Working the Waters

Penelope Partridge

Melville Draft

4-16-07

Billy Budd, Gay Sailor

“Going close up to the young sailor, and laying a soothing hand on his shoulder…” Are these the words of an homosexual erotica, or an intellectually perplexing novella written in the early Nineteenth Century? I argue that the answer is not one or the other, but both. Herman Melville’s work of fiction titled “Billy Budd, Sailor,” depicts life on a ship of war during the late 1700’s. Furthermore, it illustriates the lives of men isolated, among each other, at sea.There is great activity between the lines of this challenging read, quietly addressing class aa well as human nature. Slightly more evident, Melville’s is a hushed tale of homo-eroticism, which I argue has a good deal of involvement in the unfolding of the story.

I understand this is I have my work cut out, and many ideas, in the meantime...do you have any opposing ideas? do you agree?