# Billy Budd

**Author:** Herman Melville
**Grade range:** Grades 11–12
**Age range:** 16–17
**First published:** 1900
**Page count:** 183
**Genre:** Historical Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9781420956214`
**ISBN-10:** `1420956213`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/billy-budd
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

TRIALS OF THE HANDSOME SAILOR Aboard the warship Bellipotent, the young orphan Billy Budd was called the Handsome Sailor. Billy was tall, athletic, noble looking; he was friendly, innocent, helpful and ever-cheerful. He was a fierce fighter and a loyal friend. All the men and officers liked him... All but one: Master-at-Arms Claggart. Envious, petty Claggart plotted to make Billy's life miserable. But when a fear of mutinies swept through the fleet, Claggart realized he could do more than just torment the Handsome Sailor... He could frame Billy Budd for treason...

## Themes

- open\_syllabus\_project
- classics
- classic literature
- sailors

## Where this book is assigned

### Common Core State Standards (ELA)

- **recommended** · 11th grade — [source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 11-CCR story exemplar](https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/appendix-b-text-exemplars-and-sample-performance-tasks.pdf)
- **recommended** · 12th grade — [source: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 11-CCR story exemplar](https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/standards-instruction/appendix-b-text-exemplars-and-sample-performance-tasks.pdf)

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