Home > Billy Budd Summary & Study Guide > Character Analysis > John Claggart
Billy Budd | John Claggart
John Claggart, the master-at-arms on the Bellipotent, is a difficult character to grasp, even for the narrator: "His portrait I essay, but shall never hit it." Claggart's essential nature eludes not only the narrator and Billy Budd but also the perceptive Captain Vere; in fact, the only character who seems to understand Claggart and his motives is the wise yet taciturn Dansker. Claggart in turn is "perhaps the only man in the ship intellectually capable of adequately appreciating the moral phenomenon presented in Billy Budd," and ironically, Billy's goodness...
[The entire page is 365 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
- Billy Budd: Introduction
- Billy Budd: Summary
- Billy Budd: Overview
- Billy Budd: Herman Melville Biography
-
Billy Budd: Summary and Analysis
- Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis
- Chapter 2 Summary and Analysis
- Chapter 3 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 4-5 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 6-8 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 9-11 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 12-14 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 15-18 Summary and Analysis
- Chapter 19 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 20-21 Summary and Analysis
- Chapter 22 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 23-24 Summary and Analysis
- Chapter 25 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 26-27 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 28-29 Summary and Analysis
- Chapters 30-31 Summary and Analysis
-
Billy Budd: Quizzes
- Chapter 1 Questions and Answers
- Chapter 2 Questions and Answers
- Chapter 3 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 4-5 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 6-8 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 9-11 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 12-14 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 15-18 Questions and Answers
- Chapter 19 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 20-21 Questions and Answers
- Chapter 22 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 23-24 Questions and Answers
- Chapter 25 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 26-27 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 28-29 Questions and Answers
- Chapters 30-31 Questions and Answers
- Billy Budd: Themes
- Billy Budd: Style
- Billy Budd: Historical Context
- Billy Budd: Critical Overview
- Billy Budd: Character Analysis
- Billy Budd: Essays and Criticism
- Billy Budd: Suggested Essay Topics
- Billy Budd: Sample Essay Outlines
- Billy Budd: Compare and Contrast
- Billy Budd: Topics for Further Study
- Billy Budd: Media Adaptations
- Billy Budd: What Do I Read Next?
- Billy Budd: Bibliography and Further Reading
- Billy Budd: Pictures
- Copyright
Related Topics
Tell a friend about Billy Budd at eNotes.
