Originating from race-based African slavery, racial stereotypes have plagued American history. Antebellum stereotypes characterized African Americans as inferior and underevolved, which perpetuated the view among most white Americans that African Americans were fit for servitude because they were seen as incapable of learning and being civilized. The stereotypes propagated by slavery, Minstrel Shows, and subsequent books and films found their way into a variety of well-known works, including Bishop Whipple's Southern, which preserved repugnant stereotypes. However, pre-war author Herman Melville used these racial stereotypes in Benito Cereno in a seemingly innovative way; it uses stereotypes of African Americans to critique 19th-century racial discourse by questioning the validity of rigid racial boundaries and suggesting the danger of viewing a race as a monolithic body. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayBenito Cereno, a short story set in 1799 – the middle of the era of slavery – details the thoughts and feelings of Captain Amasa Delano of Massachusetts about a confusing encounter on a slave ship. Often called "the American" (Melville 121), Delano is the captain of a whaling ship, the Bachelor's Delight. While his ship is docked off the coast of Chile, Delano comes into contact with a “strange sail” (Melville 109), which readers soon learn is a Spanish slave ship in the midst of rebellion. Once on board, Delano begins to witness events that he considers strange and inexplicable due to his acceptance of racial stereotypes. For example, he observes a group of six slaves clashing their axes in a “barbarous din” (Melville 119), whom he describes as “uninformed Africans” (Melville 120). In addition to calling their behavior unorthodox, Delano describes these men as equal to barbarians. This description paints a portrait of Africans as lazy, ignorant, and uncivilized, all seen as the opposite of what it means to be American. Ultimately, Delano's perception of slaves as uncivilized highlights early Americans' belief that slaves and ethnic minority groups were "the others." From this point on, one might begin to view Delano as an American lens or point of view, in that he begins to present views consistent with those of the majority of his contemporary Americans. Additionally, Delano continues to judge situations based on his acceptance of racial stereotypes. As he observes a group of slave mothers nursing their children on the deck of the ship, he remarks: “like most uncivilized women, they seemed…[as] simple as leopardesses; [as] loving as doves” (Melville 175). The nuances of racism become clear when Delano compares these women to undomesticated animals. Furthermore, the juxtaposition expresses Delano's paradoxical view of African women. Indeed, various sources on antebellum culture, such as Gettysburg College's digital archives of slave communities, suggest that white men were attracted to the "exotic charms" of female slaves and their perceived lack of sex. slaves. Modesty seemed to signal a compromised moral sense, as well as a heightened libido, which white men often felt entitled to exploit. (Slave communities) These stereotypes are evident in Benito Cereno, as Delano observes them while exposingtheir breasts, while describing them as comparable to wildlife. In truth, his view is that African women are exotic and picturesque, but still subordinate because of their race. , presents an extremely confusing view of these women, suggesting that they are seductive and attractive, but unworthy of respect, due to their race. Ultimately, Delano's contradictory account reveals his contradictory interpretation of enslaved women, from which the text begins to question the importance of race as a means of judging character by considering their femininity in addition to race . Alongside Captain Benito Cereno and behind the events of the entire day is Babo, a slave who understands and manipulates the stereotypes that many people apply to him to cover up the ongoing slave revolt. Described by Delano as "less a servant than a devoted companion" (Melville 124), Babo initially appears to be Don Benito Cereno's devoted African slave. Delano senses the intimacy of their relationship when Babo goes so far as to speak on Cereno's behalf, saying that "his mind wanders." He thought of the plague that followed the winds” (Melville 132). Later, Delano sees Babo shaving the captain's face. Watching Babo serve Cereno, Delano asserts that “there is something in the negro which, in a peculiar way, makes him fit to take care of himself” (Melville 200). This phrase clearly illustrates Delano's belief that African Americans are inferior to whites and uniquely suited to serve the superior race. Furthermore, he goes on to assert that African Americans possess “a certain easy, harmonious cheerfulness in every look and gesture; as if God had set the whole Negro to a pleasant tune” (Melville 200). Delano's statement reveals not only his racist attitude, but also his insensitivity to Babo's feelings. This statement reinforces the idea that an entire ethnic group not only has an inherent purpose to serve, but also enjoys serving. Undoubtedly, this racial stereotype denies the agency of a large group of people by implying that their natural position on Earth is not to please themselves, but the men who have captured, tortured and exploited them for centuries. Ultimately, by revealing Delano's obliviousness to the reality of the situation, the text not only asks the reader to view people as more than their race, but also begins to suggest the danger of believing that a race entire is “harmonious” (Melville 200) and incapable of independent thought. Interestingly, Melville's choice to include variations of stereotypes that characterize slaves as ignorant, lazy, and uncivilized contrasts sharply with the reality of the story; slaves are capable of much more than pleasing the white man. Ironically, Babo played into these racial stereotypes and acted accordingly to avoid Delano's suspicion. In fact, Babo has led a clandestine operation, in which he makes Delano believe that Cereno is controlling the ship, when in reality, the slaves have taken over. Because Cereno must be supervised by his captor, Babo, and pretend that he controls the ship without exerting any real power, the increasingly strange events of the day begin to make sense once a "flash of revelation” (Melville 238) runs through Delano’s mind, and he finally understands the current situation. It could be argued that Delano does not understand the charade due to his "unbelieving good nature" (Melville 110), but given the explicit racial stereotypes included throughout the story, it is clear that Delano would never consider that an African might be able to control a ship,. 109-271.