Analysis of Critical Essays on Benito Cereno -- Benito Cereno Essays

Analysis of Critical Essays on Benito Cereno   It is possible to divide the critics into two camps regarding Herman Melvilles use in writing Benito Cereno. Joseph Schiffman, Joyce Adler, and Sidney Kaplan all argue that Melville wrote the story to make a comment on slavery. On the new(prenominal) hand, Sandra Zagarell and Allan Emery contend that Melville goes beyond slavery and is pointing out other flaws in mid Nineteenth century American notion.   Benito Cereno tells the story of a slave revolt on a enrapture at sea. Schiffman, Adler, and Kaplan argue that Melville wrote the story as a comment on slavery. Schiffman and Adler contend that Melvilles novella is a clear indictment of slavery. Kaplan takes the opposite view.   Joseph Schiffman, in his critical essay Critical Problems in Melvilles Benito Cereno, argues that Melville wrote the story from a unswerving abolitionist viewpoint. He points to other Melville works to prove his assertion that the w ring imagery of Benito Cereno is reversed from traditional Western thinking of White is good, colour is evil. Schiffman points to evidence from other Melville works such as Mardi and Moby-Dick. He besides makes the important point that Delano does not speak for Melville in the story. However, Schiffman comments that instead, Delano is a microcosm of American attitudes (33). He leaves this thought quickly, however. Schiffman also focuses on the honorableity of slavery and proclaims Babo the moral victor in Benito Cereno (34). In a move that none of the other authors make, Schiffman states that Melville wanted primarily to write a good story, one that would sell (33). He goes on to note that the subject cannot be separated... ...G.K. Hall & Co., 1992. 76-93.   Emery, Allan Moore.Benito Cereno and unambiguous Destiny.In Critical Essays on Herman Melvilles Benito Cereno. Robert Burkholder, ed. modern York G.K. Hall & Co., 1992. 99-115.   Kaplan, Sidney. H erman Melville and the American National Sin The Meaning of BenitoCereno. In Critical Essays on Herman Melvilles Benito Cereno. Robert Burkholder, ed. pertly York G.K. Hall & Co., 1992. 37-47.   Schiffman, Joseph. Critical Problems in Melvilles Benito Cereno.In Critical Essays on Herman Melvilles Benito Cereno. Robert Burkholder, ed. New York G.K. Hall & Co., 1992. 29-36.   Zagarell, Sandra. Reenvisioning America Melvilles Benito Cereno.In Critical Essays onHerman Melvilles Benito Cereno. Robert Burkholder, ed. New York G.K. Hall & Co., 1992. 127-144.