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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. What appears to end in chapter 17?

2. How does Billy respond to Claggart's accusation?

3. Why does the Captain feel that Billy must be punished?

4. Why does Billy hesitate when asked about his knowledge of a potential insurrection?

5. Who is a part of the drumhead court in chapter 21?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why isn't the chaplain worried about Billy's impending judgment?

2. How does Captain Vere view Billy before the foretopman is confronted with the accusation of mutiny?

3. Why doesn't Billy confront the afterguardsman or Claggart about any of the incidents that occurs?

4. Why does Captain Vere feel it necessary to deliver the court's verdict to Billy personally?

5. What irony is evident in the nature of Captain Vere's death?

6. What misgivings do the surgeon and the other officers have about Billy's impending trial?

7. Describe Billy's funeral.

8. How does Melville compare religion to righteous living?

9. What is unusual about Billy's death?

10. Describe Claggart's funeral.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

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

How does Melville demonstrate the contrast between good and evil? Which characters and actions are used to represent good and evil? How is the war between good and evil represented in the novel? What affect does this war have on the characters?

(see the answer keys)

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