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ZerekDodson UNSC3301.02 Dr.Weaver 5December2013 RacialTensionsandEgalitarianisminMelvillesBenitoCereno TheUnitedStatesseemstostillbeinastateofrecoveryfromthetraumaticepisodesofthe AmericanCivilWarandtheCivilRightsmovement,atleastasregardsracerelationsandthe treatmentofotherminorities.Schools,bylaw,mustpreachtoleranceforthehistoricallyoppressed politiciansloseallcredibilityforacarelessremarkthatoffendsaminoritygrouphatespeech legislationseekstominimizeabusivelanguage.Everyonefeelscompelledtousepoliticallycorrect language.Thismodernhypersensitivitytowardsanyandallformsofracismmakesitchallengingto approachperiodtextsthatdealwithissuesofraceandslaverywhetherpositivelyornegativelyin theappropriatemindset.HermanMelvillesnovellaBenitoCerenoquietlyexplorestheissuesof slavemasterrelations,racialtensions,andthedangerofstereotypes.Modernscholarshave frequentlyprizedhisshortstoryapart,searchingforthecovetedpearlofMelvillesownconceptions ofslaveryandracialequality.Theirfindingshavebeencontradictoryatbest,rangingalongthe spectrumfromwhollyracisttoradicallyegalitarianandabolitionist.AlthoughthemessageofBenito Cerenoconcerningtheinstitutionofslaveryandracialequalityisveiled,aconsiderationofMelvilles lifeandliteraryoeuvrerevealsthattheauthorconsideredslaverytobeatoxicpoisonnegatively affectingbothslaveandmaster,andheldasurprisinglyegalitarianviewofracerelations. LikemanyofMelvillesmostpopularwritings,BenitoCerenoissetatsea.TheAmerican protagonist,CaptainAmasaDelano,encountersamysteriousSpanishship,whichhasapparently beenbesetbymanywoesduringitsjourneytransportingAfricanslavesintheAmericas.The

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unsettlinginteractionsbetweenthewhitesailorsandtheblackslavesontheSpanishshipvaguely botherDelano,buthesweepsasidehisdoubtsandacceptsthenarrativepresentedtohim:thatofthe longsufferingCaptainBenitoandhiswhitecrewsupportedbyinnocuous,jovial,anddecidedly inferiorNegroes.Delanoclingstothisattractivefantasyuntilthelastpossiblemoment,whenitis revealedthattheslavesunderthedirectionofBabo,thechiefinsurgenthavemutiniedagainstthe whitesandhavebeencraftilycontrollingtheactionsofthecrew. Tothedespairofmanyscholars,Melvilleneverrecordedhisownthoughtsonslaveryinhis personalcorrespondence,andquietlykepthisdistancefromtheabolitionistmovement.Hissilence onthisissueduringtheraceconscious,strifetornyearsprecedingtheCivilWar(Grejda8)is puzzling,giventhatnearlyallofhispeerseithertoleratedslaveryasanapparentlyintractableevil (suchasOliverWendellHolmesandNathanielHawthorne)orpubliclychampionedtheantislavery cause(suchasBryant,Thoreau,andWhitman)(Karcher113,Grejda8).Hisworksoffiction,as wellashisunusuallifeexperiences,mustthereforebeevaluatedasevidence.However,onemust takegreatcaretodistinguishMelvillesviewsfromthoseofhisprotagonists,afeatmadevery difficultbyMelvillescunningauthorialability. MelvillesstintsasasailorincludedhisfirsttripasagreenhandtoLiverpoolatage19, wherehewasexposedtoamixofelementsfromthebottomrungsofsociety:menofallracesand creeds,boundtogetherundertheharshworkingconditionsoflifeatsea.At22,heshippedoutona whaler,butdesertedaftereighteenmonthstojointhesocalledcannibalsofthePolynesianislands, findingtheirheathenishsocietymoreagreeable,inmanyrespects,thantheWesternandChristian onehehadbeenraisedin(Karcher13,Grejda13).Theseexperiencestranslatedquicklyinto Melvillesfirstsuccessfulbooks,Typee(1846),Omoo(1847),andRedburn(1849).Astheevents leadinguptotheCivilWarintensified,Melvillekeptthisfreshperspectiveinhiswritingsvirtuallyall

