Synopses & Reviews
Billy Budd is among the greatest of Melville's works and, in its richness and ambiguity, among the most problematic. Outwardly a compelling narrative of events aboard a British man-of-war during the turmoil of the Napoleonic Wars,
Billy Budd, Sailor is a nautical recasting of the Fall, a parable of good and evil, a meditation on justice and political governance, and a searching portrait of three extraordinary men. In this edition are also eight shorter tales, reprinted from the most authoritative recent editions and are supplemented by a penetrating introduction and full notes.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
About the Author
Robert Milder is Professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He is editor of Critical Essays on Melville's `Billy Budd, Sailor' and the author of Reimagining Thoreau.
Table of Contents
1. Bartleby, the Scrivener
2. Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!
3. The Fiddler
4. The Paradise of Bachelors and the Tartarus of Maids
5. The Lightning-Rod Man
6. The Encantadas, or Enchanted Isles
7. Benito Cereno
8. I and My Chimney
9. Billy Budd, Sailor (An Inside Narrative)