In Herman Melville's novel "Billy Budd", Billy is accused of killing Claggart and having attempted a military mutiny and is hanged to death with the support of Captain Vere. Recalling all the characters in the novel, Captain Vere should take the greatest responsibility for Billy Budd's death. Although Captain Vere knows well about Billy and his loyalty, he chooses to ignore these factors and instead sees Billy as a criminal. First and foremost, he knew Billy's personality and know that he would not have sought to mutiny, but as a Captain, he was responsible for enforcing the war order and punishing any act of mutiny or disobedience. While Billy has a good reputation and he dedicated service to the crew, he ultimately opted to follow the laws and regulations and orders Billy's execution, knowing it was unjust. …show more content…
He directly sacrificed Billy's life for the safety of himself and his crew and to avoid chaos. Meanwhile, Captain Vere, the only witness to Claggart's death, knew that Billy did not "kill" Claggart, but he did not speak out about it, choosing instead to conceal the facts. What's more, Captain Vere has considerable authority and influence as captain, and his decisions have a significant impact on the lives and fate of the entire crew. It was his responsibility not only to protect his crew's lives and interests but also for justice and righteousness. However, his decisions deviated from these principles, resulting in Billy's unjust