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hisnovelsandstoriescontainextensivetreatmentsofnonwhitecharacters,althoughraceisnever presentedastheprimarythemeofhisnarratives(Grejda7). BenitoCerenowasfirstpublishedinthreeinstallmentsin1855(sixyearsbeforethe outbreakofcivilwar)inPutnamsMonthlyMagazine(Newman95),aperiodicalknownforits outspoken,andfrequentlyliberal,treatmentofslaveryandraceissues(Yellin679).Bythe midpointofthenineteenthcentury,theissuesthatwouldsoonculminateincivilwarincluding issuesofslaverywereescalatingtoacrisispoint:TheHaitianRevolutionsattheturnofthecentury andNatTurnersfamous(andbrutallyviolent)1831slaveinsurrectioninVirginiaterrifiedsouthern slaveowners(Yellin6812)becausetheyrepresentedwhatslaveownersfearedmost:slave conspiracy,insurrection,theendofmodernslavery,andtheirownviolentdeaths(Freeburg111). Legislationinresponsetosucheventswassoonpassed:Thecontroversial1850FugitiveSlaveLaw mandatedreturnsofallescapedslavesitnegativelyaffectedtheattemptsofJusticeLemuelShaw (Melvillesfatherinlaw)todemonstratehisoppositiontoslaveryinthecourtroom(Yelin678).The 1854KansasNebraskaAct,whichspecifiedthatthenewterritoriesofKansasandNebraska woulddeterminewhethertoallowslaverybypopularvote,sparkedviolentconflictbetweenpro andantislaverybelligerentsinwhathassincebeentermedBleedingKansas(Freeburg97). Bythe1850s,bothsouthernersandnorthernershadformulatedsophisticatedphilosophiesof race,whichtheyusedtojustifytheirparticulartreatmentsofblacks.Karcherdividesthese philosophiesintothreecategories:proslaveryideology,whichclaimedthatNegroeswere intellectuallyandpsychologicallypredisposedtowardsservitude,takingasevidencetheNegros observedchildlikeanddocileattitudesandneedforprotectionscientificracism(convincingly promulgatedunderthepseudoscienceofethnology),whichexplainedthattheNegrowasrestricted toasubservientpositioninsocietyonthebasisofbiologicalandhereditaryfeaturesandromantic

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racialism,which,whileacceptingtheNegrosintellectualinferiority,endowedhimwith compensatorymoralqualitiesandaninnatepacifismandoptimism.Thislastpositionwasfrequently articulatedbynorthernabolitionists,whofeltthatblackswereharmless,UncleTomtypefigures whodeservedtobefree(Karcher1927). Asmentionedpreviously,nearlyallofMelvillesworksfeaturenonwhitefigures.Veryfew ofthesecorrespondtothestereotypical,stockNegrocharactersalreadyestablishedinAmerican literature.KarchnerimpetuouslymakestheclaimthatMelvillesobjectiveindoingthisisto[refute] racistassumptionsthatjustifiedslaveryintheSouthand[discredit]racialdiscriminationthroughout theUnitedStates(19).MelvillesearlyworksTypeeandOmoocertainlypresentthesavage nonwhiteasanoblefigure,andthecivilizedwhiteasfullycapableofviolenceandcruelty.His Mardi(1849)seemstoarticulateafullscalecondemnationofslavery(Newman12021):Inthat novel,thephilosopherBabbalanjadecriesslaveryassinablot,foulasthecraterpoolofhell leteverymasterwhowrenchesbondbabefrommotherunwreathesthearmsofsistersorcuts theholyunity[ofmarriedcouples]intwainheshalldieforeverdamned(qtd.inGrejda52). Similarly,theegalitarianfriendshipofIshmaelandQueequeghasalsobeenpointedtoasanexample ofMelvillesviewofracialequality(Newman124).BychanginghisperceptionsofQueequegs physical,nonwhiteappearance,IshmaelacceptsQueequeg,theseeminglyalienandsavage harpooner,ashisbedfellow.Indeed,theirrelationshipbecomesasacredkindofmarriage, crownedbyIshmaelsparticipationinQueequegsunapologeticpaganworship,demonstratingthe overcomingofprejudicesandasurprisingdegreeoftolerance(Karcher703). InBenitoCereno,however,therolesofwhiteandnonwhitecharactersandMelvilles estimationsofthemarefarmorecomplexandnebulous.Melvillebasedhisstoryonanepisode from(thehistorical)CaptainAmasaDelanosANarrativeofVoyagesandTravels(1817)aspart

