hole issue of oppression aboard this ship. We now know that the officers, while usually acting inhumane, actually do have a humane side and are capable of being in touch with that side when needed. Billy changes the society by killing Claggart because now no one aboard the ship will have to deal with his evilness again, although Billy and his goodness did not prevail in this oppressive society the lasting effects of his actions will. By killing Claggart he has forcefully removed all of the evil, except Squeek, aboard this ship. During the trial we are shown Captain Vere’s human side with his struggle to decide which is more important moral or legal. While most would agree that he should have gone with his moral side one realizes that Captain Vere is not evil. He is the medium between Billy who is the best end of good and Claggart who is as evil as it gets. When being hanged Billy yells out “God bless Captain Vere”, which shows until the end he was still good and makes Captain Vere feel awful, it was now too late to save poor Billy Budd. Billy’s doing this may have forever changed Captain Vere into making the ‘right’ decision next time, one can only speculate. Billy was just a boy oppressed onto a ship that he didn’t want to be on, but Frederick Douglass was born a black man in the south, a society raging with slavery. And like Fredierick Douglass he was living in an oppressive society and managed to initiate change among the oppressive society.Frederick Douglass was born a black man into pre-Civil war southern society. On January 1, 1834 his master, Master Thomas ordered Douglass, to go to a man named Covey. Covey is much like Claggart except for the degree of intelligence which Covey seemed to lack. They are also alike in the fact they were both determine to uphold their jobs. Claggart was an official and had to make the right legal decisions and Covey was a slavbreaker who had to ...
