This paper analyses the depiction of slavery and racism in Herman Melville's work "Benito Cereno". The focus here is particularly on Captain Delano, who, blinded by his racist attitude, is unable to see the true conditions on board.
This paper will investigate how Delano's racial prejudices shape his perspectives of the happenings in front of him and how they contribute to his failure to recognise the mutiny of the slaves, thus exposing the nature of unconscious racism and bias that existed in society. By examining Delano's contradictory beliefs about race and power and exploring the historical context in which the novella was written in, this paper intends to shed light on the ways in which implicit prejudice can lead people to overlook injustice and perpetuate systems of oppression.
Since the novella takes place in the year 1799 on the coastline of South America, I will begin by describing the historical context of slavery in the Americas, as well as the racist structures and ideals that were prevalent there, in order to gain an understanding of the social and historical environment in which the characters are situated. I will then analyse the portrayal of slavery and racism in the novella, with special focus on the thoughts and remarks of the main character, Captain Amasa Delano, from whose perspective the novella is narrated. Since there are certain authoritarian hierarchies in Western slavery and racism, I will also examine the authoritarian structures and particularly the shift of authority in the novella. Lastly, I will summarise the results I have gained from the research and analysis in the conclusion.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Slavery and Racism in the ‘New World’
2.1 New World Slavery
2.2 Anti-Black Racism in the New World
3. Depiction of Slavery and Racism in Benito Cereno
3.1 The Portrayal of Slavery in Benito Cereno
3.2 Racism in Benito Cereno
4. Leadership and Authority in Benito Cereno
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This paper investigates how Captain Amasa Delano's latent racial prejudices and unconscious biases influence his perception of events, leading to his failure to identify a slave mutiny. It explores the interplay between systemic racism, personal perception, and the power dynamics within Herman Melville’s novella.
- Historical context of New World slavery and anti-Black racism.
- The influence of internalized racist stereotypes on individual judgment.
- Authoritarian shifts and the power dynamics between master and slave.
- The narrative perspective of Captain Amasa Delano as a source of bias.
- Critique of societal norms and the need for self-reflection regarding racial attitudes.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The Portrayal of Slavery in Benito Cereno
Benito Cereno is narrated in the third person, but most of the views and perceptions are from the perspective of the main protagonist, Captain Amasa Delano. In this way, the reader gets a rather one-sided view of the situation and of issues such as slavery, which is almost always strongly influenced by the protagonist. The reader is thus made dependent on the limited observations that Captain Delano makes and can only form his own opinion in the course of the story, as the story truly unfolds.
More than through his own statements on the subject, we recognise Delano's attitude towards the slave system, the enslaved and the slave trade through his actions and his subliminally expressed trains of thought that are revealed in the course of the narrative to “sustain suspense” (Stallard Flory 48-49).
Delano himself sees and portrays himself significantly as a benevolent person; he is described at the beginning of the story as follows:
a person of a singularly undistrustful good-nature, not liable […] to indulge in personal alarms, any way involving the imputation of malign evil in man. Whether, in view of what humanity is capable, such a trait implies, along with a benevolent heart, more than ordinary quickness and accuracy of intellectual perception, may be left to the wise to determine. (Melville 5).
This description of Amasa Delano is not spoken directly by him, but because of the special narrative style used in the story, in which we are only presented with his view of things, it is almost certain that this is a self-image of his. He also expresses himself directly on slavery in the story when Babo inflicted a cut on Captain Cereno while shaving him and his enslaver supposedly hit him for it. With his statement "was it to wreak in private his Spanish spite against this poor friend of his, that Don Benito, by his sullen manner, impelled me to withdraw? Ah, this slavery breeds ugly passions in man. Poor fellow!"(cf. 23), he seems to condemn slavery and its accompanying brutality and violence.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter establishes the theoretical framework regarding unconscious racism and introduces the novella as a case study for how racial bias distorts an individual's perception of reality.
2. Slavery and Racism in the ‘New World’: This section details the historical origins of transatlantic slavery and the emergence of institutionalized anti-Black racism as systemic justifications for exploitation.
3. Depiction of Slavery and Racism in Benito Cereno: This chapter analyzes how Delano’s narrative perspective and his dehumanizing animalistic metaphors for Black individuals reveal his deeply ingrained racial prejudices.
4. Leadership and Authority in Benito Cereno: This chapter examines the shifting power dynamics on the ship, highlighting how Delano’s inability to conceive of Black leadership allows the mutineers to maintain their control.
5. Conclusion: The concluding section summarizes how Delano’s blindness to the truth serves as a critique of societal structures and advocates for greater individual self-awareness regarding racial stereotypes.
Keywords
Herman Melville, Benito Cereno, Amasa Delano, Slavery, Racism, Unconscious Bias, Colonialism, Power Dynamics, Narrative Perspective, Animalistic Imagery, Mutiny, Social Norms, Human Rights, Representation, Literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this publication?
The work examines the relationship between unconscious racial prejudice and the misinterpretation of reality in Herman Melville's novella "Benito Cereno."
What are the core thematic areas explored?
The paper focuses on the nature of slavery, the historical development of anti-Black racism, the dynamics of authority, and the role of the individual's subjective perspective in assessing truth.
What is the primary objective of this research?
The goal is to demonstrate how deeply rooted racist beliefs can blind individuals to the truth and how this phenomenon is depicted through the character of Captain Amasa Delano.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author employs a literary analysis approach, contextualized by historical research regarding the New World slave trade and academic discourse on racial ideologies.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body treats the historical context of slavery, the use of animalistic dehumanization in the novella, and the complex power dynamics between the characters on the ship.
Which keywords define the scope of the work?
Key terms include Herman Melville, racism, unconscious bias, slavery, narrative perspective, and power dynamics.
How does Delano's perspective impact the narrative?
Because the story is presented from Delano's viewpoint, the reader is constrained to his limited and prejudiced understandings, which hides the true nature of the mutiny.
Does the paper consider the role of Babo?
Yes, Babo is analyzed as a figure whose authority and intelligence are systematically ignored or downplayed by Delano’s narrow, racially biased worldview.
What is the significance of the phrase "Follow your Leader"?
The phrase is interpreted in three ways: as a threat, as a command of obedience for white survivors, and as a ironic commentary on how the roles of leader and servant were temporarily reversed during the mutiny.
Does the author argue that Delano is a conscious racist?
The author argues that Delano is unaware of his racism, viewing his own biased actions as benevolent, which highlights the danger of unconscious or systemic prejudice.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2023, The Portrayal of Slavery and Racism in Herman Melville’s "Benito Cereno", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1500979
