Bartleby the Scrivener

Bartleby the Scrivener

Contrary to many critics, Lawrence finds in Bartleby as the symbol for potency and total control. Bartleby is in achieves in Lawrence's opinion, the realization of artistic forms that gain eternity in spite of the mortality of their authors. Lawrence points out that the focus must be shifted form the destructive effects a consumerist society has on the working class onto the very sequel of Bartleby's death. His voluntary death by starvation stands in Lawrence's vision for the most powerful sign of volition and independence from any opponent forces. Lawrence emphasizes that the very ambiguity of Melville's text has a meaning in itself and the attempts to find hidden meanings are futile.

Bartleby's act of self-annihilation is considered by Lawrence as the equivalent of the power only possessed by art: surviving its own destruction. Bartleby's few words and lack of action are as powerful as a bomb as Lawrence is hinting that his silence and death only represent the aspiration any human being has for the unattainable.

Stempel, Daniel. Stillians, Bruce M. "Bartleby the Scrivener: A parable of Pessimism."

The authors of the article analyze the trace of romantic pessimism that went through the nineteenth century literature from the point-of-view of the Melville's character: Bartleby the scrivener. Although Stempel and Stillians do not deny the numerous aspects that might remain hidden when attempting to find meanings in Melville's enigma, they point out that going to the sources might prove useful for shedding some light on some of the aspects related to his pessimism. John Oxenford's survey of Schopenhauer's works provided the basis for introducing the Schopenhauer pessimistic view on existence in the English speaking world. Stempel and Stillians investigate the circumstances that could have led to Melville's acquaintance with Shopenhauer and his views as they were introduced by Oxenford. Melville's close friendship with George J. Adler, very fond of German philosophy. Melville's life, as the authors of the article point out, was under circumstances that made him more prone to such metaphysical theories as those enunciated by Schopenhauer under Kant's influence.

The author's take under close scrutiny Oxenford's analysis of the Schopenhauerian "ideal individual, higher than the just or good man"(272). The obsessive line Bartleby uses throughout the story as a mantra is the indicator of the highest degree of freedom since the lack of willing is the only factor that has the power to provide one with complete freedom. Not having a will, becomes thus the only possibility to attain freedom and this thesis present in Schopenhauer's thinking seems to have protruded into Melville's convictions when he wrote the short tale.

Norberg, Peter. "On Teaching Bartleby." Leviathan. Vol. 2. Issue 2(p. 87-99)

Norbert presents the line of events that led to him choosing a particular method of teaching Bartleby the Scrivener to his students. The revelation of the importance of the word "preference' in the context of the short story makes Norbert realize that one of the keys to decipher the meaning of Bartleby's existence in the chambers of the lawyer-narrator: he usurped the latter's confidence in his managerial capacities.

Norberg thinks he has found one of the ways to explain purpose of the scrivener's preferences: to challenge authority, the most powerful form of authority: that of public opinion in a democracy.

Peter Norberg explains why he introduced Bartleby the Scrivener in two of his courses. The major motivation consists in the understanding of the way literature and the form of bringing it to the public in different ages contributed to the formation of public opinion. Norberg draws a parallel between the contemporary politics and the formation of public opinion and the way literature with "Bartleby the Scrivener" as a conclusive example, contributes to both formation and keeping the mind open to any change.