Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville | In-Depth Summary & Analysis

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Course Hero Literature Instructor Russell Jaffe provides an in-depth analysis of the plot, characters, symbols, and themes of Herman Melville's short story Bartleby the Scrivener.
Download the free study guide and infographic for Bartleby the Scrivener here: www.coursehero.com/lit/Bartleby-the-Scrivener/infographic/
Herman Melville's short story "Bartleby the Scrivener" details the passive resistance of a young legal clerk through the eyes of his boss, an older lawyer.
The elder man makes his living copying legal documents in his Wall Street office and hires young Bartleby to assist. Bartleby, however, soon becomes intransigent, calmly but resolutely refusing to do the work for which he is paid.
He simply stops accepting assignments, and remains motionless in the office, even after hours. His boss is unable to persuade him to resume work and begins to pity him. However, Bartleby's inexplicable idleness ultimately drives his master to distraction.
Despite changing office space, he cannot escape Bartleby, who has moved into the old office space and refuses to leave. He is eventually taken to prison for vagrancy, where he refuses to eat and passes away, leaving the narrator to deal with his mixed emotions.
This work has been interpreted as a commentary on the futility of modern urban life, with its featureless and interchangeable offices and absence of purpose.
American author Herman Melville’s Bartleby the Scrivener was first published in 1853. He wrote Bartleby the Scrivener amid a storm of criticism from the literary world, and its themes of capitalism, absurdity, and protest have long intrigued readers.
The short story Bartleby the Scrivener contains many important themes, including responsibility, as the lawyer debates his responsibility toward Bartleby when he is no longer useful; isolation, as Bartleby slowly cuts himself off from everything, eventually even food; and passivity, as Bartleby quietly refuses to comply with requests, and his boss responds passively. Important symbols include dead letters and walls.
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[@sanjeeva311076]

I could read the book rather than merely rely on a summary, but I would prefer not to

[@sheila3379]

Having tests tomorrow, I relate

[@snehachatterjee2250]

😂😂😂

[@jackatk]

The book is kind of dense, even though it’s only about 30 pages, so it’s nice to have someone interpret it for you lol

[@bluepawwarriors4038]

I got the test tonight I'm screwed, but this helps me not be as screwed

[@yutika_damini]

True 🤣🤣

[@alg11297]

Good analysis. What struck me when I first read it, was that the narrator, a lawyer, states that although his profession is usually full of conflict and trials and litigation, he has found a calm way of making a living through the use of deeds, mortgages and the like. Also, you left out the very comical nature of the way the story was told. You'd never think Melville was that funny.

[@WanderingExistence]

I found the interactions with the co-workers to be amusing.

[@zoodst7239]

Anyone else watching this at lunch just 2 hours before their test for Bartleby?

[@magdalenaadniak5954]

15 minutes before :')

[@GodOfTheArenaa]

@@magdalenaadniak5954 What do you study? English philology? :D

[@gracej0nes2.0]

4 hours before, I have plenty of time 👁️👁️

[@Simkets]

@@GodOfTheArenaa English Language and Literature

[@asmokun]

20

[@pshaw8406]

Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut sounds more like a litter of puppies than employees.

[@hmjg182]

😂

[@RobWickline]

one of my favorite symbols of the story is the bust of Cicero in the office, perfectly capturing both the narrators position of supposed command but also the narrators values as wanting to make sense of Bartleby through the lense of sympathy and self-adjustment, to try and capture Bartleby in his understanding despite the absurdity of Bartleby, which we can see as a major tenant in Cicero's stoic works, being a philosophy of self-critique to master reality in a way, a belief that all things are possible if one understands what is within one's own power.

[@euggiemonad2523]

From a Romantic perspective, Bartleby exerts power through his refusals and passive resistance -- like Ghandi, or MLK. In this sense he's a hero. However, the Narrator is the only one to have changed and grown over the course of the story, making him the real hero in my book.

[@TheAnimeGamerHD]

Your comment just wrote my essay

[@craigborth8047]

@@TheAnimeGamerHDhowd that essay do lol

[@raphaelfreitas1385]

What about the part where both the lawyer and one of his employees use the word "prefer", as if affected somehow by Bartleby? Maybe part of the Christian interpretation could be included there as well. A good development would be the growing sense of responsibility that the lawyer feels towards Bartleby. It is indeed a very interesting story, thanks for the analysis!

[@giovanniegidio2527]

You sound like a Cartoon character, should be a voice actor.

[@bahayesilyurt9433]

please don't. I heard enough of your annoying voice for a lifetime

[@notverycreative8239]

Well, he prefers not to

[@RussellJaffe]

I would like to, actually

[@daydream1066]

Thank God for videos like these... I knew right away this is a story that I'm not going to really read but kinda skim it for the quiz I have. Thanks for making this college girl's day lol

[@benjaminlloyd4734]

You missed out then, the story is great and has a humorous way about it that isn't really touched on in this video. Plus there are several more ways one might interpret the aspects of the story other than what Course Hero mentioned, although this is extremely helpful. The story is only 20 or 30 pages or so.

[@btetschner]

Fascinating. Thank you for the analysis.

[@bobosamara5223]

Very helpful, thank you !

[@GurunathHari]

Phew! Great narration..Thank you.

[@AwesomeTingle]

this is an awesome resource, thank you

[@joonhopeschimatejinskookie899]

1:00 key symbol of wall

[@esrakaya9408]

Thanks for not putting a FUCKING SUBTITLE

[@ammarduldul6246]

ezra, calm down

[@finnstokes7195]

I would prefer not to write this comment.

[@NorthernSpartan]

I would prefer you not prefering to not write that comment

[@IAmMyOwnApprentice]

I'll bet this makes more sense, if I read it. Some guy's just like "nah," and his boss doesn't do anything? In what world does that work?

[@ObKling]

If your content is worthwhile, you can just read it in a normal voice. Not everything has to be at 100% intensity. It feels desperate.

[@afrozayasmin9470]

Call the police 👮‍♀️ on Bartleby!

[@fabnad14]

That would have been an easy way to do it. But the narrator is a better man than that. He has compassion 4 the obstinate Bartleby!

[@SkrubsTheNeko]

why does he talk like that