e theme o f
a lso exam ined i n d e p t h h e r e .
d em onstrate t h a t , i n a d d i t i o n to many c r i t i c s '
My aim is
to
ten d en c y to
c l a s s i f y th ese a u t h o r s ' p o s i t i o n s im p ly as c o n s e r v a t iv e or i l i b e r a l i n th ese w o r k s , i n terms o f i n d i v i d u a l i s m , i t must be c o n sid e r e d
(and th a t i s v e r y im p o r t a n t)
p e s s im is t ic or o p t i m i s t i c . C o n r a d 's The N ig g e r o f the D ic k and Heart o f D a r k n e s s .
t h e i r b e in g a lso
So M e l v i l l e 's
B il l y Budd,
S a i l o r and
’N a s c i s s u s s " a re c o n tr a st e d w i t h MobyI n the f i r s t p a i r o f n o v e l s , the
p o s s i b i l i t y o f the i n d i v i d u a l 's
f i n d i n g h is
own way and a s s e r t i n g
h is i n d i v i d u a l i t y i s s e e n by the autho rs i n a p e s s i m i s t i c l i g h t , w hereas i n the second p a i r ,
th is i s
seen o p tim istic a lly —
but i n
VI
both p a irs o f novels say,
the a u t h o r s ' p o s i t io n i s
th ey p r a is e i n d i v i d u a l i s m and c r i t i c i z e
represses
th e i n d i v i d u a l 's
B e sid es
lib e ra l,
that i s
to
a system that
s e lf- a ssertio n .
the p s y c h o l o g is t ,
a p h ilo s o p h e r too i s
examined i n
I
t h is d i s s e r t a t i o n : s im ila r itie s
F r i e d r i c h W ilhelm N i e t z s c h e .
b etw een the q u est fo r
fo r the "s u p e r m a n ."
d o u b le "),
"i l l u m i n a t i o n "
I n both cases th e r e i s
t h e aw akening o f the unconsc:ious
There are
a "j o u r n e y w i t h i n , "
(or the e n co u n ter w it h "t h e
th e r e c o g n it io n and i n t e g r a t i o n o f e v i l ,
transcendence, c e r t a in e x t e n t ,
and the r e t u r n .
the
But th e s i m i l a r i t i e s
f o r , i n N i e t z s c h e 's
c h aracteristic is
and the q u e s t
a d d e d : po w er.
go o n ly to a
"su p erm an " another
So th e two p h ilo s o p h ie s
are not
only compared h e r e , but co n tr a ste d as w e l l . A l l the fo u r novels "jo u r n e y w i t h i n , " m o t if o f the
examined h e r e c o n t a in the m o t if o f the
but o n ly the two o p t i m i s t i c ones
"s u p e r m a n ," s i n c e th e
a con text w h e r e in d i v i d u a l i s m and e s p e c i a l l y from w i t h i n .
is
c o n t a in th e
"superm an " can o n ly sp ro u t i n
not r e p r e s s e d —
from w it h o u t
vil
RESUMO
Esta d is s e r t a ç ã o é o r e s u lt a d o d a a n á l is e das B i l l y Budd, M elv ille,
S a i l o r e Moby-Di
. novelas
do a u to r am ericano Herman
e d e The N ig g e r o f the
"N a s c i s s u s "
e H eart o f
D a r k n e s s , do a u to r polônio- i iglês Jo sep h C onrad. Todas
essas q u a tro no /e l a s têm as águas
Heart o f D arkness
é uma e s t r anha a v en tu ra r io Congo acima e
o u tras tres s ao aventuras aventuras.
como s e u c e n á r io :
no m ar.
Elas são v ia g e n s
m ergulho do in d iv í d u o
C o n tu d o ,
s im bó lica s
e la s
não são
as meras
que correspondem a
no seu p r ó p rio i n t e r i o r .
Este é o
um p r in c i-
p a l estudo d e s t a d is s e r t a ç ã o : o tema d a "viagem ao i n t e r i o r , " una viagem que o in d iv í d u o tem que f a z e r ao seu p r ó p r io i n t e r i o r modo a d e s p e r t a r o seu i n c o n s c i e n t e ,
é uma b usca do conhecim ento
q ue aqui é exam inada à lu z do c o n c e it o o r i e n t a l d a e também ã luz d a p s i c o l o g i a —
de
"il u m in a ç ã o "
e s p e c ia lm e n te os estudos que
C a r l Gustav Jung f e z s o b re c a s s u n t o . Como e s sa b u sca do conhecim ento é uma b u sc a f e i t a in d iv íd u o ,
a questã o de como e s se s
autores
p e lo
tratam o tema do
in
d iv id u a lis m o tambem é exam inada em p r o fu n d id a d e aqui . O meu
ob
j e t i v o é dem onstrar q u e , somando-se ã t e n d ê n c ia d e m uitos cos em c l a s s i f i c a r
a po siçã o d e s s e s
con servado ra ou l i b e r a l nesses d u a l is m o , d ev e s e r co n sid e r a d o fa t o
d eles
B i l l y B udd,
auto res sim plesm en te
t r a b a l h o s , em termos de (e i s t o
serem tambem p e s s im is t a s
p r im e iro p a r de n o v e l a s ,
ou o t i m i s t a s .
autores sob uma luz
in d iv i o
Então "N a s c i s s u s "
::om Moby-Dick e Heart o f D arkness . No
a p o s s i b i l i d a d e do in d iv í d u o
o s e u p ró p rio caminho e a fir m a r a s u a i n d i v i d u a l i d a d e é pelo s
como
é m uito im p o r ta n te )
S a i l o r do M elvi Lie e The N ig g e r o f the
do Conrad são co n tra stad o s
críti
p e ssim ista ,
e n c o n t ra r v ista
enquanto que no segundo par.
V lll
mas em ambos os pares de
i s t o é v i s t o o t im is t ic a m e n te a p o siçã o dos
autores
lismo e c r it ic a m
é libe ral,
isto
é,
eles
novelas
louvam o i n d i v i d u a
um s iste m a que reprim e a auto-afirm ação
in d iv i-
um f i l ó s o f o também é examinado
n e s ta
du al. Além do p s i c ó l o g o , d is s e r t a ç ã o :
F r i e d r i c h W ilhelm N i e t z s c h e .
en tre a busca d a bos os c a s o s ,
"ilu m in a ç ã o
e a b usca do
há uma viagem ao i n t e r i o r ,
(ou o enco ntro com "o s ó s i a " ) ,
c ie n t e
ção do m a l ,
Existem
"super-homem. " Em
o d e s p e r t a r do
a t r a n s c e n d ê n c ia e o r e t o r n o , mas as
tadas
inco ns
s im il a r id a d e s
"super-homem" de
N ie t z s c h e uma o u tr a c a r a c t e r í s t i c a é a c r e s c e n t a d a : filo so fia s
am-
o reconhecim ento e integra-
vão somente a t é um certo p o n to , porque no
as duas
s i m il a r id a d e s
o poder.
são não sõmente comparadas aqioi , mas
Então
c o n tr a s
também. Todas
as q u atro no vel as exam inadas
aqui
contêm o tema
"viagem ao i n t e r i o r , " mas so nente Moby-Dick e Heart o f
D arkness
contêm o tema do "super- home ■n," porque o "super-homem" só s u r g i r num co n tex to onde o in d iv id u a l is m o não e rep rim id o — fo r a e e s p e c ia lm e n te d e d e n t r o .
da
pode de
IX
TABLE (DF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I STATEMENT OF PR O R T.FM ___ , , , . ..................................................................
1
............... ..................................................................
5
REVIEW OF C R ITICISM 1. The C r it ic s "N a s c is s u s " 2.
