Melville and the Idea of Blackness: Race and Imperialism in Nineteenth Century America (Cambridge Studies in American Literature and Culture, Series Number 164)

By Examining The Unique Problems That Blackness Signifies In Moby-dick, Pierre, Benito Cereno, And The Encantadas, Christopher Freeburg Analyzes How Herman Melville Grapples With The Social Realities Of Racial Difference In Nineteenth-century America. Where Melville's Critics Typically Read Blackness As Either A Metaphor For The Haunting Power Of Slavery Or An Allegory Of Moral Evil, Freeburg Asserts That Blackness Functions As The Site Where Melville Correlates The Sociopolitical Challenges Of Transatlantic Slavery And U.s. Colonial Expansion With Philosophical Concerns About Mastery. By Focusing On Melville's Iconic Interracial Encounters, Freeburg Reveals The Important Role Blackness Plays In Melville's Portrayal Of Characters' Arduous Attempts To Seize Their Own Destiny, Amass Scientific Knowledge, And Perfect Themselves. A Valuable Resource For Scholars And Graduate Students In American Literature, This Text Will Also Appeal To Those Working In American, African American, And Postcolonial Studies. -- Publisher's Description Knowing The Bottomless Deep: Moby-dick -- Living Within The Maelstrom: Pierre -- Thwarting The Regulated Mind: Benito Cereno -- Embodying The Assaults Of Time: The Encantadas. Christopher Freeburg. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 MELVILLE AND THE IDEA OF BLACKNESS 3 Series 5 Title 7 Copyright 8 Dedication 9 Contents 11 Preface: Darkening the Past 13 Acknowledgments 23 Introduction: Resurrecting Blackness 25 “MOSSES,” BLACKNESS, AND THE ILLUSION OF MASTERY 30 VULNERABILITY IN CONTACT ZONES 33 “UTTER DARKNESS” IN TYPEE 36 PORTENTS 39 CHAPTER 1 Knowing the “Bottomless Deep”: Moby-Dick 44 “MEMENTO MORI” ON PARKMAN’S THE OREGON TRAIL 50 LABORING INTO OBLIVION 57 “TURNING IDOLATER” 67 “BLACKNESS HAS ITS BRILLIANCY” 74 REPETITION IN THE RUIN 80 CHAPTER 2 Living “Within the Maelstrom”: Pierre 85 EVERYBODY’S CHRIST AND THE “DANGEROUS CLASSES” 90 PIERRE’S HIGH DEEDS AND ISABEL’S NUBIAN POWER 100 DANTE AND “REAL HISTORY” IN THE FLESH 106 CODA: SLAVERY AND RALPH EMERSON’S PENDING RESURRECTION 115 CHAPTER 3 Thwarting the “Regulated Mind”: “Benito Cereno” 117 SOCIAL DEATH? 121 RESURRECTING THE SLAVE’S NARRATIVE 128 “THE NEGRO” AND THE “REGULATED MIND” 136 HEGEL’S MASTER, MELVILLE’S SLAVE 153 CHAPTER 4 Embodying the “Assaults of Time”: “The Encantadas” 156 THE OMEN IN PRINT 159 STATE OF IMPASSE: “THE ENCANTADAS” 166 THE SPECTRE-TORTOISE 174 UNTIMELY COLONIES 178 THE HALF-BREED AND THE END 185 Notes 189 PREFACE 189 INTRODUCTION 190 CHAPTER 1 192 CHAPTER 2 195 CHAPTER 3 198 CHAPTER 4 202 Index 209 Series 213 Freeburg analyzes how Melville grapples with realities of racial difference in nineteenth-century America by examining the important role that 'blackness' plays in Melville's fiction. A valuable resource for scholars and graduate students in American literature, this text will also appeal to those working in American, African American and postcolonial studies.