Billy Budd Comparison Essay
As showcased in Typee and Billy Budd, the protagonist and antagonist feel uncontrollable homosexual desires. Their desires are only subtly shown since they made their best efforts to suppress it. A desire concerning feelings or emotions can’t, however, be easily suppressed. Even with the characters’ wish to completely hide it, the desires will surely unconsciously appear. Actions and reactions to situations are the messenger to the minds of the characters. It is the reader’s entrance to the deep underlying thoughts.The protagonist in Billy Budd, Captain Vere, proves that the feeling of uncontrollable homosexual desires is true. His persistent attempt “to maintain self-control” (Melville 72) and keep his suppressed emotions inside actually had
…show more content…
Melville’s method of describing other characters’ traits through different point of views also reveals his character. In Billy Budd, Billy was described as “always attractive in masculine conjunction” (Melville 14) by his fellow sailors. This presents the alluring trait that Billy possesses and the fondness of other men towards him. As for Typee, the way Tommo describes Marnoo is very intimate. “Unclad limbs were beautifully formed” (Melville 65) was the way Marnoo’s physical traits was described, giving off a feeling of awe. Marnoo have a lot in common with Billy Budd, he is also a very elegant person possessing a dignified structure and a sexually alluring aspect. In a criticism of Typee, Douglas Ivison mentions the highly sexualized descriptions presented in the novel. He states that “[Melville’s] description of Marnoo as, among other things, a ‘Polynesian Apollo’ is highly sexualized” (10). Marnoo was compared to Apollo, the Greek god of prophecy and music, because of his handsome looks and stature which is similar to that of Apollo. The way the characters were described was not that of a normal novel. The descriptions contained a deeper meaning, which was affection. The superior traits of the characters were emphasized in order to show that their alluring aspects was why affection towards another male was
Melville’s method of describing other characters’ traits through different point of views also reveals his character. In Billy Budd, Billy was described as “always attractive in masculine conjunction” (Melville 14) by his fellow sailors. This presents the alluring trait that Billy possesses and the fondness of other men towards him. As for Typee, the way Tommo describes Marnoo is very intimate. “Unclad limbs were beautifully formed” (Melville 65) was the way Marnoo’s physical traits was described, giving off a feeling of awe. Marnoo have a lot in common with Billy Budd, he is also a very elegant person possessing a dignified structure and a sexually alluring aspect. In a criticism of Typee, Douglas Ivison mentions the highly sexualized descriptions presented in the novel. He states that “[Melville’s] description of Marnoo as, among other things, a ‘Polynesian Apollo’ is highly sexualized” (10). Marnoo was compared to Apollo, the Greek god of prophecy and music, because of his handsome looks and stature which is similar to that of Apollo. The way the characters were described was not that of a normal novel. The descriptions contained a deeper meaning, which was affection. The superior traits of the characters were emphasized in order to show that their alluring aspects was why affection towards another male was