Composed toward the end of the first millennium, Beowulf is the elegiac narrative of the adventures of Beowulf, a Scandinavian hero who saves the Danes from the seemingly invincible monster Grendel and, later, from Grendel's mother. He then returns to his own country and dies in old age in a vivid fight against a dragon.
Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street is a short story by Herman Melville, first published in 1853. It is considered one of Melville’s most notable works and is often praised for its profound exploration of individuality, alienation, and passive resistance within a capitalist society.
The story is narrated by an unnamed lawyer who runs a law practice on Wall Street in New York City. He hires a new scrivener (or copyist) named Bartleby, who at first works diligently. However, Bartleby soon begins responding to requests with the phrase "I would prefer not to," gradually refusing more tasks until he ultimately refuses to work altogether. Bartleby's passive resistance confounds and frustrates the narrator, and as the story progresses, Bartleby's withdrawal from society becomes increasingly pronounced.
Melville’s work offers a poignant critique of modern industrial life, exploring themes like isolation, the dehumanizing effects of work, and the limits of compassion
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