In Billy Budd, what is the name of the ship's master-at-arms whom Billy Budd fatally strikes?

• A. John Claggart
• B. Captain Vere
• C. The Admiral
• D. Billy Budd

Answer: (A)

The name of the ship’s master-at-arms in this scene is John Claggart. He is the harsh official whose false accusation against Billy Budd triggers the fatal confrontation. When Billy, in distress over the charge and his own nature of innocence, strikes Claggart with a single, decisive blow, Claggart dies. This moment is crucial because it sets in motion the naval inquiry and the moral dilemma at the heart of the story—Billy’s pure, unintentional act against the demands of naval law. The other figures play different roles: Captain Vere is the commander who must judge the case and balance justice with mercy, while the Admiral isn’t the figure involved in this incident, and Billy Budd is the one who delivers the fatal blow, not the master-at-arms.