View B i l l y Budd and The N ig g e r o f the ...................... ..................................................................
The C r it ic s View Moby-t)ic k and Heart o f Darkness
5
.........
20
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE ........... ................................. ...................................
36
........... .....................................................................
39
WESTERN AND EA.STERN CONCEPTS; ................................................................
43
Nntf^s nn Chantp-r Two ........... .. ......... .........................................................
60
Notes on C hapter One
CHAPTER I I
CHAPTER I I I THE REPRESSION OF IN D IV ID U A LISM
....... ..................................................
62
1.
B i l l y Budd - P s y c h o lo g ic a l and S o c i a l Im p lic a t io n s
...
62
2.
James W ait - P s y c h o lo g ic a l and P o l i t i c a l I m p l i c a t i o n s .
83
3.
De p r o fu n di s
.................. |............................................... .....................
Notes on C h ap ter Three
. . . .j................................................... .................
116 122
CHAPTER IV THE HERO AND THE HEROIC QUEST
123
Notes on C hapter Four
141
....
CHAPTER V THE ASSERTION OF INDIVIDUAJ!.ISM
............................................................
143
1 . W hiteness
143
2.
164
Darkness
3. Sowers and Seeds - Homo novus. Notes on C hapter F iv e
...................................................
195
201
X
CHAPTER V I THE NARRATIVE A-ND THE AUTHORS' V IEW POINT
203
Notes on Chapter S i x
215
CONCLUSION ............................... Notes on the C o n c lu s io n
GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
.........
216
221
222
CHAPTER
STATEMENT
pF
I f we exam ine M e l v i l l e 's
PROBLEM
and C o n r a d 's
l e t t e r s , we can s e e
that many times they sound r a t h e r N ie t z s c h e a n — i n s t a n c e , w hen th ey u t t e r t h e i r o p in io n s id e a l s
as,
for
c o n c e r n in g the id e a and
o f d em ocracy , or when they t a l k about i n d i v i d u a l i s m , or
when they s t a t e the suprem acy o f f e e l i n g s (lik e M e l v i l l e w r i t i n g
"I
stand
over p l a i n i n t e l l e c t
fo r the h e a r t .
To the dogs w i t h
the h e a d . " ) Many p e o p le tend to s e e N i e t z s c h e as a c o n s e r v a tiv e p h il o s o p h e r , I if
and n o t h in g ,
I
th in k ,
is
fa r t h e r from t h e t r u t h ,
agree t h a t N ie t z s c h e can b e s e e n as p o l i t i c a l l y you s e e l ib e r a l i s m
as synonymous w i t h s o c ia lis m
regarded the s o c i a l i s t s w it h an O lym pic d i s d a i n terms o f in d i v i d u a l i s m pure and s i m p l e , most p h il o s o p h e r s .
c o n s e r v a t iv e N ietzsche
— , but, in
he was more l i b e r a l th an
Due to t h i s . p r a i s e o f the i n d i v i d u a l ,
he
came to d i s l i k e dem ocracy al s o , b e c a u s e one o f the d em o cratic id e als is
th a t a l l men a re e g u a l —
N ie t z s c h e could not s e e how
i n d i v i d u a l i s m could be c o n c i l i a t e d w i t h e q u a l i t y : w ere e q u a l ,
then th e r e could be no i n d i v i d u a l i t y ,
In terms o f h is b e in g againsit th e e x a r c e b a t e d
if
everybody
but u n ifo r m it y .
r a t io n a lis m o f h is
time
(and o u r s ) ,
N ietzsch e.
M e l v i l l e an 3 Conrad could be compared to
I n h is The B ir t h o f T r a g e d y , N ie t z s c h e says
about the
poet: I We t a l k so a b s t r a c t l y about p o e tr y b ecause a l l o f us a re u s u a l l y bad pojets. At b ottom , the a e s t h e t ic phenomenon i s s im p le : let anyone have the a b i l i t y to behold continually] a v i v i d p la y and to l i v e c o n s t a n t ly surrounded by hosts o f s p i r i t s , and he w i l l be a p o e t ^ .
The p h ilo s o p h e r fo r h im ,
l i k e h is superm an, must s t e p beyond h is I
own tim e ,
and e x p e r ie n c e the' s e n s a t io n s
o f t im e l e s s n e s s .
What does the p h ilo s o p h e r demand o f h im s e lf f i r s t and l a s t ? To overcome h is time i n h i m s e l f , to become " t i m e l e s s " . W ith w hat must he t h e r e f o r e engage i n th e h a r d e s t combat? Wiith w h a te v e r marks him as the c h ild o f h is time^ .
I n d i v i d u a l i s m is
N i e t z s c h e 's m ain c o n c e r n :
the r e a l i z a t i o n
i n the i n d i v i d u a l o f th e tremendous power he has i n s i d e h i m s e l f . and the consequent aw akening o f t h a t po w er.
The i n d i v i d u a l must
get away from the m a s s , from the co n form ity o f the m a s s . n o b le —
N ie t z s c h e g l o r i f i e s w hat i s
the i n d i v i d u a l .
N oble m o r a l i t y , m a ster m o r a l i t y , c o n v e r s e ly , i s rooted i n a trium phant Yes s a i d to o n e s e l f — i t i s s e lf- a ffir m a itio n , s e l f - g l o r i f i c a t i o n o f life^ .
The g r e a t f e a r o f pec p ie i n r e l a t i o n to N ie t z s c h e is becau se they tend to l i n k him w i t h A d o l f H i t l e r , h o r r ib l e m is t a k e . taste,
H itle r,
l i s t e n e d to W a g n e r ,
contrary.
id e a s
and i n o r d e r to show th at he had i d e a s . th o se i d e a s ,
are not j u s t i f i e d
quoted N ie t z s c h e , i n N i e t z s c h e , on the
N ie t z s c h e nev e r p reach ed the r a c i a l supremacy o f A r ia n s
or w h a t e v e r ; he d i d not beli eve i n an a r i s t o c r a c y by b i r t h , an a r is t o c r a c y o f the mind H i t l e r 's
a
i n o r d e r to show t h a t he had a e s t h e t ic
and i n an attempt to j u s t i f y However, H i t l e r 's
but th at i s
fo llo w ers,
— and t h a t w ould
in c lu d in g H it le r h im se lf.
but i n
e lim in a t e a l l o f H i t l e r used
N ie t z s c h e to a t t a i n h is p u r p o s e s ; having been
"a d o p t e d "
and to condemn N ie t z s c h e for
by H i t l e r w o u ld be the same as to condemn
C h r is t fo r a l l th e bad use the C hurch has made o f him fo r two thousand years — Jesu itism ,
etc.
v i d e the C r u s a d e s ,
the I n q u i s i t i o n ,
The Crusades w ere a c t u a l l y n o th in g e l s e than
lo o t in g masked by the p reten ce o f th e
"p r o p a g a t io n o f f a i t h " .
The I n q u i s i t i o n showed n o th in g more than ig n o r a n c e , s u p e r s t i t i o n , and fe a r on the p a r t o f the i n q u i s i t o r s ; p r eten c e o f f i g h t i n g w i t c h r a f t , fa m ilie s
of th is
that the p r i e s t s J e s u it is m i s J e s u it s
"c r im e "
and,
b e sid e s,
the Church accused many r ic h
and condemned them to the b o n f i r e , so
and bishops
could
co n fisc a te t h e ir w ea lth .
no le s s in d e c e n t t h a n th e o t h e r tw o.
and m is s io n a r ie s
t h e so - c alled
"s a v a g e "
a b s o lu t e ly h id e o u s .
under the
p e r p e tr a te d
or "h e a t h e n "
And
The "w o rk"
the
(and they s t i l l do t h a t !) communities i s
They go to the j u n g l e ,
on
som ething
fo r exam ple, take
p e r f e c t l y happy and proud and courageous m en,
and teach them that
they are w ic k e d and t h a t they l i v e
So th ey s t u f f th ese
"in s i n ".
form erly proud men w i t h a m igh ty guilt- co m p lex th at s t a r t s gnaw at t h e i r s o u ls
and ends up by b e n d in g t h e i r b a c k b o n e s .
also t e a c h them th a t the w h it e m a n 's way o f l i v i n g i s and the r ig h t o n e ,
to
and th at t h e y , in
t h a t they must be in t e g r a t e d
the n a t i v e s ,
c iv iliza tio n .
