Let me begin by blaming ClassicNotes for all of our twisted views on
so-called "great" American literature. But great, it is not. It all began when L went to look up notes for her Billy Budd
essay. There she found the horrible summary that started it all...
Billy Budd By:
Herman Melville.
Billy + Claggart = Love???
Here is a brief summary of parts of the "classic" novel Billy Budd. I'm
just glad Cappy-V isn't involved. Though there is that "Billy Budd, Billy Budd" quote. Hmm...
The Dansker is a somewhat mysterious character. Melville does not
make clear why he likes Billy so much, or why exactly he bestows on Billy the nickname of "Baby." But he seems to know instinctively
why Billy has become a target of Claggart's officers. Claggart is "down on" Billy. Arguably, the Dansker diagnoses Claggart's
feelings for Billy as sexual, although the old sailor keeps his opinions hidden. He says that the officers harass Billy because
Claggart is "down on" him:
"Jemmy Legs!" ejaculated Billy, his welkin eyes expanding. "What for? Why, he calls
me the sweet and pleasant young fellow,' they tell me."
"Does he so?" grinned the grizzled one; then said, "Ay, Baby lad,
a sweet voice has Jemmy Legs."
"No, not always. But to me he has. I seldom pass him but there comes a pleasant word."
"And that's because he's down upon you, Baby Budd." (321)
The passage implies a sexual attraction by Claggart for Billy.
The Dansker is nearly teasing Billy with what he doesn't understand: Jemmy Legs has a "sweet voice," to Billy at least. The
cause of the antagonism and the cause of the sweet voice, according to the Dansker, are one and the same. The Dansker rolls
the whole situation into one ambiguous phrase: Claggart is "down on" Billy. And we see more of Billy's innocence: he just
doesn't have any idea what the Dansker is talking about.
Ah, my friends, that was merely the beginning. Take a look at this:
Chapter 10 is the infamous "spilled soup" chapter, which further establishes
the sexual nature of Claggart's feelings for Billy. As Claggart passes by the mess room, the "greasy liquid streamed just
across his path" (321). Claggart, instead of reprimanding Billy, turns the situation into a kind of grim joke that Baby Budd
doesn't seem to understand. He taps Billy from behind with his rattan, pointing down to the "streaming" soup, and says "Handsomely
done, my lad! And handsome is as handsome did it, too!" (322). Melville is none-too-subtly suggesting ejaculation. In case
we didn't get it, the narrator tells us that Claggart was about to "ejaculate something hasty at the sailor" (319), the key
word appropriate for the suggestive image Melville has just placed before us. Handsome Billy spills his soup, described as
"greasy" and "streaming," across the path of Claggart, who taps Billy from behind with a stick and then compliments the boy's
looks. His words to Billy are "equivocal," and only Claggart seems to understand the hidden implication of what he has said
to Billy. The young sailor simply takes this light-heartedness as proof that the Dansker is mistaken.
And this is why I will never look at Billy Budd, or our dear friend Herman
for that matter, the same way again. Not that I liked it in the first place.
*Holds up magnifying glass* Did the above analyses reflect Melville's REAL
intentions? Why would anyone ever name a character the Dansker? Was this book a love story full of sexual tension between
Billy and Claggart? Or was it simply one of the more boring allegories between good and evil? I guess we'll never know.
The Scarlet Letter
By: Nathaniel Hawthorne
The mysterious reactions of one Roger Chillingworth...
As you may or may not know, Chillingworth finds out that
Dimmesdale is the father of the evil demon child, er, I mean, Pearl, in quite an interesting way. Please read the following
passage and interpret it as you will.
"...Roger Chillingworth, without any extraordinary
precaution, came into the room. The physician advanced directly in front of his patient, laid his hand upon his bosom, and
thrust aside the vestment, that, hitherto, had always covered it even from the professional eye.
Then, indeed, Mr. Dimmesdale shuddered, and slightly
stirred.
After a brief pause, the physician turned away.
But, with what a wild look of wonder, joy, and horror!
With what a ghastly rapture, as it were, too mighty to be expressed only by the eye and features, and therefore bursting forth
through the whole ugliness of his figure and making itself even riotously manifest by the extravagant gestures with which
he threw up his arms towards the ceiling, and stamped his foot upon the floor! Had a man seen old Roger Chillingworth, at
that moment of his ecstasy...."
Yes. It's true. Roger Chillingworth has spasms of joy at
the sight of mens' chests. Might I also mention that Melville and Hawthorne were friends? Close friends? But was there
more to their stories than meets the eye? Too bad they're dead and we'll never know.
