Benito Cereno

Content Warning: This section discusses racism, enslavement, and implied cannibalism.

Benito Cereno’s depiction of slavery and the racial bias that accompanies it have garnered much critical attention. Because the story unfolds largely through the eyes of two white men—one of whom is an active participant in the trade of enslaved persons—the extent to which their biases are the narrative’s own is open for debate.

One of the more straightforward critiques of racism the novella leverages unfolds through the characterization of Captain Delano. Despite Delano’s verbal disapproval of slavery and professed fondness for Black people, his thoughts and language reveal deep-seated prejudice. He uses derogatory terms when referring to Black people and perceives them as inferior, particularly intellectually. He compares Babo to a shepherd’s dog and considers him an ideal servant—submissive and dedicated, which he sees as the natural inclination of Black people. He believes Babo is happy and fulfilled as an enslaved man, overlooking the inherent violence of slavery. In fact, he explicitly recasts Cereno’s relationship with Babo in a way that elides Babo’s enslaved status: “Don Benito, I envy you such a friend; slave I cannot call him” (23). This romanticized view of Babo and Cereno’s relationship conveniently disregards the existence of power imbalances and Babo’s lack of freedom.