They
the best
are i g n o r a n t ,
and
The m is s io n a r ie s
are a b le t o transform those fo rm erly proud men in t o t r a s h , under the p r e te n c e o f happens i s s o c ie ty ,
"in t e g r a t in g "
t h a t th e n a tiv e s
them i n s o c i e t y .
But w hat a c t u a lly
a re not accepted i n the w h it e m a n 's
and t h e y can no loiiiger go back to t h e i r r o o t s ,
old way o f l i v i n g ,
to t h e ir
and so they end up a c q u i r i n g , in s t e a d o f the
w h it e m a n 's v i r t u e s
(if a n y ),
the w h i t e m a n 's v i c e s .
As an
a fte r m a t h , many o f th e s e form erly d i g n i f i e d men end up drunk i n the gutters
or by the s id e s
o f the r o a d s ,
p r o s t it u t e s
—
t h a t the n a t iv e s d i d not know b efo r e
and th at is
both,
things
"i n t e g r a t i o n
and t h e i r women become
enough fo r th e so- called
,4
m issio n arie s. savages, "tam e"
lik e
C o n s id e r in g those n a tiv e s a n im a ls ,
them i n t o
N ie t z s c h e says
th e se p i o u s ,
as
"u n g o d l y ", w i l d ,
god ly m is s io n a r ie s
"good C h r i s t i a n s " .
and
propose to
I n h is T w ilig h t o f the I d o l s ,
that
To c a l l th e tam ing o f an anim al i t s "im provem ent" sounds almost l i k e a jo k e t o our e a r s . Whoever knows what goes on i n m enageries doubts th at the b easts are "im p r o v ed " t h e r e . They are w e a k e n e d , they a re made less h a r m fu l, and through th e d e p r e s s iv e e f f e c t o f f e a r , through p a in , through w o u n d s , and through hunger I t i s no d i f f e r e n t w it h th ey become s i c k l y b e a s t s . the tamed man whom the p r ie s t has "im p r o v e d "“*.
Some c r i t i c s
(as we w i l l s e e i n th e Review o f C r it ic is m )
tend to s e e i n Conrad the p rototype o f the V ic t o r i a n e t h i c , e s p e c i a l l y c o n c e r n in g the e t h ic o f w o r k , Marlow c r i t i c i z e s
b i t t e r l y t h is
of duty,
but C o n r a d 's
"d u t y " when he fin d s i t
in A frica
as a d i s g u i s e fo r l o o t in g and e x p l o i t a t i o n o f the n a t i v e s . Marlow has a s e n s e o f d u t y , but h is i s
a p e r s o n a l d u ty and not an
im p erso n a l one imposed by s o c i e t y .
N ie t z s c h e too has som ething
to s a y about t h is
I n h is The A n t i c h r i s t ,
s u b j e c t o:^ d u t y .
he
says ,
N o th in g ruins us more p r o f o u n d l y , more i n t i m a t e l y , th an every "im p e r s o n a l" d u t y , every s a c r i f i c e to the M aloch o f a b s t r a c t i o n ^ . And he adds ,
What cou ld d e stro y us more q u i c k l y than w o r k in g , t h i n k i n g , and f e e l i n g w ith o u t any i n n e r n e c e s s i t y , w ith o u t any d e e p ly p e r s o n a l c h o i c e , w ithout pleasure — as an automaton o f duty?®
T h ere are many d e e p l { traced p a r a l l e l s and t h e s e two authors n o t ic e t h i s ,
I
a n a ly z e h e r e .
between N ie t z s c h e
Some c r i t i c s
are a b le to
but many a re n Dt.
I n Moby-Di ck and i n Heart o f D arkness we have th e o f the h e r o , w h o , i n N i e t z s c h e 's a p o ten tial
"s u p e r m a n ").
terms i s the
There i s ,
h o w ev er,
"superm an "
fig u re (at le a s t
a d i f f e r e n c e betw een
the qu est o f the hero —
"superm an" ; — w hich i s
a thoroughly W estern
and th e quest fo r " i l lu m in a t io n " —
w h ic h is
an E a s te r n
id e a b e fo r e a n y t h in g . The problem to be exan in e d c o n c i l i a t e t h e s e two concepts course, w i l l
here is
to determ ine how to
- w it h the reserves
that, of
have to be ta k e n i n c o n s id e r a t io n
REVI EW OF C R ITICISM
1.
The C r i t ic s
V iew B i l l y B u d d ,
S a i l o r and The N ig g e r o f the
"Nas c is s u s "
The c r i t i c s '
o p in io n s
about B i l l y Budd va ry w i d e l y from a
theo ry o f "A c c e p t a n c e " to a th eo ry o f case, E .L .
Grant W atson a ffir m s
"R e s is t a n c e ".
th at M e l v i l l e changed
I n the f i r s t from a
r e b e l i n t o a c o n fo r m is t .
M e l v i l l e i s np lo n g er a r e b e l . I t should be noted th at B i l l y Budd has n o t , even under the s e v e r e s t p r o v o c a t io n , any element o f r e b e l l i o n i n h im ; he i s too f r e e a s o u l to need a q u a l i t y w h ic h i s a v i r t u e o n ly i n s l a v e s . His n a tu re s p o n t a n e o u s ly a ccepts w ha tev er may b e f a l l . When im pressed from th e m erch an t- sh ip , the "R ig h t s o f M a n ," he makes no demur to the v i s i t i n g l i e u t e n a n t 's o rd er to get ready h is th in g s fo r trans- shipm ent. The crew o f the m erchant- ship a re s u r p r is e d and r e p r o a c h fu l at h is u n co m p la in in g a c q u ie s c e n c e . Once aboard the b a t t l e s h i p , the young s a i l o r b e g in s to look around fo r the advantages! o f chance and a d v e n t u r e . Such s im p le power to accept gives him buoyancy to o v e r r id e tr o u b le s and irritj'ations w h ic h w ould check i n f e r i o r n a tu res ^ .
Watson c l e a r l y takes and he concludes
C a p t a in V ere fo r a spokesm an o f the a u t h o r ,
th at i f
the; f i r s t i s
the l a t t e r must be th at way t o o .
s u b m is s iv e to the s y s te m ,
And not only BjLlly Budd is marked by t h is supreme q u a l i t y o f a c c e p t a n c e . C a p t a in V e r e , a l s o , p o ss e ss e s i t , but w;Lth f u l l c o n s c ie n c e , and weighed w i t h the res pons ib i^iity o f u n d e r s t a n d in g the n a t u r a l n a t u r a ln e s s o f m an's v o l i t i o n and the u n n a t u r a l n a t u r a ln e s s o f the l a w ^ .
I t is
i n t e r e s t i n g th a t even al sacred-cow l i k e M a t t h ie s s e n su g g e sts
th at M e l v i l l e came to an a t t it u d e o f a c c e p t a n c e , w h ic h i s t o t a l l y w ro ng .
