Benito Cereno, written by Herman Melville, is a novella that explores the themes of slavery, power, and deception. Set during the early 19th century, the story follows the journey of Captain Amasa Delano, an American sea captain who encounters a Spanish ship, the San Dominick, off the coast of Chile. As the plot unfolds, Captain Delano becomes increasingly suspicious of the strange behavior of the ship’s captain, Benito Cereno.
Throughout the novella, Melville presents several thought-provoking quotes that shed light on the complex nature of human relationships and the consequences of power dynamics. These quotes offer insights into the characters’ motivations, the impact of slavery, and the moral dilemmas faced by individuals in positions of authority.
In this article, we have curated a selection of impactful Benito Cereno quotes that will make you ponder about the complexities of the human condition and the dark history of slavery.
Read these Benito Cereno quotes:
“But how did they ever get together?”
“The negroes are as a rule untrustworthy.”
“There was something in the man’s manner that struck the American with uneasiness.”
“On the point of a peak equally abrupt and high, and where a tower seemed some instrument of aerial chivalry.”
“Whence came they? They seemed not natives.”
“But where were the sailors?”
“Their cheeks were wholly bloodless.”
“There was a fierce, but still a flagitious, spirit somewhere abroad.”
“I cannot think you so heedless a man as to be ignorant of the proximity of such a place as the Encantadas.”
“The Spaniard was a small, dark man; his mouth was like a fish’s; he seemed as one of the least of that land.”
“I have been much interested in witnessing your reception of my friend, Don Benito Cereno.”
“The visitor’s curiosity was roused to learn the particulars of those mishaps which had brought about such absenteeism.”
“What to make of such a salute, which, to the stranger at least, was so unlike any he had ever before encountered, seemed a matter impossible to decide.”
“He seemed to have no strength in him, or at least no strength wherewith to resist.”
“But the first time I observed the Spaniard steering, I was filled with unaccountable emotions.”
“The negroes, finding themselves at last in even such scanty accommodations as the cabin afforded, are supposed to have clubbed, or at least to have contrived to meet together, every night; and since, as already stated, no small degree of natural fertility was attributed to their race, in ordinary cases, they were now, it may be inferred, very productive.”
“Stepping into the open air, he paused for an instant; then re-ascending the steps, and hurriedly giving some order to the sailors within, closed the hatchway.”
“In the present instance, this last resource was claimed for one of their number, who, the negroes said, had contracted an incurable disease.”
“Then, in a sudden, ungovernable rage, jerkingly tearing up the kneeling sailor’s handkerchief, he shouted, “Oath me, and I swear!”
“It was the sole relic of his former self that the poor Spaniard clung to; and that clinging to it, he turned hither and thither among the incensed crew.”
“Struggling through the throng, the American advanced to the Spaniard, assuring him of his sympathies, and offering to render whatever assistance might be in his power.”
These thought-provoking Benito Cereno quotes are just a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Melville’s writing. They invite readers to delve deeper into the novella’s themes and reflect on the complexities of human nature, power dynamics, and the enduring legacy of slavery.
