The 19th century was a period of great development, especially in the field of knowledge and representation of disability in literature. Although physical disabilities receive most of the attention, mental illness appears in many works even if it is not openly stated or named. Despite the absence of a clearly stated mental disorder, several works feature characters who show few, if any, signs of depression. Although this melancholy appears to limit suffering characters, ostracizing them from normal society and labeling them as other, as discussed in Rosemarie Garland-Thomson's Extraordinary bodies: figuring Physical Disability in American Culture and Literature, it instead empowers such individuals, allowing them to recognize and free themselves from the corruption of their respective societies. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The 19th century texts, Sheppard Lee, "Bartleby the Scrivener" and "Life in the Iron Mills" all present this type of story as each possesses a character who exhibits signs of a depression-like mental illness that brings them to lose his life. Although these three texts are so similar, they differ in their execution and description of depression and demonstrate the development of understanding of mental disorder during the 19th century, as G. E. Berrios describes in his "Melancholia and Depression During the 19th Century: A Conceptual History ". .” Starting from Sheppard Lee, where the titular character's disinterest in activity and life is attributed to laziness, in “Life in the Iron Mills” depression is described as a real disease that consumes the mind and has harmful effects like any character, through his “disability”. ” – recognizes the corruption and inescapable nature of their society, come to the decision to free themselves in the only way possible, by ending their lives, while critics such as Justine S. Murison in “Hypochondria and racial interiority in Robert Montgomery Bird's Sheppard. Lee" argue that these characters are so afflicted by mental illness that they cannot consciously make any decisions and have no control over themselves, the characters display clear cognitive control as suggested by "Preferring not to:The Paradox of Passive Resistance in Herman " by Jane Desmarais. By Melville." Because each diseased character possesses control over their own thoughts and actions, they are able to recognize the problems in their society and consciously choose to free themselves from them, although each story shows the progression of this choice. Sheppard Lee, “Bartleby the Scrivener” and “Life in the Iron Mills” show the development of the representation of depression and the empowering nature of impairment during the 19th century. Before the 19th century, the term “depression” had yet to be coined. ; the word for such a state, “melancholy,” was used interchangeably with mania and did not recognize many aspects of the impairment (Berrios 298). Over the course of the century, the word was coined and used in many medical journals, largely due to growing interest in the field of psychology. The recognition of depression as a real illness and understanding of it are clearly demonstrated by looking at the depictions of the illness in each of the three literary works mentioned above. A state of disinterest was initially dismissed as laziness, but these stories reveal how audiences have become more aware of the symptoms of depression as they are articulated more clearly as time passes between stories. Sheppard Lee, Bartleby and Hugh Wolfe all show elements of the impairment, with thefirst which presents the fewest symptoms and the most unclear and subtle representation. Robert Montgomery Bird's Sheppard Lee opens with a detailed introduction to the narrator's life and behaviors. While the narrator, Sheppard Lee, attributes his disinterest in life to idleness, his behaviors suggest otherwise. Lee drops out of school, claiming that he has "succumbed to the natural indolence of my character" (Bird 10), an action that suggests that the narrator finds no interest in school or the purpose of going there. He also details his experiences trying to find a hobby and things he might enjoy, which he fails to do as everything offers little to no enjoyment. This lack of enjoyment in activities along with his indecisiveness regarding a hobby both act as signs that the narrator is a depressed individual. Lee also states that he is lazy and has "the least energy or mental activity that ever befell a Jerseyman" (11). Since tiredness and loss of energy are symptoms of depression ("Depression: Do You Know the Symptoms?"), this aspect of Lee's personality also adds to the argument that he suffers from clinical depression. While the narrator presents these aspects of himself in a jovial and comical manner, the underlying tone seems to be one of insecurity and feelings of worthlessness, another symptom of depression ("Depression: Do You Know the Symptoms?"). Lee openly states his lack of ambition and talent and wonders why his father ever believed in him, "I cannot conceive how my father ever came to believe that I should make a figure in the world" (10). All of these aspects of the narrator's personality strongly suggest that he suffers from depression, however, due to the book's publication in the early 19th century, the term had not yet been coined and the disability was not yet fully understood. Therefore, Bird's novel simply alludes to the illness by presenting it as a character flaw rather than a mental illness. By the time of Herman Melville's "Bartleby the Scrivener," the term depression had begun to be used in medical discourse, and was beginning to spread. be studied. In this Wall Street story, the main character displays many telltale symptoms of depression in a much clearer way than in Bird's tale. Although Melville's account does not provide the inner workings of Bartleby's mind as Sheppard Lee does, the details of Bartleby's behaviors offer sufficient evidence of Bartleby's mental illness. First, Bartleby shows a sharp decline in interest in his work, starting with an intense work ethic when he begins working for the narrator: “At first Bartleby wrote an extraordinary amount of writing. As if he had long been hungry for something to copy, he seemed to be gorging himself on my documents. There was no pause for digestion” (6), however, Bartleby gradually stops his work, an action that reveals one of the characteristic symptoms of depression: the loss of interest in the things one did or enjoyed. As Bartleby's interest and desire to work wane throughout the story, other symptoms appear and increase in potency. Bartleby's appetite also plummets as his depression worsens over the course of the story, another indicator of depression ("Depression: Do You Know the Symptoms?"). The titular character starts out eating just a few ginger nuts a day and then gradually stops eating altogether. The character also becomes more indecisive as time passes and his mental disability seems to worsen. As he quickly comes to utter his repetitive phrase, "I'd rather not do that" (8), a phrase that contains no command ordirect statement, Bartleby later becomes. more doubtful