Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka was a German-language writer from Prague whose novels and short stories are among the most influential works of twentieth-century literature. His name has become associated with the absurd and the bureaucratic, and the term Kafkaesque describes situations of irrational anxiety.

Early Life

Kafka was born in 1883 in Prague, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to a family of German-speaking Jews. He had a difficult relationship with his domineering father.

He studied law at the German University in Prague and worked for an insurance company. He wrote in his spare time and suffered from insomnia and from ill health.

He was engaged several times but never married. He had a close relationship with Milena Jesenská and with Dora Diamant.

The Metamorphosis and the Short Stories

The Metamorphosis, published in 1915, describes the transformation of Gregor Samsa into a giant insect. The story treats the theme of alienation and of family obligation.

In the Penal Colony describes a torture machine and the mentality of its operator. A Hunger Artist treats the theme of art and of self-denial.

He wrote many short pieces, including the collection A Country Doctor and the aphorisms of the Zürau notebooks. The stories are characterised by a precise and impersonal style.

The Novels

The Trial, published posthumously in 1925, describes the arrest and prosecution of Josef K. for an unspecified crime. The novel treats the themes of guilt and of the opacity of power.

The Castle, published in 1926, describes the efforts of a land surveyor to gain access to the authorities of a village. The novel treats the theme of the unattainable goal.

Amerika, also published posthumously, describes the adventures of a young man in the New World. The novel was left unfinished.

Style and Themes

Kafka's style is precise, sober, and free of rhetorical excess. The fantastic elements are presented as ordinary facts.

His themes include alienation, guilt, the exercise of power, and the search for meaning. The world of his fiction is governed by obscure laws and by inscrutable authorities.

His work has been interpreted in religious, philosophical, psychological, and political terms. It resists a single reading and has been claimed by many traditions.

Illness, Death, and the Manuscripts

Kafka was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1917, and the disease progressively disabled him. He died in 1924 in a sanatorium near Vienna.

He left his manuscripts to his friend Max Brod, with instructions that they should be destroyed. Brod disobeyed and published the novels and the diaries.

The manuscripts were later the subject of legal disputes between Israeli and German institutions. They are now held in national libraries.

Legacy

Kafka is regarded as one of the most important writers of the twentieth century. His influence on literature, on philosophy, and on the visual arts has been profound.

The term Kafkaesque has entered the language of several cultures. His works have been translated into many languages and have been adapted for the stage and for film.

He is remembered for his vision of the modern condition. His writing has been compared to that of Dostoevsky and of Beckett.

The Diaries and the Aphorisms

Kafka kept a diary from 1909 until his death. The entries record his daily life, his dreams, his reading, and his reflections on his writing.

The Zürau notebooks of 1917 and 1918 contain aphorisms and sketches. The aphorisms treat the themes of good and evil, of guilt, and of the spiritual life.

The diaries and the notebooks provide a picture of his inner life. They are an important source for the study of his work.

The Letters

Kafka wrote a long letter to his father in 1919 that was never delivered. The letter accuses his father of having damaged his confidence and his ability to love.

His letters to Milena Jesenská and to Felice Bauer describe his relationships. The letters to Milena are among the most famous documents of his emotional life.

The correspondence has been published and has been studied as part of his literary output. The letters reveal the conflict between his desire for marriage and his fear of it.

The Insurance Work

Kafka worked for the Workers' Accident Insurance Institute for the Kingdom of Bohemia. He dealt with the classification of accidents and with the prevention of industrial injuries.

He was a competent and valued official, and he was promoted several times. The work provided him with a secure income and with material for his fiction.

He invented a safety device for workers and was praised for his contribution. The connection between his bureaucratic work and his literary themes has been noted.

The Reception and Interpretation

Kafka's work has been interpreted in religious, philosophical, psychological, and political terms. The castle and the court are read as images of the divine and of the state.

The term Kafkaesque is used to describe situations of absurd bureaucracy and of irrational anxiety. The word has entered the languages of Europe and of the world.

The novels were edited by Max Brod, and the editing has been questioned. The manuscripts have been studied in facsimile.

The translations of his work have varied in their handling of his style. The question of the best translation has been a subject of debate.

See also

• The Metamorphosis
• Existentialism