Are you sure it's Bartlett, and not Keiffer?
Even if you bought it labeled as 'Bartlett', its identity is suspect, especially if it came from one of the 'big box' stores.

Here's what my mentor, Ed, wrote about ripening European pears:

"Most all European pears (exception is the new Green Jade), require post picking chill to properly mature. Or, when fruit exhibit slight color changes, begin to test pressure (using your thumb) near the stem. When there is a slight "give", pick all the fruit, store at or near 35 degrees for 7 or more days. Then you can remove them as needed, allow them to sit at room temps for 2-4 days which allows them to ripen to peak flavor.
Years ago, I got a letter from an older NAFEX fellow who told me that European types were very difficult to ripen due to varietal quirks or requirements in post harvest handling. He said, "If you live long enough to learn how to properly ripen 10 varieties, you'll be lucky".
I'm still working on it!!!

galium:

European pears have to be chilled in refrigeration for at least ten days after picking and before being taken out to ripen. If they are just placed directly in bags to ripen, they will stay hard and eventually rot from the inside out. Refrigeration is absolutely essential. But don't pick them too early, or even refrigeration won't work. As Lucky says, learning how to ripen European pears takes some time.

Lucky is also right that you may have a Kieffer there, which will stay hard even if struck by a mallet.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it. I'm looking forward to finally being able to eat one of those pears.

That's funny about the mallet...But very true.
Mariann

You know, I'm one of Don's biggest fans - except when he goes to denigrating my beloved Keiffer ;>)
Are they rock-hard and gritty? Heck, yeah - and juicy & tasty, too! - not insipid and cloying like some Europeans.
I'm looking forward to trying some in my dehydrator, but it won't be this year, after the Easter Big Freeze Disaster got almost all my fruit.

Most of my Bartlett pears fall off the tree when they're beginning to get ripe. I gather them and bring them inside to finish ripening, if they aren't yellow and soft yet. The resulting flavor is among the most wonderful of any fruit I've ever tasted.