No lo n g e r does M e l v i l l e f e e l the f e a r and d e s l i k e o f Jehovah t h a t w ere o p p r e s s in g him through Moby-Dick and F ie r i:e . He is no lo n g e r p r o t e s t in g a g a in s t the determ ined laws as b e in g s a v a g e ly in ex o ra ble. He has come to r e s p e c t necessity-
On th e o t h e r h a n d , i n h is R e sis ta n c e ", h y p o t h e s is ,
P h i l W it h in t r ie s and a ffirm s
essay
" B i l l y B udd :
Testam ent o f
to n u l l i f y a l l o f W a t s o n 's
the -very o p p o s it e .
He r e fu t e s
the
argument o f a c c e p ta n c e by a p p e a lin g to the l o g ic o f the im p lic a t io n s
t h a t would fo llo w as an a fterm ath o f th at argum ent.
and by p o in t i n g out the fa c t th a t M e l v i l l e d e d ic a t e d J a c k C h ase, th a t i s
the book to
the r e a l p erso n v ho i n s p i r e d him to c r e a t e a no vel
a p r o t e s t a g a in s t im pressm ent —
W h ite J a c k e t .
A l o g i c a l e x te n s io n o f t h is argioment i s t h a t man s h o u ld a b d ic a t e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r u n j u s t law and e n fo r c e i t m e c h a n ic a lly . Man sh o u ld not t r y to chance t h a t w h ic h i s w r o n g , but m er ely accept i n j u s t i c e and tyranny and l i e s u p i n e l y b e n e a th them; man i s to stand by and w atch the in n o c e n t as i n d i s c r i m i n a t e l y ground under th e h e e l o f u n r e s is t e d law as a re the e v i l . M e l v i l l e makes h is o p p o s it io n to t h is view c l e a r by d e d i c a t i n g th e book to J a c k C h a s e , his com panion years b e fo r e on th e f r i g a t e "U n it e d S t a te s ". I t was t lis voyage t h a t became th e s t o r y o f "W h i t e - J a c k e t ", the no v el t h a t c r ie d out so e lo q u e n t ly a g a in s t im p ressm en t, f l o g g i n g , the Jac k Chase is here m entioned by c a p t a i n 's tyran n y . name and is r e fe r r e d to as "a s t i c k l e r fo r th e R ights o f Man and the l i b e r t i e s o f the w o r l d ." I t w ould be i r o n i c in d e e d to d e d i c a t e B i l l y Budd to such a man i f the novel was devoted to subm ission**.
W it h in o b je c t s at a l l ,
and s u g g e s t s
to the p o in t o f v ie w t h a t B i l l y i s th at his
l a s t words
("God b le s s
s u b m is s iv e
C a p t a in V e r e " )
should be taken as an i r o n i c a l rem ark.
i f the e p is o d e i s t a k e n i r o n i c a l l y , th en i t f i t s the rest o f th e s t o r y as so fa r in t e r p r e t e d and a c q u ire s tremendous p o w er. For B i l l y i s w i l l i n g to d i e as Is a a c or as C h ris t was w i l l i n g ; he accepts a l l th e c a p t a i n 's arguments!, but i t is B i l l y alone who is n o b le . The c a p t a in s u f f e r s and w is h e s he could avoid t h is d u t y , but he has no n o b i l i t y and above a l l no tru st i n man. Yet B i l l y 's v e r y accep ta n ce o f his r o le i s the e v id e n c e t h a t proves man can be t r u s t e d , that man can r i s e above t h e need fo r forms®.
The obvious im p lic a t io n h ere Would be t h a t B i l l y knows he is d y in g u n j u s t l y a n d , knowing t h a t ,
he su g g ests w i t h his
C a p t a in V ere is i n r e a lity , h is t o r t u r e r .
Now, the problem that
fo r som ething t h a t he bel ie v e d —
is t h a t M e l v i l l e h im s e lf
c a l l s our a t t e n t io n to the fc ct that E i l l y i s i n s t i n c t i v e b e in g who lacks
i n tellig en c e,
a to tally
so i t w ould be
im p o s s ib le fo r a p e r so n l i k e t h a t to make use o f i r o n y w h ic h i s to ta lly in te lle c tu a l d ev ice, out i n his
essa y " M e l v i l l e 's
N a r r a t i v e '" .
W il l ia m
B r a s w e ll to o p o in ts
B IL L Y BUDD as
that
'A n I n s i d e
He s a y s .
His f i n a l w o r d s , u t te r e d j u s t b e f o r e h is e x e c u t i o n , a r e , "God b le s s C a p t a in V e r e " . I t has b een s u g g e ste d t h a t t h is remark i s i r o n i c a l , but B i l l y , we are e x p l i c i t l y t o l d , i s i n c a p a b l e o f conscio us i r o n y , and nobody has yet p r e se n te d c o n v in c in g argioment t h a t M e l v i l l e meant the remark t o be tak e n so®.
I t is
I
b esid es the o b v io us fa c t t h a t C h r is t was w i l l i n g t o
see here — d ie
remark that
i n t e r e s t i n g that W i t h i n h im s e l f i s
loses t h is v e r y argument o f B i l l y ' s
aware o f that
and he
i n c a p a c i t y t o t h in k to
c o n t r a d ic t the t h e o r y o f a c c e p t a n c e .
A g a in , w ould i t not be c o n t r a d ic t o r y fo r M e l v i l l e to r ep re s e n t B i l l y asi i n a r t i c u l a t e , n o n t h in k in g , n a i v e , em o tio n a lly a d o l e s c e n t , and m o r a lly u n d e v e lo p e d , and then expect the r e a d e r to a ccep t h is c r y , "God b le s s C ap tain V e r e , " as i n d i c a t i v e o f f u l l u n d e r s t a n d in g , i n s t i n c t i v e or o t h e r w i s e ? ’
And he c o n c lu d e s ,
"T h u s ,
B i l l y 's
cry,
'God b le s s
C a p t a in V e r e , '
a
is
the crow ning ir o n y and re a l l y the c lim a x o f the s t o r y ,
was hanged u n j u s t l y "
.
As we s e e ,
the man c o n tr a d ic t s
fo r he
h im se lf.
The fa c t i s t h a t B i l l y b l e s s i n g C a p t a in V ere i n d i c a t e s ir o n y ,
but an obvious s u b m is s io n .
no
And t h a t su b m is sio n V ere
managed to o b t a in i n the p r i v a t e i n t e r v ie w he had w it h the s a i l o r i n a locked
c a b in .
We never
know the ex a c t g is t o f the
c o n v e r sa tio n t h a t takes plac e i n s i d e the c a b in betw een the c a p ta in and h is
foretopm an. but i t
seems t h a t V e re managed to
convince B i l l y th at the lattier w ou ld s a c r i f i c e h im s e lf fo r a noble c a u s e ,
that i s ,
the p r e v e n t io n o f m u tin y i n the K i n g 's
W ithim gives as proof o f V e r e 's
u n su itab ility
sh ip .
as a h e r o .
the f o llo w in g argiament:
O bserve t h a t V ere d ie s drug ged and on shore b e f o r e he has "a t t a in e d to the f u l l n e s s o f fa m e ". I n o th er w o r d s , V e r e 's end i s s u i t a b l e to one who d i d not d e s e r v e such renown as the d a r i n g and im prudent N e l s o n , a man c a p a b l e , as V ere i s n o t , o f i n s p i r i n g h is men to l o y a l t y , o r s u b s t i t u t i n g p e r s u a s io n fo r c o e r c io n ® .
