Bartleby, the Scrivener (eBook) (Harper Perennial Classic Stories) - A Story of Wall-Street

Herman Melville

HarperCollins e-books

2009

59 páginas

1h 58m

ISBN-10: B00276HAQ2

Herman Melville was an 18th century American novelist, poet, essayist and short story writer. He is best known for his works Moby Dick and Typee. During his lifetime he was considered a failure, but after his death his worth as a writer was recognized. Bartleby is a novella, which first appeared in Putnam's Magazine. The narrator is an elderly lawyer who helps his clients with mortgages, titles and bonds. The lawyer's office has two employees Nippers and Turkey. Turkey is a drunk and Nippers has indigestion. The office is able to function because Nippers indigestion is at a time when Turkey is sober and Turkey is hung over when Nippers is feeling better. Bartleby is hired in the hopes that his temperament will calm down the office. As the story progresses Melville brings a sense of the human condition as seen through the eyes of a lowly employee.

Resenhas (543)

3 (Bom)

Eu já conhecia a escrita dramática de Melville em Moby Dick, então foi uma surpresa me deparar com Bartleby que possui um tom mais humorístico - pensem em algo como Os Aspones ou The Office.

O conto é sobre um advogado que contrata um escriturário que simplesmente declara sua vontade de não fazer nada, e as consequentes formas para obrigar o funcionário a trabalhar vão do cômico ao trágico.

É uma boa crítica ao sistema capitalista, algo raro de se encontrar na literatura estadunidense do século XIX.

Recomendo.