Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street, is a long short story written by American author Herman Melville in 1853. First published anonymously in two installments in Putnam’s Monthly Magazine in November and December 1853, the work was reprinted with minor changes in the collection The Piazza Tales in 1856. In Turkey, it was published by İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları.

The story tells the mysterious tale of Bartleby, a scrivener working in a law office on Wall Street in New York, who exhibits passive resistance to his employer's demands by saying, “I would prefer not to,” from the perspective of an unnamed elderly lawyer. It deals with themes such as alienation, capitalism, free will, passive resistance, and the human condition. Considered to have influenced writers such as Franz Kafka and Albert Camus in literary circles, Bartleby, the Scrivener is regarded as one of the important texts of modern literature with its philosophical depth and layered narrative.

Book Content and Structure

Bartleby, the Scrivener is a narrative set in a law office on Wall Street in mid-19th-century New York. An unnamed lawyer hires Bartleby, along with two scriveners and an office boy already working in his office, to cope with the increasing workload. Initially, Bartleby copies documents quickly and flawlessly, but soon he begins to respond to simple requests, such as checking documents, by saying, “I would prefer not to.” This calm yet firm refusal eventually turns into a refusal of all work and ultimately of life itself. As the lawyer tries to understand Bartleby's strange behavior, he feels first patience, then helplessness, and finally compassion.

The story tragically ends with Bartleby refusing to leave the office, being imprisoned due to new tenants' complaints, and voluntarily starving to death there. At the end of the narrative, the lawyer hears a rumor that Bartleby used to work in the Dead Letter Office and thinks this information might explain his despair. The story concludes with the lawyer's exclamation, “Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!” emphasizing a universal inquiry into the human condition.

Themes and Core Arguments

Bartleby, the Scrivener addresses the following main themes:

• Alienation and Estrangement: Bartleby's self-isolation from the world reflects the individual's loneliness and inability to connect in modern society. The screen in the office and the brick wall he sees from his window are visual symbols of this isolation.

• Capitalism and Bureaucracy: The financial world of Wall Street symbolizes the capitalist order that views the individual as a machine. Bartleby's refusal to work is considered a conscious or unconscious protest against this order.

• Passive Resistance: Bartleby's phrase “I would prefer not to” is a non-aggressive yet effective form of resistance. It is considered to represent an individual's silent rebellion against social and economic impositions.

• The Human Condition: The lawyer's conflicting emotions towards Bartleby (annoyance, compassion, helplessness) address the communication breakdown and limits of empathy in human relationships.

The story leaves room for interpretation by not explaining a definitive reason for Bartleby's behavior.

Criticisms and Debates

Bartleby, the Scrivener received limited attention when published, but was re-evaluated in the 20th century within the context of modernism and existentialism. Literary critics praised Melville's simplicity and depth of narrative, but the ambiguity of Bartleby's motivations led to various interpretations. Some critics see Bartleby as a representation of mental health issues (e.g., depression), while others view him as a rebel against the capitalist order.

The lawyer's approach to Bartleby is also controversial; while some see the lawyer as a compassionate figure, others criticize his passivity and failure to intervene sufficiently in Bartleby's tragedy. Furthermore, it is noted that the work's criticisms of capitalism were an early objection to the 19th-century individualistic and materialistic societal understanding.

Author and Approach

Herman Melville was born on August 1, 1819, in New York City. He passed away on September 28, 1891. He is considered one of the leading writers of the American Renaissance period. Bartleby, the Scrivener is one of the author's last fictional works before his withdrawal from the publishing world. This work is a text that reflects Melville's interrogations on individual resistance, social order, and human nature.