Benito Cereno by Herman Melville

A set of flashcards to aid in studying key vocabulary and concepts from Herman Melville's 'Benito Cereno', addressing themes, characters, and significant terms in the narrative.

Benito Cereno

A story written by Herman Melville that explores themes of slavery, power dynamics, and deception.

Herman Melville

An American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known for his novel Moby Dick, born in 1819.

Amasa Delano

The captain of the sealer ship who encounters the San Dominick in the story, representative of naive goodness.

San Dominick

The Spanish merchant ship encountered by Captain Delano, initially thought to be in distress.

Negroes

Refers to enslaved Africans on the San Dominick, who ultimately rebel against their captors.

Babo

The black servant of Don Benito, who is portrayed as intelligent and key to the rebellion.

Atufal

A powerful Negro who is suggested to have been a king in his own land, plays a significant role in the story.

Slavery

The system in which individuals are owned by others, explored deeply in Melville's narrative.

Parable

A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, which is a key element in the story.

Husky whisper

A description of Don Benito's frail speech, highlighting his ill health throughout the story.

Omen

An event regarded as a portent of good or evil, as suggested through recurring themes of nature in the text.

Revolt

The act of rebelling, which is the central conflict of the story as the enslaved Negroes rise against their captors.

Rebellion

The action of resisting authority or control, as shown through the actions of the slaves on the San Dominick.

Moor

To make fast a ship by cable or rope to the shore or to an anchor, relevant to the context of ships in the story.

Sealer

A specific type of ship used for sealing voyages, which Captain Delano's ship is identified as.

Tempest

A violent windy storm, often representing turbulence in life and situations as depicted in the novel.

Trade route

A path commonly followed by ships engaged in commerce, relevant to the voyages in the story.

Cuddy

A small cabin on a ship, mentioned in the story as a place where conversations take place.

Foreshadowing

A literary device used to give hints or clues about what will happen later in the story, prevalent throughout Melville's narrative.

Unruly

Difficult to control or manage, often used to describe the behavior of the enslaved Africans during their revolt.