Blackface and Its Use in The Confidence Man by Herman Melville

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the cultural impact of the phenomenon of blackface and its use in Herman Melville's last novel, The Confidence Man. The first chapter will consist in a research on the origins and development of blackface performances in 19th century minstrel shows, their influence in various forms of popular entertainment and, finally, their presence in today's social rituals. The second chapter of this dissertation will provide an analysis of the novel The Confidence Man and, more specifically, the character of Black Guinea, an apparently disabled, black beggar, who is instead revealed to be one of the many title character's disguises, and therefore a blackface performance.