It is important to note that the Romantic era and Romanticism, in general, represent a healthy skepticism and suspicion against the excessively reason-focused trajectory of human progress manifested in industrialization, science, and pure logic. Herman Melville’s Bartleby, the Scrivener, is a story carrying the principles and values of Romanticism, which illuminates the problematic aspects of this new form of living and society. Bartleby is the central character of the narrator’s story, who is expressing honesty to his true self, his instincts, and his desires rather than what reason and rationality demand.
Firstly, in order to understand the scope and context of the story, it is useful to briefly overview the plot. Bartleby is hired by the narrator as a scrivener, who begins to jumpstart his new position as a highly effective professional. However, as time proceeds, Bartleby begins to perform his assigned duties and enters a state similar to depression. He is described as unmotivated, uninvolved, unengaged, disinterested, and unemotional about his work as well as life. Ultimately, he is arrested, after which he refuses to eat and dies of starvation.
Secondly, Herman Melville’s Bartleby, the Scrivener, might not seem to be explicitly inspired by Romanticism, but it conveys the same message about human reason being out of tune with human desire. Bartleby’s actions do not correspond to a reasonable individual who cares about his well-being within the system or society he lives in since he does not prioritize his work or follow the rules. He is a prime example of a person who gradually detaches himself from what society and the new reason-based world want him to be. The most iconic and prominent phrase of Bartleby is “I would prefer not to” (Melville 11). When he says the statement, he truly means it in every sense of the word. For example, the author writes: “‘just step round to the Post Office, won’t you? and see if there is anything for me.’ ‘I would prefer not to.’ ‘You will not?’ ‘I prefer not.’” (Melville 11). In other words, Bartleby does express some form of hostility, but rather the lack of desire or motivation to do what he is being told.
Thirdly, Bartleby is likely the victim of his wisdom by being able to comprehend the nature of this new reason-based world, where human happiness is set aside in the name of efficiency and progress. It is stated that “Bartleby had been a subordinate clerk in the Dead Letter Office at Washington” (Melville 29). Thus, he realizes that there is a degree of futility in any effort in a world where human well-being is secondary to the prime interest of the system. From Bartleby’s perspective, he is not crazy or detached from reality but rather sees it as it is, in response to which he seeks to remain true to his desire, emotions, and instincts. The story is essentially saying that humanity should not abandon nature, emotions, and happiness for artificial goals, objectives, and systems based on pure reason.
In conclusion, the moral of Herman Melville’s Bartleby, the Scrivener is that expressing honesty to one’s true self, instincts, and desires is just as important as what reason and rationality demand. Abandoning one aspect of humanity for the benefit of another, such as disregarding desire and happiness for reason and rationality, will lead to suffering and unhappiness. Bartleby represents a person honest to his true human nature, which is substantiated by his emphasis on preference rather than hostility.
Work Cited
Melville, Herman. Bartleby, the Scrivener. Putnam’s Magazine, 1853.