CaptainVere makes the right decision by executing Billy Budd.

If CaptainVere lets
Billy
live the rest of the crew might get the impression that they will not be held
accountable for
their crimes. If the crew feels that they can get away with what ever they want
then there
is a chance that they might form a rebellion and have a mutiny. A mutiny would
destroy
the stability and good name of the ship and the crew. Captain Vere does not want
to see
this happen. There are three main reasons Captain Vere makes the right decision by
executing Billy Budd. These reasons are that if Billy lives then a mutiny might
occur,
because the law states that a crime as severe as Billy's is punishable by death,
and Captain
Vere feels sorry for Billy and does not want Billy to suffer with guilt until a
martial court
could give a decision.
If Billy is not executed then corruption might occur on the ship and cause a
mutiny. Captain Vere knows that a mutiny might occur and does not want it to
happen.
Captain Vere could possibly be using Billy's execution for his crime of killing
Claggart as
an example for the rest of the crew. It shows the crew what will happen to them if
they
try to start a mutiny. After Billy's death CaptainVere obviously feels regret for
executing
Billy. Captain Vere's last words are "Billy Budd, Billy Budd" (p. 76) show an
example of
this. Those last words might symbolize that Captain Vere killed Billy for the
wrong
reasons. If CaptainVere uses Billy's death for an example to the rest of the crew
then it
might not necessarily be the wrong reason. CaptainVere has to decide between one
life
and the lives of the entire crew. No matter what Captain Vere's reasons are he
does make
the right decision.
Another reason CaptainVere might of executed Billy Budd is because
CaptainVere
follows the law to the letter. The law states that mutiny is punishable to by
death. Some
readers might not see this accidental murder as mutiny, but killing a superior
officer in the
British navy is considered mutiny. In Captain Vere's decision he shows the crew
that no
infractions of the law will be tolerated. In the story CaptainVere is described as
"never
tolerating an infraction of discipline" (p. 16). This trait could be the reason
for Billy's
death.
Another reason Captain Vere might execute Billy Budd is that he does not want
Billy to suffer with his extreme guilty until a martial court can see his case.
Captain Vere
probably had a personal attachment to Billy. This is evident when Captain Vere
says,
"struck dead by an angel of God! Yet the angel must hang!" (p. 51). This
statement
implies Captain Vere's true feelings for Billy. If Captain Vere had let a martial
court try
the case then they would most likely come to the same conclusion. Because of this
fact
Captain Vere did not find it necessary to make Billy wait for a trial.
Captain Vere made the right decision by executing Billy for his crimes.
Although
the decision was controversial it kept stability among the crew. The crew's fate
is more
important than any individual sailor's fate. If Captain Vere had made the opposite
decision than there probably would be a very horrible fate for the Bellipotent.
Billy Budd
could be considered a tragic hero. In his short life Billy touched more lives than
most
people do in there entire lives. Billy is somebody that most readers would agree
is a tragic
hero. Even though Billy Budd is so great, Captain Vere made the right decision.