But
"fa m e"
cannot be ta k e n cs a p r o o f t h a t a p erso n i s
ju s t i n h is
a ttitu d e s, sin ce
S t a l i n too became fam ous, other d e v ic e s t r i c k he plays
fame i s
and so d id
to show t h a t V e r e i s
som ething v e r y r e l a t i v e . P i n o c h e t ...
no h e r o ,
c o n cern in g the r e p o r t e r 's
famous s e n te n c e about s c o u n d r e ls
M e l v i l l e uses
e s p e c i a l l y by the
r e fe r e n c e to Dr J o h n s o n 's
and p a t r i o t i s m .
W ithim ends up by e m p h a s iz in g a g a in B i l l y 's as co n tra sted w it h V e r e 's
r ig h t or
"h e r o i c " d e a t h
c o n s e r v a t iv e a t t i t u d e .
A nother c o n t r a d i c t i o n in h e r e n t i n the "a c c e p t a n c e " th e o r y l ie s i n M e l v i l l e 's argument t h a t b a r b a r ia n s w it h t h e i r i n s t i n c t s and warm h ea rts have s o u n d er v a lu e s th an c i v i l i z e d men w i t h t h e i r i n t r i c a t e i n t e l l e c t s and t h e i r rab ie d h e a r t s . Would i t not be c o n t r a d ic t o r y fo r M e l v i l l e to s u g g e s t t h is not o n c e , but t w i c e , and t h e n have V e r e , M e l v i l l e 's forem ost spokesm an, w ea v e a complex in t e lle c t v ia l argum ent? Would i t not be c o n t r a d ic t o r y fo r M e l v i l l e to have B i l l y d i e b r a v e l y . c r y in g "God b le s s C a p t a in V e r e " , and th en have V ere s a y d i r e c t l y t h a t mankind is a d e n i z e n o f the f o r e s t
and must be c o n tr o lle d by form and r o u t in e ?
But,
as I have a lr e a d y po inted o u t ,
r e a l l y h e r o ic i n i t ,
and one more p r o o f is
h im s e lf at the end o f t h is
d e a t h has n o th in g g iv e n by W ithim
l a s t q u o t a t io n ,
say d i r e c t l y t h a t m ankind is
"and then have V ere
a d e n i z e n o f th e f o r e s t and must be
c o n tr o lle d by form and r o u t i :i e ." t h at is
B i l l y 's
1 0
V ere i s
very sure o f t h a t ,
and
b ecause he has r e a l l y convinced B i l l y , d u r in g th e
m ysterious in t e r c o u r s e i n th 2 r o u t in e " i s
locked
th en extended to the w h o le c r e w ,
a f t e r B i l l y 's
e x e c u t i o n , orders
to the n o rm a lity o f t h e s h i p 's W en d ell C l i c k ,
i n h is
M o r a lit y i n B i l l y B u d d , " he too makes M e l v i l l e 's
for,
im m ed iately
are g iv e n to b r in g th e men b ack ro u tin e.
e s s a y "E x p e d ie n c y and A b s o lu t e
comes up w it h i n t e r e s t i n g a rg u m en ts, but V ere 's p o s i t i o n .
But he agreed w it h the C a p ta in t h a t j u s t i c e to the in d iv id .u a l i s not the u lt im a t e l o y a l t y i n a complex c u l t u r e ; the s t a b i l i t y o f th e c u l t u r e has the h ig h e r c l a im , and when th 2 two c o n f l i c t , j u s t i c e to the i n d i v i d u a l must be abrogated to keep the o r d e r o f s o ciety in t a c t ^ ^ .
But M e l v i l l e i s is
not a d v o c a t in g t h i s
p h ilo s o p h y at a l l ,
always b i t t e r l y c r i t i c a l o f C a p t a in V e r e .
And th e c r i t i c t r i e s
to show V ere as a h e r o ic p e r so n who has t o do th in g s w ill
b ec au s e he
a g a in s t his
fo r the sak e o f the community.
No p r i c e was too g r e a t to pay to keep such u n h in g in g forces o f anarchy i n c h e c k ; i n g i v i n g his l i f e to d e s t r o y the "A t h e i 's t e ," C a p t a in V ere s a c r i f i c e d h im s e lf i n d e f e n s e o f t h e s i n e qua non o f c i v i l i z e d e x i s t e n c e and i n o p p o s it io n to the f a l s e , unw orkable d o c t r in e s o f the Fjrench R e v o l u t io n . The trium ph o f the "I n d o m i t a b l e " o v e r the " A t h i i s t e " was t h e trium ph 12 o f o r d e r o v e r chaos
T h e 'p r o b le m i s t h a t V ere does
not s a c r i f i c e h i m s e l f ,
V e r e 's d e a t h takes p la c e a s h o r e , s ac rific e d
but B i l l y .
l a t e r o n ,B i l l y i s t h e one who is
fo r th e s t a b i l i t y o f s o c i e t y .
c a b in .
10
However,
C l ic k manages
to s av e his
essa y by s a y i n g som ething
rather in t e r e s t in g :
S o c ia l s t a b i l i t y b ased upon e x p e d ie n c y i s p a id fo r a lso w it h a g en era^ b l i g h t i n g , human m e d i o c r i t y . The sta n d ards o f any c i v i l i z e d s o c i e t y a re the s ta n d a r d s o f the g re a t mass o f men who make up i t s b u l k ; and when m ainten an ce o f the s t a b i l i t y o f s o c i e t y becomes the supreme o b l i g a t i o n o f ev ery p e r s o n , the r e s u l t i s a l e v e l l i n g o f th e s u p e r i o r persons down to the l e v e l o f the m ass. The c h i e f p e r s o n a l v i r t u e becomes " p r u d e n c e ;" the end most w orth s e e k in g fo r becomes "t h a t m a n u fa c tu r a b le t h in g known as r e s p e c t a b i l i t y , " so o ft e n a l l i e d w it h "m o ra l o b l i q u i t i e s , " and o c c a s i o n a l l y , as i n the ca se o f C l a g g a r t , i n d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e even from "n a t u r a l d e p r a v i t y " . " C i v i l i z a t i o n , " M e l v i l l e remarks c a t e g o r i c a l l y , " e s p e c i a l l y o f t h e ]a u s t e r e r s o r t , i s a u s p i c i o u s " to n a t u r a l d e p r a v it y b e c a u s e n a t u r a l d e p r a v i t y "f o l d s i t s e l f i n the m antle o f r e s p e c t a b i l i t y " by a v o id in g "v ic e s or s m all s i n s " and by r e f r a i n i n g from a l l e x c e s s e s ; i n sh o rt^ by e x h i b i t i n g t h e pru den ce w h ic h i s t h e o n ly v i r t u e s o c i e t y dem ands. . . . P r u d e n c e , w h il e b e in g t h e mark o f t h e s o c i a l l y a d ju s t e d man who r i g i d l y adheres t o the u t i l i t a r i a n p r i n c i p l e o f e x p e d ie n c y , may a ls o be t h e l a s t r e fu g e o f s c o u n d r e ls ^ ^
Mow, how is
it
p o ssible t h a t ,
M e l v i l l e a lso saw i t , Here is
his
M e l v i l l e 's such,
t h is
c o n tra d ic tio n . p o s i t io n towards
seein g a l l t h i s ,
c ritic If
a s s o c ia t e s
M e lv ille w ith Vere?
he h im s e l f r e c o g n ize s
that
c i v i l i z a t i o n and th e s o c i a l
he should never t r y to l i n k M e l v i l l e 's
o f C a p t a in V e r e .
and know ing t h a t
The c r i t i c poses
f a b r i c is
p o s it io n w ith that
the f o l l o w i n g q u e s t i o n ;
A s o c ie t y w h ic h e le v a t e d p ru d en ce above a l l o t h e r v ir t u e s seemed to be anathem a to th e s o r t o f m oral adventuresom eness w h ic h M e l v i l l e l o v e d , and w h ic h fo r him s e t th e g re a t man o f f from th e m ed io cre o n e . Yet such a s o c i e t y seemed to be t h e o n ly s o r t w h ic h cou ld s a fe g u a r d men from th e p e r i l s o f " i r r a t i o n a l co m b ustio n" w h ic h fo llo w e d hard upon an id e a l i s m p erm itted to run i t s fr e e co u rse u n r e s t r a i n e d . H ere la y a c r u c ia l dilem m a: was t h e r a c e doomed t o a ccept m e d io c r it y as the p r i c e o f i t s s e l f - p r e s e r v a t i o n , o r was i t s t i l l p o s s i b l e i n a complex s o c i e t y f o r g reat p r iv a t e v ir t u e s to g e n e r a t e and grow?^**
C arl Gustav Jung has s a i d t h a t .