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ofhiswiderangingrevisionstothebasicplot,hegreatlyincreasedthenumberofblackslavesand theintensityoftheirviolence(Newman98100),andremovedmostofthenegativeactionsofthe whitecrew,especiallythoseofCereno(Feltenstein247).Thetextfeaturesanumberof observationsallseeminglyfavorabletowhiteslaveholdersontheinstitutionofslaveryandthe interrelationshipsbetweenthewhiteandblackraces,someplacedinthemouthsofthecharacters, othersvoicedbythelimitedthirdpersonnarrator.Theblacksareconsideredtoostupid(Benito Cereno201)tobethesourceofanyevil,andarefrequentlyandcondescendinglycomparedto animals:adoenursingheryoung(BC198)Newfoundlanddogs,forwhomDelanofeelsa petlikefondness(BC213)asocialcircleofbats,shelteringinsomefriendlycave(BC209)a bulloftheNile,towhichDelanoreducesthepowerfulArtufal(BC205).TheSpanishcaptain, Cereno,seemstobeportrayedalmostasaChristlikefigureinhiswordlesssuffering:notonlyan innocentman,butthemostpitiableofmen,asDelanoconcludes(BC257).Theblacks,however, seemtobetheembodimentsofevil,malice,andcrueltytheymutilatetheformercaptainArandas body,tortureCerenopsychologically,andultimatelyattemptnothingbutatotalmassacreofthe whites(BC235). Somecriticshavetakenthispresentationoftheracesatfacevalue,concludingthatMelville obviouslyconsideredtheblacksasthesourceofmoralturpitudeandthewhitesasparagonsof virtue.Feltensteinseesthestoryasalmostcompletelysymbolic:Slaveryisnottheissueherethe focusisuponevilinactioninacertainsituation(254)blacknessanddarknessareMelvilles predominantsymbolsofevil,andBaboisblackness,notsimplyaNegro(253).Accordingtoher, Melvillesdualisticstoryisenhancedbyattributingthetotalityofeviltotheblackandthetotalityof goodnesstothewhite(2478).Widmeralsoacceptsthatthethefundamentalevil/gooddichotomy translatesneatlyintotheblack/whitedistinction,andseesthestoryasadeparturefromMelvilles

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usuallysympathetictreatmentofNegroes(2301).Asotherscholarshavedone,heexplicitly accusesMelvilleofracism:[Melvilles]drawingoutoftheblacksideofhumannaturerevealssome intheauthor.ThehatredandfearinwhitecivilizationrunssodeepintheAmericanpsychethat fewarealtogetherfreeofit,includingMelville(232). ItiseasytodismissFeltensteinsoverlysimplisticandartisticreadingofthenovellaashaving nothingtodowithslaveryorrace.Melvillewasobviouslyintenselyconsciousofandconcernedby theissueofracerelations,asevidencedbyhisfrequentandpositiveportrayalsofnonstereotypical darkskinnedcharactersintherestofhisfiction.Hisuseofsuchanunsophisticatedcolorconvention (i.e.,whiteCaucasianequalsgood,blackAfricanequalsbad)wouldbeextremelyatypicalofhis styleandconventionalimagery(Garner24).Instead,itseemsmorelikelythatMelvilles intensificationoftheviolentagencyofthemutinyingslavesisemployedtorevealthevacuousnessof contemporaryprejudices. SociologistOrlandoPattersonhasdevelopedthetheoryofsocialdeathtoexplainthe positionoftheslaveintheAmericanSouth:Slavesarereducedtopowerless,passiveobjects, scarcelymorethanlivingfreight,underthetotalauthorityandownershipoftheirmasters.Insocial death,theslavesabilityforsocialagencyisdestroyed,alongwithhisstatusasfullyhuman.Masters basetheirentiresecurityandsocietyuponthefirmbeliefthatblacksareabsolutelyloyalfreight (Freeburg98104).Coupledwiththe(scientificallyconfirmed)beliefsthatslavesareinherently docileandintellectuallyinferior,theacceptanceoftheslavessocialdeathconvincesthewhite (whethernorthernabolitionistorsouthernslaveholder)thatslaveinsurrectionsandrevoltsarenextto impossible.MelvilleviolentlyattacksthiscomplacentviewinBenitoCereno. DelanoisclearlycastinthemoldofaYankeeabolitionist,articulatingmanyoftheviewsof romanticracialism.Delanolooksfavorablyonthethreateningactivityofthehatchetpolishers(tohis

