Evidence Suggesting the Existence of Asperger Syndrome in the Mid-1800s

Abstract

Originally published in Putnam's Monthly Magazine in 1853, nearly a century before autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was formally recognized, Herman Melville's Bartleby is the naïve tale of a nonconforming, socially awkward character. However, when placed into contemporary context, retrospective analysis indicates that Bartleby may in fact have been a victim of the modern diagnosis of ASD, more specifically, a high-functioning form of autism termed Asperger syndrome . In 1853, it is unlikely that individuals who would now be characterized as having ASD would have been accepted by society. Without proper diagnosis and any appropriate form of treatment, such individuals had little chance of improvement or inclusion. The following is a modern case study, proposing that Melville's Bartleby was affected with the modern syndrome of ASD, and his work was thus suggesting the existence of Asperger Syndrome in the mid-1800s.