S o c i e t y , by a u t o m a t ic a lly s t r e s s i n g a l l th e c o l l e c t i v e q u a l i t i e s i n i t s i n d i v i d u a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s , puts a premium on m e d i o c r i t y , on e v e r y t h in g t h a t s e t t l e s down to v e g e t a t e i n an leasy, i r r e s p o n s i b l e w a y . I n d i v i d u a l i t y
11
w i l l i n e v i t a b l y be d r i v e n to the w a l l
As we s e e , provid es
J u n g 's
answer seems to be
the answer i n
15
But the c r i t i c
r e l a t i o n t o M e l v i l l e 's
h im s e lf
p o sitio n .
The q u e s t i o n n|3turally a r is e s w hether M e l v i l l e in t e n d e d the d i g r e s s i o n on N e ls o n to i l l u m i n a t e the f i n a l s c e n e o f the n o v e l. M ig ht the answer be t h a t th e han g in g o f B ill'y Budd i s M e l v i l l e 's f i n a l commentary upon the| theme o f the i m p r a c t i c a b i l i t y o f a b s o lu t e standarids i n a w o r ld n e c e s s a r i l y r u led by ex p ed ien c y ? Billrs they c r e a t e ) , but M e l v i l l e s tand s
alo o f,
a lth o u g h I wou Id say t h a t his sympathy i s
really
for B i l l y
(the u n c o n s c i o u s ), d e s p i t e pa c t u r in g him p e s s i m i s t i c a l l y as a weak character. One e p is o d e turns out to be t h e i g n i t i o n th a t puts i n m otion C l a g g a r t 's m achinatior s a g a in s t B i l l y B udd , is
the one o f the s p i l l e d
soi; p .
and that e p is o d e
B i l l y a c c id e n t l y s p i l l s
soup i n
p a th when e a t in g o n d e c k . The scene is d e s c r ib e d as fo llo w s :
C l a g g a r t 's
The s h i p at n o o n , g o in g la r g e b e fo r e th e w i n d , was . r o l l i n g on her c r u i s e , and he below a t d in n e r and engaged i n some s p o r f u l t a l k w i t h the members o f his m e s s , chanced i|n a sudd en lu r c h to s p i l l the e n t i r e contents o f h is soup pan upon the new-scrubbed d e c k . C l a g g a r t , the m aster- at- arm s, o f f i c i a l r a t ta n i n h a n d , happened to be p a s s in g a lo n g th e b a t t e r y i n a b ay o f w h ic h the mess was l o d g e d , and the g re a sy l iq u id stream ed ju s t across h is p a t h . S t e p p in g over i t , h|e was p r o c e e d in g on h is way w it h o u t comment, s in c e th e m atter was n o th in g to t ak e n o t ic e o f under th e c ir c u m s t a n c e s , w hen he happened to o b serv e who i t was t h a t had done the s p i l l i n g . His co untenance chang ed. P a u s in g , he was about to e j a c u l a t e somethingj h a s t y at the s a i l o r , but checked h i m s e l f , and p o in t i n g down to the str e a m in g s o u p , p l a y f u l l y tapped hiyi from behind w i t h h is r a t t a n , s a y in g i n a low m u s ic a l v o ic e p e c u l i a r to him at t im e s , "Handsom ely d o n e , my la d ! And handsome i s as handsome d id i t , t o o ! " (pp. 349-350 - my u n d e r l i n i n g ) .
E v e ry th in g i n t h is
p a ss a g e so jnds extrem ely p h a l l i c .
C la g g a rt w a l k in g w i t h a r a t t a n p h a l l i c sym bol)
i n his h a n d s ,
H e r e , we have
(a symbol o f a u t h o r i t y , B illy sp ills
c o n n o ta tio n here i s more than e v id e n t )
the soup
but a ls o a
(the s e x u a l
e x a c t ly on h is p a th .
"new-scrubbed d e c k " w here th e soup f a l l s
The
r e p r e s e n t s th e n e a t ly
o r g a n iz e d forms by w h ic h Clagg a rt and h is s o c i e t y l i v e . The "g r e a s y l i q u i d "
on i t
r e p rese :its the fo rce o f
i n s t i n c t i v e a s p e c t , the the k u n d a lin i s e r p e n t i s form s.
And,
nota
hene,
l i f e i n i t s most
fo rce o f th e unco n scio u s
(remember th at
l i n k ^ d w i t h s e x ) , and the absence o f Clagg a rt would have ig n o r e d
the event had
73
he not n o tic e d i t s done i t , but i t i s
author.
Had i t
b een any oth er s a i l o r who had
the e p is o d e w ould have had no s i g n i f i c a n c e B i l l y who has done i t
fo r B i l l y ^
a threat
for G l a g g a r t ,
so G la g g a r t takes i t
fo r t h is w o rld o f form s.
as a t h r e a t ,
There i s
an
im portant d i f f e r e n c e betw een the ways s e x i s made m a n ife s te d here i n B i l l y and i n
G la g g a r t .
I n Ei Lly,
a c c id e n t :
the soup i s
symbol i s
the r a t t a n he c a r r ie s i n h is
i n G l a g g a r t 's
case,
sp ille d
the symbolism shows up by
it
o n the
flo o r.
In G lagg art,
hand w herever he g o e s .
i s somet Ting much more con scio us —
chooses to c a r r y th a t symbol w it h him — , w h e r e a s , i n case,
the symbol i s
G la g g art d e c id e s
shown in d e p s n d e n tly o f h is
not to fig h t o p en ly , but
against B il l y h s i n s t i n c t i v e
force,
subtlety w ith s u b t le t y .
B illy ,
to use s u b t l e r arms B i l l y 's
a b le to h id e h is
f ig h t
cannot u n d e r s t a n d ,
a b le to s how a d o u b le
tru e i n n e r fee l i n g s .
M oby-Dick, t h a t M e l v i l l e preser ts
and
p r esen t to th e w o r ld
w it h i n s t i n c t i v e
ev il
he is
fo r M e l v i l l e ;
both
on t h e i r
faces ,
at w ar w i t h B i l l y . Etirm i s
at w ar
i n s i d e tl-em selves .
G la g g a r t is
energ y.
The s t o r y takes p la c e at a tim e r ig h t "G r e a t M u tin y o f the N o r e , "
and,
warshjLps. The n a r r a t o r p a in ts concern,
a f t e r the so - c alled
b ecause o f t h a t ,
always i n the back o;: the minds
colors i n t h is
and t h u s ,
th e w h a le w i t h the same a b i l i t y .
a w h it e ma sk o f appearances
w h i l e h id i n g d a r k n e s s From now o n ,
face,
We w i l l s e e , when a n a l y z in g
G la g g a r t and t h e w h a l e , rjepresent
m utiny i s
back
fo r a d e m o n s tr a tio n o f fr i ends hi p .
