Are Socrates and Billy Budd makers of culture, or its sacrificial victims?

Question

How does culture explain Billy Budd's and Socrates' death? They are the victims of unaccepted death obviously, but i want to make a connection between culture and their death. Is it possible to make a connection and if so, how?

Answer 1

Art resembles life. "Billy Budd" doesn't happen in a vacuum. He was (and is) an amalgam of thousands of people. He is a literary representative of so much injustice in mans history.
As for Socrates, well, He is not nearly as noble. I dont think the two are related culturally. Neither are "sacrificial".
Sorry