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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How is John Claggart's appearance described in chapter eight?

2. What is Captain Vere's nickname?

3. What decoration marks the Victory's quarterdeck?

4. Why do personalities seem clash more aboard a ship?

5. Which character is known for his simplicity and naiveté?

Short Essay Questions

1. What incident is the catalyst for Billy's demise?

2. Who is Squeak?

3. Which one of the seven deadly sins drives Claggart to destroy Billy?

4. Who is the Dansker and how does he help Billy?

5. What is a mutiny?

6. How does Melville contrast Billy and Claggart's characters?

7. How does Melville explain moral depravity?

8. How do ruling bodies on board a ship compare to ruling bodies on land?

9. What is a "Handsome Sailor"?

10. What does Claggart mean when he says, "Handsomely done, my lad! And handsome is as handsome does it, too!" ?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role does the social community on board the Bellipotent play in the novel? How are the characters affected by the extended amount of time they spend living and working together in a relatively small area? How are conflicts resolved among crew members? How do unresolved conflicts affect the characters in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Melville's theory of moral depravity. How does innate moral depravity compare to moral depravity caused by licentious (sexually immoral) living? What evidence does Melville give to prove that Claggart is suffering from a form of insanity that manifests itself as innate moral depravity?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast Billy Budd's character with John Claggart's character. Which characteristics indicate that Billy is the protagonist? Which characteristics indicate that Claggart is the antagonist? What role does innocence, truth, mystery and deception play in their characters?

(see the answer keys)

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