Billy Budd

Prologue Scene 1: Main deck and quarter-deck of HMS Indomitable Scene 2: Address Act 2 Scene 1: Captain Vere's cabin Scene 2: Berth-deck Act 3 Scene 1: Main deck and quarter-deck Scene 2: Captain Vere's cabin Act 4 Scene 1: Bay of the upper gun-deck Scene 2: Main deck and quarter-deck Epilogue Captain Edward Fairfax Vere, an old man, reflects on his life and his time in the navy. He reflects on the conflict between good and evil, tormented by guilt over the case of Billy Budd on board his ship, HMS Indomitable, some years earlier. The crew of the Indomitable works on deck. For slipping and bumping into an officer, the Novice is sentenced to be flogged. At the same time a cutter approaches, returning from a merchant ship where it has pressed three sailors into the Royal Navy. One of these sailors, Billy Budd, seems overjoyed with his situation – entirely different from the other two, Joseph Higgins and Arthur Jones, who are not so happy. Claggart, the Master-at-Arms, calls him "a find in a thousand", despite having a stammer. Billy says a jaunty farewell to the Rights o' Man, his former ship, innocent of what his words imply. The officers, forgetting mention of the name of his prior ship, take his words as a deliberate provocation and order the men below decks. Claggart tells Squeak, the ship's corporal, to keep an eye on Billy and give him a rough time. The Novice is brought back from his flogging, unable to walk and helped along by a friend. The cruelty of the punishment sho…

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