“Benign” Racism in Benito Cereno
Much like in Typee, race is a central theme in Benito Cereno. Delano, much like Tommo does not outwardly hate other races. He is more of a benign racist. He values the blacks on the ship for incorrect and degrading reasons. He frequently refers to them as peaceful animals of limited intelligence. It is Delano’s underestimation of the slaves that ends up being his downfall. He is unable to figure out what is really going on despite the constant clues that Cereno gives him. This racial underestimation is seen in both stories and is the cause of the downfall of both. Due to Delano’s warped and condescending view he cannot properly grasp the situation before him. Through his perception, Babo is the loyal servant to Cereno. He cannot imagine that Babo would have the mental capacity to overthrow a ship’s crew. He instead thinks of him as genial “Newfoundland dog”. This form of racism is notable throughout the Melville’s works. Delano believes he views the slaves favorably in beginning, admiring their servitude and strength. He cannot imagine that a slave would be able to unsmart anyone not using brute force. This view of his is his benign racism that comes from devaluing the slaves.
Hi Marielle, I definitely agree with you that race is a central theme in Benito Cereno. There were several instances in which Delano could have figured out that something was amiss on the ship; however, he was so blinded by the idea that Babo is the loyal servant, that he did not question the strange situations. It is ironic how Cereno ends up falling under “the shadow of the Negro”, even though Delano is the one left in the shadows throughout the story.
I like how you define this type of racism. I find it interesting that Melville makes it very clear how his characters feel about race, whether it is Tommo and his noble savage trope, or Delano and his racism, but Melville never makes it clear exactly what his feelings are toward race. After reading two different stories by him about race I am still unsure about his stances or how he feels or his motivations for writing these stories.