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Billy Budd

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Content Disclaimer

This adaptation explores themes of justice, authority, innocence, and moral ambiguity. It portrays social and ethical dilemmas relevant to both the maritime world and broader human experiences. Readers are advised to consider their emotional readiness, as the story involves intense moral conflicts and tragic outcomes.

Reading Levels

Total Words 30152
Unique Words 5938
Reading Ease

Languages

Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian

Billy Budd

About the Author

Herman Melville (1819-1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet, best known for his seminal work Moby-Dick. His stories often explore themes of fate, humanity, and the limits of knowledge. Billy Budd is one of his later works, a deeply symbolic novella that delves into the complexities of good and evil in human nature and the often harsh realities of life at sea.

Story Overview

Enter the dramatic world of Billy Budd with our leveled reading adaptation. Set aboard a British naval ship during the late 18th century, this novella follows Billy Budd, an innocent and charismatic sailor who becomes entangled in a tragic conflict with his superior, the malevolent Master-at-Arms, John Claggart. Herman Melville's powerful exploration of justice, morality, and the complexities of human nature comes to life in this adaptation, blending adventure and philosophical reflection in a maritime setting.

The Power of Passage Markers

Synchronized Materials

Each text is broken down into numbered passages, synchronized across all versions, enabling every student to follow along in class discussions, regardless of the reading level they are using.

Passage numbers are available in the web reader and in the margins of our paperback copies.

A Multimedia Reading Experience

Combine Print & Digital

The author's original words are always just a tap away. Easily reference the original language of any one of our leveled readers by visiting our web application and jumping to the corresponding passage.