A comprehensive study guide offering in-depth explanation, essay, and test prep for Herman Melville's Billy Budd, his final novel. As a book of the twentieth-century, Melville focused on society's limiting forces on people's individuality. Moreover, Billy Budd has two versions as it was completed by different authors after Melville's death. This Bright Notes Study Guide explores the context and history of Herman Melville's classic work, helping students to thoroughly explore the reasons it has stood the literary test of time. Each Bright Notes Study Guide contains: - Introductions to the Author and the Work - Character Summaries - Plot Guides - Section and Chapter Overviews - Test Essay and Study Q&As The Bright Notes Study Guide series offers an in-depth tour of more than 275 classic works of literature, exploring characters, critical commentary, historical background, plots, and themes. This set of study guides encourages readers to dig deeper in their understanding by including essay questions and answers as well as topics for further research