Are emotions, including those that are unintentionally revealed, contagious? Herman Melville’s novella, Benito Cereno, explores this concept through a misconstrued series of gestures and remarks between Amasa Delano, an American sailor, and Benito Cereno, a Spanish captain, who encounters the sailor after leading a disastrous journey upon his slave ship. Melville’s carefully constructed prose illuminates the possibility of such a theory. The following passage is taken from the moment after Captain Delano admires Benito Cereno’s power over his slaves, and follows the uncomfortable situation which begins to unfold: Though the remark of Captain Delano, a man of such native simplicity as to be incapable of satire or irony, had been dropped in
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Knowing this about Delano we can discern that his comment was made out of innocence, devoid of ulterior motives. Despite his plainly pure intentions, his compliment is met with an unexpected response: Cereno “seemed some way to have taken it as a malicious reflection upon his confessed inability thus far to break down, at least on a verbal summons, the entrenched will of the slave”. Though Cereno seems to have authority over his so-called cargo, Atufal displays a certain sense of “entrenched” purpose and determination. A slave under complete submission, should not act in such a resolute manner, Cereno seems to think. The American seems to understand why his comment had been taken as a “malicious reflection” upon Cereno’s authority, as he realizes that the captain could be insecure about his power over strongest slave onboard. Melville utilizes strong language like “malicious” and “entrenched” to allude to a bigger picture, of something that is yet to be …show more content…
This popular theme of misconception is followed throughout the novel, and all signs of strange occurrences are ignored by Delano as his judgment proves to be clouded from his prejudice. Aranda, the original slaveholder, mirrors this prejudice. They both belief that the slaves would not be capable of such a revolt, that they would not be smart enough to rally and organize. This leads to Aranda’s death. So, prejudice and complacency are not only ignorant, they are also deadly. It’s stated in the transcript of the deposition that “all the Negroes slept upon deck, as is customary in this navigation, and none wore fetters, because the owner, his friend Aranda, told him that they were all tractable;” (93). Aranda’s preconceived notions about the slaves’ abilities led him to leave their chains unlocked, and therefore they were able to conspire and succeed in the murder of their owner. Delano suffers from this ignorance as well, because he is oblivious to all the suspicious signs made so clear in the deposition. This further highlights the inability of the white characters to acknowledge the ability of the African characters. Even after Babo is tried and murdered, his head paraded around on a stake, he still proves himself to be strong and powerful, which starkly contrasts Cereno’s sickly state once he returns
Knowing this about Delano we can discern that his comment was made out of innocence, devoid of ulterior motives. Despite his plainly pure intentions, his compliment is met with an unexpected response: Cereno “seemed some way to have taken it as a malicious reflection upon his confessed inability thus far to break down, at least on a verbal summons, the entrenched will of the slave”. Though Cereno seems to have authority over his so-called cargo, Atufal displays a certain sense of “entrenched” purpose and determination. A slave under complete submission, should not act in such a resolute manner, Cereno seems to think. The American seems to understand why his comment had been taken as a “malicious reflection” upon Cereno’s authority, as he realizes that the captain could be insecure about his power over strongest slave onboard. Melville utilizes strong language like “malicious” and “entrenched” to allude to a bigger picture, of something that is yet to be …show more content…
This popular theme of misconception is followed throughout the novel, and all signs of strange occurrences are ignored by Delano as his judgment proves to be clouded from his prejudice. Aranda, the original slaveholder, mirrors this prejudice. They both belief that the slaves would not be capable of such a revolt, that they would not be smart enough to rally and organize. This leads to Aranda’s death. So, prejudice and complacency are not only ignorant, they are also deadly. It’s stated in the transcript of the deposition that “all the Negroes slept upon deck, as is customary in this navigation, and none wore fetters, because the owner, his friend Aranda, told him that they were all tractable;” (93). Aranda’s preconceived notions about the slaves’ abilities led him to leave their chains unlocked, and therefore they were able to conspire and succeed in the murder of their owner. Delano suffers from this ignorance as well, because he is oblivious to all the suspicious signs made so clear in the deposition. This further highlights the inability of the white characters to acknowledge the ability of the African characters. Even after Babo is tried and murdered, his head paraded around on a stake, he still proves himself to be strong and powerful, which starkly contrasts Cereno’s sickly state once he returns