Billy Budd Chapters 19-21

Redburn Chapters XXI - XXV

In which a new whaleman named Larry reveals his deep knowledge and bitter views on civilisation, contrasting with a spirited man-of-war’s man who cherishes the cultured world; and the ship endures a dreadful storm before passing a grim shipwreck, while the passengers — from a mysterious silent gentleman to a lively dock-master’s daughter and a stowaway orphan boy — provide a curious and varied company aboard the Highlander. Meanwhile, the young narrator learns the ropes of sailor life, delighting in climbing the rigging and admiring the ship’s quarter-deck furniture, as the ship hastens toward Liverpool amid the adventures and peculiarities of her human cargo.

Redburn Chapters XVI - XX

In which the young sailor at his midnight post bravely climbs to the dizzy heights to tend the main-skysail amidst a serene but shadowy sea, encountering the kind yet fiery Dutchman Max, while the ship’s life rolls steadily onward beneath thick Newfoundland fogs and the watchful tolling of a bell to heed unseen dangers. Meanwhile, the cook and steward reveal their quaint companionship and contrasting temperaments, and the sailor endeavours to enrich his mind with serious books, all the while witnessing the curious habits and superstitions of his shipmates, including the mysterious practices of the whimsical Jack Blunt and his Dream Book.

Redburn Chapters XI - XV

In which the young voyager is thrust abruptly into the rigours and rigmarole of life aboard ship, contending with the hardship of deck-washing and the humble fellowship of communal fare, alongside a terrifying yet cunning shipmate whose malevolent presence casts a shadow over the crew. And in the warming light of a bright, tranquil day at sea, he experiences a fleeting enchantment with the boundless ocean’s vast and wild beauty, though this exaltation soon fades beneath the stern discipline and harsh realities of his maritime existence.

Redburn Chapters VI - X

In which a young and inexperienced passenger aboard a merchant ship is rudely initiated into the harsh and unyielding discipline of the seafaring life, tasked with menial duties and faced with the gruff manner of ship officers and rough sailors. As the vessel sails away from familiar shores into the vast unknown, the novice contends with seasickness, loneliness, and the chilling prospect of his new and uncompromising existence at sea.

Redburn Chapters I - V

In which a youth named Wellingborough Redburn, imbued with a restless longing for the sea and foreign lands, sets out from a quiet Hudson River village leaving behind the comfort of home and the stern kindness of a brother’s parting gifts. His first ventures ashore in the bustling streets of New York bring him face to face with the harsh realities of poverty, the rough humour of sailors, and the dim, damp confines of a ship’s forecastle where he must begin his unfamiliar life at sea.