Benito Cereno by Herman Melville

A Narrative of Voyages and Adventures

"Benito Cereno" is a novella that tells the story of an American sea captain, Amasa Delano, who comes across a ship in distress off the coast of Chile. The ship, led by Captain Benito Cereno, appears to be in a state of disarray, with a mixed crew of Spanish sailors and African slaves. Throughout the story, Delano is kept in the dark about the true state of affairs on the ship, and it's only at the very end that he discovers a shocking truth - the slaves have revolted and are in control, with Cereno their captive. The novella is a tense exploration of power dynamics, race, and the nature of freedom.

The 11538th greatest book of all time


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Published
1855
Nationality
American
Length
Short
Pages
80-100
Original Language
English
Avg User Rating
(4.0)
Alternate Titles
None

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