about his decisions and desires when the narrator tries to convince him to leave the building. After each of his statements, Bartleby follows them up with “But I am not peculiar” (26) as he is experiencing another symptom of depression. —indecision (“Depression: do you know the symptoms?”). As the story progresses, Bartleby reveals many other characteristics indicative of depression, such as excessive sleeping and social withdrawal. All these characteristics strongly suggest that Bartleby is a man suffering from depression. Although Melville's story provides a much clearer depiction of depression than Bird's, it does not fully discuss the desperation and mental effects of the impairment. Only until the end of the 19th century did literature begin to discuss these aspects of depression. Rebecca Harding Davis' short story “Life in the Iron Mills” presents an even clearer picture of depression in her character Hugh Wolfe. After being arrested for theft, Wolfe falls into deep despair and despondency. He looks at himself “with sudden disgust” (28) and cries bitterly. Since self-loathing is a sign of depression, this begins Wolfe's path to mental illness. Even early in the story, Wolfe's lack of appetite suggests that perhaps mental illness had affected him before he was incarcerated. Wolfe also suffers from headaches: “He put his hand on his head, looking puzzled and tired. His head hurt” (32), which WebMD classifies as another symptom of depression. Wolfe's desperation quickly leads to suicidal thoughts, and ultimately suicide, "He uncovered his arms, looking intently at their veins and tendons...a slight click, often repeated" (34). These suicidal thoughts and the final act solidify the claim that Hugh Wolfe suffers from depression as he has given up on life and sees no other possible way out of his situation. Due to the mental disability of these characters, some critics claim that such characters do not. they have control over their thoughts and actions and are instead entirely consumed by mental illness. Murison's hypochondria and racial interiority in Robert Montgomery Bird's Sheppard Lee argues that due to potential mental illness, Sheppard Lee has no control over his decisions and the illness itself controls every action and thought (Murison). While this argument may have some validity when simply considering the bodies in which they live, the claim that a mental illness presides entirely over the mind of the individual with a disability is both incorrect and biased. Although Sheppard Lee and his fellow depressed literary characters may struggle with thoughts that are not their own, they are still in complete control of their free will and actions, as Desmarais argues in "Preferring not to: The Paradox of Passive Resistance in Herman Melville's ". Desmarais refutes Murison's claim through an in-depth explanation of how Bartleby has complete control over his words, actions, and mind, to the point of existing in "passive resistance" to society and its boundaries (Desmarais). don't do it” Bartleby conveys a carefully hidden message that suggests a subtle refusal to do what he does not find interesting or valuable. If Bartleby can overcome whatever “psychological boundary” (Desmarais) is erected in his mind due to his mental disability, then. so can Sheppard Lee, rather than being consumed by their handicaps, they are enabled by them and able to see what normal people in society cannot, however, this places them at a social disadvantage. Although each of these characterspossess varying levels of depression. and symptoms, are all ostracized by their respective societies. Not only are they mentally ill due to depression, but the characters recognize the flaws of their societies thus distinguishing them from the ignorant norm. Through illness, which forces them to see a pessimistic view of things and determine the value of specific assets, Wolfe, Lee, and Bartleby are able to see the corruption, immorality, and injustice that surrounds them. These extraordinary minds are then recognized as different and even grotesque as they exist outside of the “norm” discussed in Garland-Thomson’s book Extraordinary bodies: Figuring Physical Disability in American Culture and Literature. Since these three characters no longer ignore the relationships in their societies and possess negative views towards “the social figure through which people can represent themselves as definitive human beings” (Garland-Thomson 8) and the aspects of life that these “normize” them individuals worship and pursue, they are actually classified as others. Sheppard Lee sees flaws in each of the activities he attempts, yet his rejection of these activities causes those who are blind to the problems to become angry at him. Likewise, once Bartleby prefers not to work, he is immediately humiliated by his employer and colleagues and further excluded from any social interaction. Even Hugh Wolfe, who takes money to advance himself in the world after recognizing that only money will save him from squalor, is arrested and given an extreme sentence. All these experiences do nothing but promote the recognition of social problems for each of the characters and make them decide whether or not to continue in the world. As each character realizes the terrible nature of society, they all make a conscious decision to break free. from the confines of their lives and status, thus gaining power over their lives. Sheppard Lee sees flaws in the mundane activities of his peers. Only he recognizes the expensive and dangerous nature of hunting. When he tries to race horses, he sees that it is nothing more than a glorified game of chance that he finds "disreputable and demoralizing" (Bird 13). Even when Lee succeeds in politics, he quickly sees the deception and corruption that lies beneath the eloquent words of charming men and chooses to leave, "sincerely repenting of the delusion which had so long made me a supporter of wrong and deception" (27). Once Lee stops his pursuit of fun, his final stop – while being himself – is an experience that frees him from society's expectations and evils. While he does not face death specifically, in his body jumping Sheppard Lee loses himself and the boundaries of his life, freeing himself from corruption and deception, if only for a short time. While Lee makes the brazen decision to become another person, Bartleby makes a more subtle decision: to simply waste away. Bartleby refuses all help and food, passively choosing death by starvation. Although it may seem that Bartleby did not make a conscious choice, he did not opt ​​for this form of freedom until he was rejected by all of society and lost complete interest in everything. Bartleby's preference not to do certain things shows how he sees no value in the mundane, repetitive work that so many perform robotically. Instead of continuing in his misery, Bartleby opts for a quiet, clean death, where he simply curls up in a corner of the prison yard and takes a final breath (Bartleby 38), freeing himself from the pressures of society. characters, Hugh Wolfe has the most liberating experience of all the characters previously discussed. He discusses his heavily. 2017.