Fated Captain Vere
... Captain Vere’s situation on the Bellipotent is a huge responsibility, almost godlike. ... Captain Vere’s faults, his connections with Billy, and his conflict between the right thing to do is his fate. ... Vere’s situation is godlike. ... Even with this great power, Vere must watch himself, he cannot be too nice or the sailors will see him as a week captain, and they’ll take advantage of him, yet he is conscious of their well-being or “always acquitting himself as an officer mindful of his men, but never tolerating an infraction of discipline” (116). ... Vere is not your average British captain. ... Vere definitely prefers the trait of thinking to that of feeling. ... Vere also starred off into the distance earning his reputation, “Starry Vere”. Vere’s isolation was above all the attributes to these characteristics. ... This evil transfers between Claggart, Billy, and Vere. It spreads and there is nothing Vere can do about it. Mutiny was the basis for many of Vere’s decisions. With recent outbreaks such as the Nore mutiny, every captain must be aware on what is going on in the decks below. ... He knows that Billy knew about the Nore mutiny and Vere feared this because Billy could be a leader in a mutiny, but he also knew that innocent, hard working Billy would not betray his captain that way. Although it did make Vere think about Billy’s position in that he liked and admired Billy, but also watched him closely. Mutiny was a primary cause of the fear that possessed Vere.