Discipline and Resistance—A Foucauldian Approach to Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street

Herman Melville, renowned for his literary prowess in the 19th century, showcased a unique sensitivity to politics in his works.Among his notable creations, Bartleby, the Scrivener, published in 1853, stands as a pivotal work that delves into societal power dynamics and individual agency.Positioned as Melville's first major work following his iconic masterpiece, Moby-Dick, it has garnered acclaim both in literary circles and on the stage.While scholars have extensively analyzed the novel from various angles, including Marxian alienation theory and existentialist perspectives, few have explored its themes of discipline and resistance through the lens of Foucault's power theory.This paper aims to fill this gap by employing Foucault's approach to investigate the construction of power, discipline, and resistance in Bartleby, the Scrivener.By examining the protagonist's tragic fate, the paper aims to uncover the internal mechanisms that contribute to his plight and proposes strategies for challenging passive submission within power structures.Through this analysis, the paper not only provides a new interpretation of Melville's work but also encourages reflection on disciplinary power mechanisms prevalent in contemporary society.