Length1h 36m
About this audiobook
In the heart of bustling, 19th-century Wall Street, a respectable lawyer hires a new clerk for his office. His name is Bartleby. At first, he is a model of silent, diligent work. But when asked to perform a routine task, he responds with a phrase that will become his haunting refrain: "I would prefer not to."
This simple, polite, yet absolute refusal begins a quiet, unnerving rebellion. Bartleby’s passive resistance unravels the orderly world of the law office, challenging the foundations of commerce, charity, and human obligation. He is not angry, nor does he make demands. He simply opts out, becoming an immovable, inscrutable presence.
Herman Melville’s Bartleby is a profound and enigmatic masterpiece, a darkly comic tale of workplace absurdity, a chilling psychological study, and a timeless metaphysical inquiry into isolation and the human spirit. Is Bartleby a symbol of passive resistance, a victim of a soul-crushing world, or something else entirely?
A cornerstone of American literature, this story poses unsettling questions about conformity, compassion, and the walls we build—both around us and within.
Audiobook details
GenreGeneral Fiction, Literary Classics, Mystery and Thriller
Length1 hr 36 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1By Melville in Cactus catalogue:
2BARTLEBY / The scrivener
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