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perspective,anexampleoftheloveofnegroesinunitingindustrywithpastime[BC167]),smugly admiresthesightofaNegromotherandchild(Unsophisticatedasleopardesseslovingasdoves. Ah![BC198]),andidlynoteshowtheNegroisuniquelyfittedforthepositionofpersonal attendant,takingtothecombandbrushcongeniallyastothecastinets,andflourishingthem apparentlywithalmostequalsatisfaction(BC212).Hecondescendinglyconsiderstheblacks inherentgoodhumorasthoughGodhadsetthewholeNegrotosomepleasanttunethe docilityarisingfromtheunaspiringcontentmentofalimitedmind[andthe]blandattachment sometimesinheringinindisputableinferiors(BC212).Bythetimethenarratorinformsusthat CaptainDelanotooktonegroes,notphilanthropically,butgenially,justasothermento Newfoundlanddogs(BC213),ithasbecomeclearhowwellMelvillehaspersonifiedtheUncle Tomlikecondescensionofnorthernabolitionists,togetherwithalloftheirconfidentassumptions. Therealityofthestoryprovesalloftheseassumptionsfalse.TheNegroeshaveviolently revoltedandseizedcontroloftheship(BC241).Theoncepeacefulhatchetpolishershurltheir weaponsatDelanoscrewwithdeadlyaccuracy(BC2356).Thedoelikenegressesare restrainedfrombrutallytorturingtheSpanishcrewtodeathonlybytheinterventionofBaboand others(252).Babohimself,whosebrain,notbody,hadschemedandledtherevolt(BC258), hasbeenabletooutwitallofthewhitecharacters,andunderhisguidance,theentireblack populationhassuccessfullyperpetratedthemassivedeceptionofDelano.Farfrombeingan obsequiousservanttoCereno,BaboisthetruemasterhehasbeencontrollingCerenosactions fromthebeginning(BC247).Evenduringthefamousshavingscene,completewithtortureimagery rightoutoftheSpanishInquisition(BC211),Delanoissoblindedbyhisprejudicesthathe immediatelyrejectstheflashofidentificationintheblackhesawaheadsman,andinthewhitea manattheblock(BC214)justatthemomentwhenthetruerolesofeacharemostclear.Justas

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theformermasterArandaconsideredtheslavestractableenoughtonotneedchains(BC175, 241),Delanosinsistencetohimselfthattheslavesaresociallydeadtoostupid(BC201)and toopassivetobecapableofanyevilpermitstheviolencetoescalate(Yellin685). Cerenocanbeconsideredasrepresentingthefailingsofasouthernslaveholder(Welsh559). Blindedbyhissimilarassumptionsaboutthedocilenatureofslaves,Cerenohasbeendestroyed psychologicallyandhasbecometheslaveofhisformerservantBabo.Thedestructionofthenormal chainofcommandonboardtheslaveshipparallelsthefearsofAmericanslaveholdersofthe destructionoftheirsocietythroughtheviolenceofslaveinsurrections.Cerenocanonlyfeelthatthe negro(257)hascastapermanentshadowoverwhatremainsofhislife,andFreeburgunderstands thistobeaconsequenceofthedestructionofhispreconceptionsaboutraceandsubsequent displacementfromreality(Freeburg946):theNegrohadneverbeenthepassive,subhumanpiece ofproperty,ashehadalwaysassumed(Welsh560). Theblackcharactershavealsobeendamagedbythewhitesunderestimationoftheir humanitytheirmasterslaxnessencouragesthemtoasserttheiragencybyrevolting,thusinitiatinga destructivecycleofviolencethatcanonlyendwithoneracecrushingtheother.Babo,Artufal,and evenFrancescoallserveasexamplesofthetruehumancharacteroftheNegro,aswellascontribute tothenovellasoverallthemeofdeceptiveappearances.ThemulattoFrancescospleasingfaceand presumedqualityonaccountofhiswhiteheritage(BC21920)isatoddswithhisbrutalityand desiretopoisonDelano(BC251).Artufal,thegigantic,muscularblack,makesaruseofpresenting himselftohismasterCerenoinsubmission(1823),butheisreallyincontrolofthesituation Cerenoskeys(184)areuseless,servingmerelytodisguisehisactualpowerlessness.Babo,the ringleader,isastrikingantithesisofcontemporaryviewsofblacksasmindlessbrutes(Karcher 140).Babosintelligence(ahiveofsubtlety[BC258]),nothisphysicalprowess,makestherevolt

