Herman Melville’s Benito Cereno

For this essay, you will write a 4 page, double-spaced essay that engages with Herman Melville’s Benito Cereno. Melville’s novella is perhaps the most complex we read this semester, and it has vexed scholars and students for ages. Specifically, I would like you to do the following: 1) Explain the story’s themes as they reflect everything we’ve discussed in our course this semester and 2) Use one or two earlier texts as a brief basis of comparison, answering the question, “How does our knowledge of _____ enhance our understanding of Benito Cereno?” Ultimately, this essay is tasking you with the two chief goals of our entire course: 1) Improving your close reading capabilities and 2) Placing seemingly disparate texts into conversation with one another with an eye toward cultural, historical, and societal differences. Before you write this essay, please read the materials I provided Your essay also need to think about these questions: 1. Describe Amasa Delano’s personality. How does that affect what he witnesses aboard the San Dominick? 2. Describe Benito Cereno himself. What kind of captain does he seen to be? What kind of captain does Delano think he should be? 3. Describe Babo. What kind of relationship does he have with Cereno?      

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