So G la g g a r t i s
B o th ,
he
conscio us w i l l ,
and so he taps
as u s u a l ,
So,
B i l l y 's
g e n tly w it h th e p h a l l i c sym bol, i n d i c a t i n g th at he w i l l
takes i t
the
the f e a r o f a
o f the o f f i c e r s
o f most
C a p t a in V e r e w i t h r e a l l y ye llo w
and he su g g ests
s e v e r a l times V e r e 's weak
ch a ra c ter by com paring him to M m i r a l N e l s o n .
N elso n,
a c c o r d in g to
the n a r r a t o r , w ould be a b le to c o n tr o l a m u tin y w i t h h is m a g n e tic
74
s im p ly lacks such s t r e n g t h i n him .
p e r s o n a l i t y , whereas Vere C lag gart of.
chooses
I t is
c r im e , m u t in y ,
to accuse B i l l y
Budd
i n t e r e s t i n g to note th at C la g g a rt c e r t a i n l y comprehends
E i l l y B u d d 's and,
e x a c t ly t h is
p o t e n t i a l i t i es
at the same t im e ,
fo r the a s s e r t i o n o f i n d i v i d u a l i t y ,
he i s
aware o f B i l l y 's
t o t a l in n o c e n c e and
but t h o s e , in s tead o f m aking him le a v e B i l l y a l o n e ,
p assiv ity ;
only i n t e n s i f y his ha tred
and s p i t e .
One p erso n e x c e p t e d , the mas ter-at-arms was perhaps the o n ly man i n the s h i p i n t e l l e c t u a l l y ca p a b le o f adeqjaately a p p r e c ia t in g t h e m oral phenomenon p resp n ted i n B i l l y B udd. And the i n s i g h t but i n t p n s i f i e d h is p a s s i o n , w h ic h assum ing v a r io u s s e c r e t forms w i t h i n h im , at times assumed t h a t o f c y n ic d i s d a i n , d i s d a i n o f in n o c e n c e — to be n o th in g morel t h a n in n o c e n t ! Yet i n an a e s t h e t i c w ay he saw th e charm o f i t , the courageous free-ande a sy temper o f |.t, and f a i n w ould have shared i t , but he d e s p a ir e d o f i t (pp. 355- 356) .
The o t h e r man th at M e l v i l l e su g g ests i s is
H ow ever, th e re i s
c e r t a i n l y C a p t a in V ere
the D an sk er — - o n ly t h is in tellectu ally ,
a b le to comprehend B i l l y still
an o th er o n e :
one can comprehend B i l l y not
but at the l e v e l o f the i n s t i n c t s .
A f t e r the "t e m p t a t i o n ," when C la g g a r t sends two e m i s s a r i e s , two s a i l o r s ,
to b r i b e B ilJ.y i n t o a m utiny b ec au s e o f the
im p ressm en ts, B i l l y c o n fid e s and the o l d man d iv i n e s B i l l y a g a in does to as "t h e s a g e ,"
t h a t C la g g a rt must be b ehind i t .
not b e l i e v e i t .
The D an sk er i s
"t h e old M e r l i n , "
and th a t detachm ent i s of course, is
to the D an sk er about the i n c i d e n t ,
etc,
e x p e r ie n c e had v e r y l i k e l y
as s u c h ) .
brought t h is
"N a s c is s u s "
t h a t detachm ent i s
(the D a n s k e r , "L o n g
o ld man to t h a t b i t t e r
prudence w h ic h never i n t e r feres i n aught ( p . 3 6 3 ) . We w i l l s e e i n the a n a ly s is
u s u a l l y r e fe r r e d
but he never i n t e r f e r e s ,
tyj i c a l o f the r e a l l y w i s e
not O r ie n t a l , but he acts
Ho w ever,
and never gives
a d v ice"
o f The N ig g e r o f the
a c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f O ld S i n g l e t o n
too. The D an sk er does no b i n t e r f e r e ,
and B i l l y i s
an e a sy prey
75
for G la g g a r t .
B il l y is
so simple-minded that even when he d is c o v e r s
th at the two men who have t r i e d o f G lagg art,
to b r ib e him work under the direct orders
he does not l i n k them.
Never d id i t oc cur to B i l l y as a t h in g to be noted or a t h in g s u s p ic i 3US, though he w e l l knew the f a c t , th a t the armorer and c a p t a in o f the h o l d , w it h the s h i p 's yeoman, apothec a ry , and others o f th at g r a d e , w ere by n a v a l usage mes ismates o f the mas ter-at-arms , men w i t h ears con venien t to h is c o n f i d e n t i a l tongue ( p . 3 6 6 ) .
G la g g a r t r e p resen ts "a ll
e v i l ,"
and o n ly t h a t .
He has h is i n n e r c o n f l i c t s is
f a r from s i m p l e ,
w hat he r e p r e s e n t s . his
u n c o n s c io u s ,
ev il, No,
h is p e r s o n a l it y is
too.
fo r he f e e l s He fe e ls
but one cannot say th at he is not th a t s im p le .
Even h is p o s i t io n towards an a t t r a c t io n towards
an a t t r a c t i o n
energy that oozes
him and
{and th at i s ,
la t e n t t ie n d towards i n d i v i d u a l i s m )
B illy
of course,
towards t h a t
from B i l l y .
When G la g g a r t *s uno bserved g lan c e happened to l ig h t on b e l t e d B i l l y r o l l i n g along th e upper gen d e c k i n the l e i s u r e o f tjhe second d o g w atch , ex c h a n g in g p a s s i n g b r o a d s id e s o f fu n w i t h o t h e r young promenaders i n the crow d, t h a t g lan c e w ould fo llo w the c h e e r fu l s e a H y p er io n w i t h a s e t t l e d m e d it a t iv e and m ela n ch o ly e x p r e s s i o n , h is ’eyes s t r a n g e l y s u f f u s e d w i t h i n c i p i e n t f e v e r i s h t e a r s . JThen w ould G la g g art look l i k e the man o f s o r r o w s . Y e s , and sometimes the m elancho ly e x p r e s s io n w ould have i n i t a touch o f s o f t , y e a r n i n g , as i f G la g g a r t cpuld even have lik e d B i l l y but for f a t e and ban (p. 3 65 ) .
So G la g g a r t i s
c l e a r l y trapped b etw een two f i r e s :
u n c o n s c io u s , i n s t i n c t i v e , and what he s ta n d s aw ay,
and leads
la t e n t
f e e l in g s
f o r , w hereas h is
h is i n n e r ,
lead him towards
r a t i o n a l mind pushes him
him to become t h e v e h i c l e o f B i l l y 's
The n a r ra to r makes t h a t q u it e c l e a r — tre n d toward B i l l y Budd keeps
B illy
G l a g g a r t 's
d estru c tio n .
in s tin c tiv e
gnaw ing i n s i d e him.
As to G l a g g a r t , the monomania i n the man — i f th a t in d e e d i t w ^re — as i n v o l u n t a r i l y d is c l o s e d by s t a r t s i n the m a n ife s t a t io n s d e t a i l e d , yet i n g e n e r a l cQvered c v e r by h is s e lf- c o n t a in e d and r a t i o n a l d em ean o r; t h i s , l i k e s u b t e r r a n e a n f i r e . was e a t i n g i t s Wc ly d e e p e r i n him . Som ething d e c i s i v e must con e o f i t (p. 367 ) .
And w hat comes o f i t is a c c o r d in g to the w o rld o yearn in g s d e c id e s the
o f h is h e a r t .
