Herman Melville

Bartleby the Scrivener

Bartleby, der Schreiber

A Wall Street lawyer hires a quiet new copyist named Bartleby, who copies an extraordinary amount at first, then begins answering every request with a calm 'I would prefer not to.' As the refusals pile up, his baffled employer cannot decide whether to fire him or feel responsible for him.

C21 h 15 minAudio

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How it begins

EnglishGerman

Bartleby, The Scrivener A STORY OF WALL-STREET.

Bartleby, der Schreiber Eine Geschichte von der Wall Street.

by Herman Melville I am a rather elderly man.

von Herman Melville Ich bin ein ziemlich alter Mann.

The nature of my avocations for the last thirty years has brought me into more than ordinary contact with what would seem an interesting and somewhat singular set of men, of whom as yet nothing that I know of has ever been written:—I mean the law-copyists or scriveners.

Die Natur meiner Beschäftigungen in den letzten dreißig Jahren hat mich mehr als gewöhnlich mit einer interessanten und etwas sonderbaren Gruppe von Männern in Kontakt gebracht, über die meines Wissens noch nie etwas geschrieben wurde: ich meine die Gesetzesschreiber oder Schreiber.

The opening paragraphs, as the reader shows them. Read on

Languages

Bartleby the Scrivener · English (original)C2 Advanced · 14,371 words · ~1 h 15 min · Audio
Bartleby, der Schreiber · GermanC2 Advanced · 14,202 words · ~1 h 15 min · Audio
Μπάρτλεμπυ, ο γραφέας · GreekC2 Advanced · 14,391 words · ~1 h 15 min
Bartleby, el escribiente · Spanish14,174 words · ~1 h 15 min · Audio
Bartleby le scribe · French15,385 words · ~1 h 30 min · Audio
बार्टलबी, द स्क्रिवनर · HindiC2 Advanced · 17,261 words · ~1 h 30 min
Bartleby, sang Juru Tulis · IndonesianC2 Advanced · 14,124 words · ~1 h 15 min
Bartleby, lo scrivano · Italian13,772 words · ~1 h 15 min
書記バートルビー · JapaneseC2 Advanced
필경사 바틀비 · KoreanC2 Advanced · 11,020 words · ~1 h
Bartleby de kantoorklerk · DutchC2 Advanced · 15,709 words · ~1 h 30 min
Bartleby, kopista · PolishC2 Advanced · 12,811 words · ~1 h 15 min
Bartleby, o Escrivão · PortugueseC2 Advanced · 14,464 words · ~1 h 15 min
Bartleby, copistul · RomanianC2 Advanced · 15,120 words · ~1 h 30 min
Kâtip Bartleby · TurkishC2 Advanced · 11,335 words · ~1 h
Bartleby, Người chép đơn · VietnameseC2 Advanced · 20,910 words · ~2 h
抄写员巴特尔比 · ChineseC2 Advanced

Questions

Which languages can I read Bartleby the Scrivener in?

English, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.

What level is it?

The original English is C2 Advanced. In translation, German, Greek, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are C2 Advanced. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 14,371 words in 2 chapters: around 5 min – 2 h of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.

Is it free?

Yes. Read it online with no account. The downloads (PDF, EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account.

Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?

Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.

Bartleby the Scrivener

How it begins

Languages

Questions

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