Chapter 30 Summary

The spar from which the foretopman was suspended becomes a sacred piece to the sailors. They keep track of it and save pieces of it as if they were pieces of the Cross. They don't know all the details but they are convinced that Billy Budd was incapable of either mutiny or murder. One of the foretopmen who had served with him writes a crude poem called, "Billy in the Darbies," which is printed as a ballad and is circulated among the crews for a while.

Chapter 30 Analysis

Billy Budd is drawn by Melville as a Christ-figure. He lived his life on earth as a righteous, compassionate, right-spirited soul just as Jesus did. None could find fault in him except the devil incarnate, Claggart, just as none could find fault in Jesus except the Pharisees. In fact, the narrator says of Claggart, "The...