Benito Cereno characters

Appears from the start

The American captain of the Bachelor's Delight, a sealing ship anchored near a remote island off Chile. Cheerful, practical, and confident in his own judgment, he boards a strangely damaged Spanish vessel to offer water and provisions. His assumptions about the people he encounters repeatedly lead him to dismiss signs of danger.

Also known as Don Benito

Appears from the start

The young Spanish captain of the San Dominick. Ill, nervous, and physically unsteady when Delano meets him, he gives a halting account of storms, sickness, and deaths aboard his ship. His secretive behavior makes the visiting American unsure whether he is weak, discourteous, or dangerous.

Appears from the start

An enslaved Senegalese man who remains constantly beside the ailing Cereno as his personal attendant. Alert, composed, and apparently devoted to his master's needs, he speaks for Cereno at times and manages many of the small interactions that Delano observes.

Appears from the start

A powerfully built enslaved man whom Delano sees standing in chains before Cereno. Babo presents his restraint as punishment for refusing to ask forgiveness, making Atufal part of the shipboard discipline that Delano is trying to understand.

Appears from the start

A young enslaved man serving as a cabin attendant aboard the San Dominick. His polished manners and proximity to Cereno place him among the figures Delano watches as he tries to judge the vessel's unusual order.

Also known as Don Alexandro

Appears from the start

The wealthy owner of many of the enslaved people carried aboard the San Dominick and a friend of Cereno. His absence is part of the troubled voyage that Cereno attempts to explain to Delano.