^ l a g g a r t 's
conscio us d e c i s i o n to act
forms by w h ic h he l i v e s , ' h u s , he plans
B i l l y 's
dow nfall,
to go to C a p t a in V ere and report B i l l y 's
and
"c o n s p ir a c y "
on
"B e llip o t e n t . " V e re i s
i n betw een C lag g a rt and B i l l y .
has to make t h e judgement! and take s i d e s .
He i s
betw een the sup erego and the i d ,
d is lik e s
A lth o u gh he is
C lag gart;
fo r th e m in d ,
he s y m b o l iz e s ,
he i n s t i n c t i v e l y
r a t i o n a l mind
When C lag g a rt approaches
B illy ,
he
le s t i t w ould b r in g chaos
to h is w ell- o rdered w orld . A lth o u g h he i s
it,
p o s i t i o n is
a lth o u gh he i n s t i n c t i v e l y l ik e s
r a t i o n a l l y condemns what
h e a r t , h is
the ego p la c ed
and h a v in g to d e c i d e w here to
s t a n d , s in c e he cannot fin d a b a l a n c e , V e r e 's co n flictu al.
the one who
He may be s e e n as Man
h i m s e l f , i n betw een the t|wo trends o f the mind —
does
r e p r e s s in g the
a t t r a c t e d towards th e
Ls s t r o n g e r and r ep res s es
h is
feelin g s,
hiim, V ere i s disgiasted by t h e way he
b ec au s e i t i s do ne s u r r e p t i t i o u s l y and not o p e n ly .
d iffe re n t
from B i l l y , who i s d i r e c t ,
s in c e re , open,
Q u it e
C laggart,
. . . though know n to him i n d e e d , has h a r d ly b een long enough known fo c thro ugh k n o w le d g e , but som ething i n whose aspect n e v e r t h e le s s now fo r the f i r s t provokes a vagu sly r e p e l l e n t d i s t a s t e ( p . 3 6 9 ) .
H o w ever, i t
seems t h a t V e r e adm ires
B i l l y not
p o ten tialities
fo r b e in g d i f f e r e n t
p o te n tia litie s
fo r assumiiig an o u t s t a n d in g p o s i t i o n ,
in d iv id u a lize d
above the n a s s , but
p a ssiv ity ,
even
(or especi a l l y )
im pressm ent, when B i l l y s a i d
fo r h is
from the common s a i l o r s ,
h is
h ig h l y
fo r h i s m e e k n e ss , h is
h is p a s s i v i t y by the tim e o f h is
good-bye to h is
r ig h t s
o f man.
C a p t a in V e r e , though m i s t a k i n g l y u n d e r s t a n d in g i t as a s a t i r i c s a l l y , had but thoug ht so much the b e t t e r o f the iinpressed man fo r i t ; as a m i l i t a r y s a i l o r , a d m irin g t h e s p i r i t t h a t could take an a r b i t r a r y e n listm en t so m e r r i l y and s e n s i b l y ( p . 3 7 2 ) .
77
So, V ere, b e lie v e s
even ad m ittin g t h a t th e im pressm ent i s t h a t one has to subm it o n e s e l f to i t ,
p er p etr a ted by the a u t h o r i t i e s .
an a r b it r a r y a c t ,
sin c e it
The a u t h o r it y is
is
not to be
c o n t e s t e d , i n V e r e 's vievv , but o b e y e d . Due to h is
antip a t hy towards
his word fo r g r a n t e d ,
but d e c id e s
C l a g g a r t , V ere does
to confront, a c c u se r and a c c u s e d .
i n o r d e r to v e r i f y where t h e t r u t h l i e s ; d iffic u lt.
C o n t r a d ic t in g C e r e 's
but th at proves
exp ectatio n s,
f a l s e l y accu se B i l l y w h i l e s t a r i n g i n his C lag g a rt has
accused,
His
he has c r e a t e d ,
a b le to that
sim ply b e c a u s e he wants to
r e a s o n in g has dom inated h is
o f s p eech at times o f t e n s i o n ,
him.
C la g g a rt is
e y e s , w h ic h proves
em o tion s. When thus
B i l l y is s t r u c k n u t e b e c a u s e o f h is
ex abrupto^
to be
r e a l l y d r i v e 1 h im s e lf c o n s c io u s ly to b e l i e v e i n the
net o f in t r ig u e s b e lie v e i t .
not take
and reacts
r e cu rren t im pedim ent
by r a i s i n g h is
and g iv in g a t e r r i b l e blow on C l a g g a r t 's
E v e ry th in g h ere i s v e r y i r o n i c :
C la g g a r t i s
arm
head,
expected
k illin g to r e a c t
p h y s i c a l l y when co n fro n ted w i t h B i l l y and be u n a b le t o s u s t a i n h is a c c u s a t io n , but that does not h a p p e n , i n t e l l e c t u a l l y and accuses when v e r b a l l y a c c u s e d ,
B i l l y to h is
B il l y i s
and r a t i o n a l l y d e fe n d hims e l f , does
not h a p p e n ,
p h y sica lly ,
and,
fo r,
fo r C la g g a r t reacts eye.
On the o t h e r h a n d ,
exp ected to r e a c t i n t e l l e c t u a l l y , r e f u t i n g the a c c u s a t i o n ,
l a c k in g an i n t e l l e c t ,
t h u s , he k i l l s
C laggart.
but t h a t
B i l l y can o n ly r e a c t
And a l l th a t b ecause
C a p t a in V e r e knows n e it h e r B i l l y nor C l a g g a r t . C a p t a in V e re has no'iw an enormous problem on h is m utiny th at Claggart i n t e l l e c t u a l l y i d e a l i z e d o f is
now made p h y s i c a l l y m a n ife s t e d w i t h
B i l l y 's
hand.
V ere compreh p e r ie n c e w i t h th o se e x t r a o r d in a r y sam ples o f g re a tn e ss ch a n g e d ;
actually,
th e ir
i n the human r a c e ,
e x p e r ie n c e i s
lik e a re b irth ,
come out th ey f l y
out from the ashes o f t h e i r p a s t e x p e r ie n c e w i t h u t t e r l y new plumage and u t t e r l y new h e a rts is
aware o f K u r t z 's
t h is
and m in d s .
im p o rtan c e i n
M a r lo w ,
lis l i f e ,
fo r exam p le,
the im portan ce o f
quasi- superm an i n the o p e n in g o f h is m i n d 's
ey e.
i t was ordered I d i d no t b e t r a y M r. Kurtz I sh o u ld n e v e r b e t r a y him, — i t was w r i t t e n I sh o u ld be l o y a l to the nig h tm a re o f my c h o ic e . I was
144
a nxio us to d e a l w it h t h is shadow by m y s e lf alone and to t h is day I d o n 't know why I was so je a lo u s o f s h a r in g w i t h any one the p e c u l i a r b la c k n e s s o f that exp e r ie n c e (p. 1 4 1 ) .
I n the
"b la c k n e s s
o f th at e x p e r ie n c e "
This i d e a o f r e b i r t h i s Going to s ea i s ,
fo r Is h m a e l,
he fin d s
his
lo t u s - flo w e r .
o r e s e n t throughout Moby-Dick. an e x p e r ie n c e o f r e b i r t h :
This is the subsi, i t u t e fo r p i s t o l and b a l l . W ith a p h i l o s o p h i c a l f l o u r i sh Cato throws h im s e lf upon h is sw ord; I q u ic k l y take to th e s h i p ( p . 1 2 ) .
One has to e x p e r ie n c e d e a t h i n o rd er to have a r e b i r t h . means g e t t in g r id o f b u rn in g up o n e 's
formal stan(iards o f m o r a lit y a n d /o r p r e ju d ic e s ,
o ld S e l f and cr
