The protagonist of “Benito Cereno” is not really Captain Delano —his character does not really change in the course of the story, other than his awakening to the true relationship of Cereno and the slaves.
Is Benito Cereno pro slavery?
Because of its ambiguity, the novella has been read by some as racist and pro-slavery and by others as anti-racist and abolitionist. However, by the mid-20th century, at least some critics read Benito Cereno as a tale that primarily explores human depravity and does not reflect upon race at all.
Who is the hero in Benito Cereno?
Babo , the hidden protagonist in Benito Cereno is represented as an evil, a cruel murderer and a reptilian betrayer. Cinqué, the protagonist of Amistad becomes a hero and a righteous freedom fighter who wants nothing more than to return his home.
What happens in Benito Cereno?
Based on a true story, Herman Melville’s 1855 novella Benito Cereno follows American Captain Amasa Delano’s discovery of a ship he first believes to be in distress before realizing , over the course of the same day, that a slave revolt has taken place on it.
What kind of man is Captain Delano?
Captain Amasa Delano The commander of a large sealer and general merchant ship , Delano, a native of Duxbury, Massachusetts, is “incapable of satire or irony” and demonstrates a trusting, altruistic nature. Fluent in Spanish, he voices racist attitudes, but displays a hearty benevolence toward a fellow captain in need.
What happens at the end of Benito Cereno?
By Herman Melville
Babo is executed and his head is mounted on a pole, where it “met, unabashed, the gazes of the whites” (104.413). Dang: even in death, Babo remains unashamed of his drastic actions. Benito Cereno, on the other hand, quietly dies and is “borne on the bier” along the very path of Babo’s gaze .
How long does it take to read Benito Cereno?
The average reader will spend 1 hours and 26 minutes reading this book at 250 WPM (words per minute). Benito Cereno is a story by Herman Melville that features some of the author’s most action packed storytelling presented in this new edition of the great classic.
Where does Babo demand the ship to be taken?
But before they could make such a trip, it would require supplies. Babo would not let Cereno come to a port that would put the ship in view of people, so he chose to sail to the island of Santa Maria . He told Babo he was planning on getting supplies, but in actuality he hoped a passing vessel would save them.
What does San Dominick mean?
the symbolic character of the “SAN DOMINICK.” It represents a decaying . Western Civilization under the political, military, and religious leadership . of the Spanish Empire . Its heritage is both Judaic and Christian.
What does the knot symbolize in Benito Cereno?
The knot highlights the layers of dependence and oppression that everyone onboard is “tied up” in , as slave-owners metaphorically (and sometimes physically) tie their slaves.
What happens to Atufal at the end of the story?
Like Babo, Atufal never kills anyone himself, preferring to adopt a leadership role. He is killed in the recapture of the San Dominick by Delano’s crew .
What makes Captain Delano an unreliable narrator?
Captain Amasa Delano, while not the actual narrator of Benito Cereno, is the character from whose perspective the story is primarily told. His “good nature” and benevolence are remarked upon throughout the story and are partially what make his perspective so unreliable.
Who is Babo?
Babo is one of the African slaves traded on the San Dominick. As the secret ringleader of the slave revolt, he is an enigmatic, fascinating character, both deeply intelligent and unabashedly cruel.
What is revealed as the new figure head on the San Dominick in Melville’s Benito Cereno?
They made an example of the slave dealer, Don Alexandro Aranda, whom they mutilated, stabbed, then stripped of flesh and nailed to the bow for a figurehead. When the facts of the recapture of the San Dominick are revealed, Babo is identified, hanged, and burned. His severed head gazes from a pike above the plaza.
What is the theme of Benito Cereno?
Benito Cereno shows that being a moral person requires more effort than simply being kind and compassionate . Beyond individual actions, morality involves recognizing the structures of power and injustice that affect different people unequally.
Is Benito Cereno a true story?
Benito Cereno is a true story . ... They slaughtered most of the crew, along with the trader taking them to Peru, and ordered its captain, Benito Cerreño, to return them to Senegal. Cerreño stalled. He sailed first up and then down the coast, finally running into the Perseverance.
