Bartleby and Akaky: Class Struggle in 19th-Century Fiction

Introduction: Two Workers, Two Societies

Herman Melville's Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street is a story reminiscent of the emergence of the nineteenth-century white-collar working class in cities across the United States, and specifically New York. Melville paints a picture of "Bartleby" as a tragi-comic fable about a passive man, invisible to society, who responds to his condition in the most unusual way — ultimately leading to his death. It is important to note that this story was written at the height of labor activism, when Wall Street was the center of political debates on workers' rights amid growing labor movements. Similarly, Nikolai Gogol's The Overcoat is reminiscent of nineteenth-century Russia, characterized by the challenges of transition from a feudal society to a modern one with the advent of industrialization. Gogol paints a picture of an individual engulfed by the absurdities of life as a result of the characters around him.

Both stories are centered on individuals who are, in one way or another, victims of their circumstances. Despite the fact that both Bartleby and Akaky are portrayed as diligent workers, their enigmatic demeanors are a reflection of the underlying attributes of their respective societies. This is evident in each story's characterization, plot development, and narrative technique.

Narrative Voice and the Role of the Narrator

In both Gogol's The Overcoat and Melville's Bartleby, the Scrivener, the narrators become significant characters in presenting the portraits of their respective protagonists. In The Overcoat, the narrator conveying Akaky Akakyevich Bashmachkin's story is as important as the lead character himself. The author paints the picture of a quiet, self-effacing, meek man from a third-person point of view. However, this narrative pattern is inconsistent: in the opening paragraphs, the narrator assumes a first-person voice and speaks directly to the reader. This is seen particularly in the description of Akaky's birth and naming: "We have mentioned it in order that the reader might see for himself that it was a case of necessity, and that it was utterly impossible to give him any other name. When and how he entered the department, and who appointed him, no one could remember" (Gogol 591). By stepping back in this way, the author encourages in the reader a sense of independent analysis of the unfolding events, free from the narrator's direct opinion.

In Bartleby, the Scrivener, the narrator is similarly an important character in his own right. In the opening paragraphs, he introduces himself as a safe man — one who takes few risks and tries hard to conform. He does this to set the right tone, preparing the reader for what follows: he not only introduces himself, but also the other characters, the setting, and eventually Bartleby himself. He presents a general picture of himself as an aged, financially stable professional who is comfortable with the economy of New York City and an acquaintance of John Jacob Astor. This is evident in his word choices, such as "imprimis" (Melville 977, line 3), and constructions like "not insensible" and "hath," which reflect his linguistic affiliation with the legal profession — a field that historically draws heavily on Latin terminology.

Conclusion

Both Bartleby and Akaky belong to an emerging working class in their respective societies, caught within transitional challenges that both stories vividly reflect. In each narrative, the narrator plays a pivotal role, examining the main character in relation to his environment and the people around him. The narrators at times assume a first-person voice — as seen notably in Melville's story — and go so far as to define their own relationship with the characters, thereby revealing their attitudes toward their subjects. As demonstrated in both cases, this is vital because it provides a historical perspective that illuminates the stories' deeper meaning. Taken together, the two stories stand as literary evidence of the changes and challenges that both American and Russian societies underwent during the nineteenth century, rendering the personal struggles of their protagonists inseparable from broader forces of social and economic transformation.