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possible,thusdisprovingtheconceptionsofblacksasintellectuallyinferiorandincapableofacting againsttheirmasters. Babosmotivationsareadmittedlyunclearsomehavegonesofarastocategorizehimasa kindofblackIago,oragenericembodimentofevil(Widmer231).Heisdrivenbyadesirefor freedom,atleastfromwhitesupremacy,sincehecommandsthewhitecrewtotaketheshipbackto SenegalinAfrica(BC242),aswellasforvengeanceagainsthiswhiteoppressors.Hisstubborn silencetotheveryend(BC258)frustratesanddefeatshiscaptorsandcanbeseenasaheroic action,challengingthefundamentaltenetsofaslaveholdingsociety,i.e.,thatthemasterraceis capableofsubduingandconqueringthespiritoftheslaverace(Karcher140).Whatismost apparentisthatMelvillehasmadeBaboasuperiorfigureandamemorablehumanbeing[to whom]ourresponseisnotdictatedbyhiscolor(Grejda147).Incontrasttocontemporarystock Negrocharacters,Baboiscapableofeviljustasmuchasthewhitemanis. HermanMelvillecouldbestbedescribedaspoliticallynegligent.Henevervotedinhis homestateofMassachusetts,nortookpartinpoliticalactivity(Garner24),andhecouldnever embraceabolitionismasaprogramnorabolitionistsasfellowtravelers(Karcher17). Understandably,heneitherclearlyarticulatedhisdistasteforslaverynorcalledforitsabolishment withthefervorthattodayspoliticallyactivecitizenwouldhavedone.Hisearlyexperienceswith peopleofallshadesofcolor,andalldegreesofintellect,rank,andsocialworthhadgivenhima senseofegalitarianismtoobroadtodistinguishblackslaveryas[a]specialevil(Garner245). However,intheproseSupplementtohispostCivilWarcollectionBattlePieces,Melvillewrites hismost,andperhapsonly,emphaticandpersonalcondemnationofslavery: Itisenough,forallpracticalpurposes,iftheSouthhavebeentaughtbytheterrorsof civilwartofeelthatSecession,likeSlavery,isagainstDestinythatbothnowlie

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buriedinonegrave.[TheSouths]mostsensitiveloveoflibertywasentrapped intothesupportofawarwhoseimpliedendwastheerectinginouradvanced centuryofanAngloAmericanempirebaseduponthesystematicdegradationof man.Thoseofuswhoalwaysabhorredslaveryasanatheisticaliniquity,gladlywe joinintheexultingchorusofhumanityoveritsdownfall.(2608) AlthoughMelvilleabhorredslaveryandfrequentlysupportedtherightoftheoppressedto defendthemselvesinhisfiction(Grejda76),hewasconservativeinhisfeelingsaboutRestoration. HelongedforarenewedAmericathatwouldallowallelements(includingthenewlyfreedblackand formerConfederate)torebuildandprospertogether(Garner447).Hefearedthatthelingering poisonofslaverywouldhaverepercussionsinthenewSouth,thatnewfreedmenwouldriseup violentlyinvengeance,orthatauthoritariansouthernerswouldseektorestoretheantebellumstatus quo,therebyfuelingtheexterminatinghatredofracetowardsrace(BattlePieces2689).This danger,averyrealoneforMelville,ispresentedinBenitoCereno,atextthatisneitherantiblack norantiracist,butinsteadexposesthepotentialforsavageryinbothracesandsimultaneouslyaffirms theirsharedhumanity.

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WorksCited Feltenstein,Rosalie.MelvillesBenitoCereno.AmericanLiterature19.3(1947):24555. Freeburg,Christopher.MelvilleandtheIdeaofBlackness:RaceandImperialismin NineteenthCenturyAmerica.NewYork:CambridgeUniversityPress,2012. Garner,Stanton.TheCivilWarWorldofHermanMelville.Lawrence,KS:UniversityPressof Kansas,1993. Grejda,EdwardS.TheCommonContinentofMen:RacialEqualityintheWritingsofHerman Melville.PortWashington,NY:KennikatPress,1974. Karcher,CarolynL.ShadowoverthePromisedLand:Slavery,Race,andViolencein MelvillesAmerica.BatonRouge,LA:LouisianaStateUniversityPress,1980. Melville,Herman.BattlePiecesandAspectsoftheWar.Gainesville,FL:ScholarsFacsimiles &Reprints,1960. .BenitoCereno.BillyBuddandOtherStories.NewYork:PenguinBooks,1986. Newman,LeaBertaniVozar.AReadersGuidetotheShortStoriesofHermanMelville. Boston:G.K.Hall,1986. Welsh,BernardHoward.ThePoliticsofRaceinBenitoCereno.AmericanLiterature46.4 (1975):55666. Widmer,Kingsley.ThePerplexityofMelville:BenitoCereno.StudiesinShortFiction5.3 (1968):22538. Yellin,JeanFagan.BlackMasks:MelvillesBenitoCereno.AmericanQuarterly22.3 (1970):67889.