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In the novel, Billy Budd by Herman Melville, emotions, and the actions based on them, play a considerable role in the fate of Billy Budd, Claggart and Captain Vere. Although the emotions vary depending on the individual, their actions all lead to their involuntary demise. The destiny of these individuals is notably intertwined with each other, either through physical relation or mental. Envy, fright, confusion and guilt are three of the major factors that influence this outcome. Many times in a persons life they begin to feel a resentful awareness of an advantage of another and desires to possess the same advantage. This is called envy, which Melville uses as one of the reasoning's behind Claggart's motives. "And handsome is as handsome did it too," (35 Melville) says Claggart when Billy accidentally spills soup on the newly scrubbed deck of the mess hall. By this the narrator (Melville) implies Claggart's obsession over Billy