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Chapter 1

• Melville defines a "Handsome Sailor".

• Billy Budd, the "Handsome Sailor" of the novel, are recently impressed into the King's service from the merchant ship, Rights of Man.

• Lieutenant Ratcliffe of the Bellipotent selects Billy from among all the other sailors on the Rights of Man.

• Captain Graveling of the Rights of Man protests Billy's removal, citing Billy's miraculous ability to calm his sailors.

• Billy cheerfully changes ships and serves as a foretopman on the Bellipotent.

Chapter 2

• Billy's attractiveness is compared to a Greek statue.

• Billy admits he is a foundling, but has the bearing of noble birth.

• Most of Billy's new shipmates like the young foretopman, with the exception of a few older sailors.

• Melville reveals that Billy stutters and even becomes mute when faced with great stress.

Chapter 3

• The first mutiny in the British Navy occurs at Spithead in April of 1797.

• A more serious mutiny, known...

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