The conflict between rational and poetic sides of human nature Although the era of economic development and societal change demands rationalization and manifests the priory of justice over mercy, through the events happened to Billy Budd, Melville tries to explain that irrational and poetic side of the human nature could not be ignored because the pure reason cannot possibly anticipate all the nuances of each particular case and the price of mistake in such cases is too high. Thus, Melville depicts the problems of how people justify capital punishment as a question of conflict between rational and poetic outlook though the symbolism of relationships between the characters of Billy Budd, Sailor. Given that fact, the author addresses those discussions and philosophical implications of the problem of capital punishment, and on the basis of them creates his own universal perspective of this problem. According to Franklin, the question of capital punishment was in the center of public debate when the book was written (338). One of the reasons for the triumph of Billy Budd, Sailor in America and the United Kingdom, was the precision, with which the author portrayed the historical and cultural context, particularly Melville analyzed both issues contemporary to him and problems that are always tangible for humankind (Floyd 28). Among the issues addressed by the author, there is the problem of capital punishment and the interpretations of its rejection or justification. However, some issues that Melville touches in his work were spared a detailed analysis that this novella deserves. For that reason, it was met by critics with a great level of success, when it was first introduced to the public (Floyd 28).
Herman Melville’s novella Billy Budd, Sailor, represents a variety of societal, moral, and philosophical issues.
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