Franz Kafka’s metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is the most recognized literary work of the writer Franz Kafka (1883-1924), author born in Prague, Austrohungal Empire, who grew up in a family of Jewish merchants, influenced by German culture, grew in a well-accommodated family, whoThey were able to pay for a good academic training. This outstanding author is recognized for merging realistic and fantastic elements into all his works in a coherent way, characterized by using a well -careful, formal and exact language;Creating in turn, characters with peculiar qualities who manifested frequently clinging to anxiety, guilt, depression, family problems, among other negative feelings.
Like many other authors, Kafka reflected in this narrative the environment he was living, implementing surreal and absurd elements in fiction to describe European society in the twentieth century, which was going through many changes and revolutions, being one of these theLiterary current that arose at this time, known as contemporary literature, which allowed writers to express freely and without any restriction, their thoughts, criticisms and ideologies on issues mainly as politics, economy or problems in society;This being one of the factors that most influences the writing of this writer, so it can be said, that it is easy to find these characteristics introduced throughout history, for this reason it will analyze how the historical context is seeninvolved in the work metamorphosis.
DEVELOPING
Published in 1915, metamorphosis stood out for the idea that history tells us;As the protagonist of the book, Gregorio Samsa, becomes an insect due to the depression and miserable that he felt with the life he possessed, noting that, even the only aspiration he kept, was to finish paying the debts of hisfamily, to be able to give up his insufferable work, because he was the only source of economic income in his home. The plot of the book revolves, in how the Samsa family reacted to the strange and grotesque transformation of Gregory, which turn out to be equally absurd as the same idea that this character becomes a literally insect.
Thanks to the development of the history presented, almost the entire public rejected the book since it was launched to the market, even becoming its sale in certain countries, because it was considered obscene content and not suitable for all audiences;It is something absurd and something dark, imagining as a person of flesh and blood, can change their physical appearance and become something as disgusting as an insect;But it should be noted that the main theme of this book is not based on the transformation of the individual, but on the reflection of society in the actions that the characters took.
The society that Franz Kafka describes, is that of the twentieth century, which could be said that it has suffered the most changes in the course of history, due to all the events that occurred during this time, for example, the industrialization process That was happening in all the powers of the moment, these being some countries in Europe and the United States, creating major demographic, political and economic changes within the affected nations, because this implement new techniques and machinery in the production of essential products inside of the countries, making the migration rate in large cities increase abysmally and the agricultural production rate would also decrease the shortage of food and essential products increased, because countries focused on mainly supporting their armed forces; All these changes, promoted a new literary current, which was called contemporary literature, where all the structures and schemes that were previously had in this art were overthrow so far; In this, the main characteristic was the lack of structure, that is, each writer could express their thoughts freely, without having any restrictions, generally having as main topics, criticisms about politics, economics and society, where metamorphosis It does not become the exception
Kafka’s work ， expresses the feeling of selfishness and the dehumanization of society, where they are noticed at the time when the family realizes the transformation that has occurred and understands that Gregorio Samsa is already in a position to keep them economically, dueWhat is now an insect. The treatment of the parents towards him, totally changes to one of contempt and disgust, as if the only reason he had affection and appreciate his son, was because he paid the household accounts. This also reflects how people rejected everything that seemed useless or a hindrance, it was very easy for them to move anyone who did not fulfill the work assigned. On the other hand, he highlighted concerns such as fatigue and anxiety, being reflected at the beginning of history, when Gregorio raised with reproach the question of attending his work again or better to miss that day, because he did not support the workof the:
What a hard profession I have chosen! A day in and day also travel. Professional efforts are many greater than the same warehouse of the city, and this bustle of traveling, being aware of the train junction, bad and undone food, a constantly changing human relationship, never lasting, never lasting, never lasting, never lasting, never lasting, never lasting, never lasting, never lasting, never lastthat never becomes cordial. Let everything go to the devil!
Kafka in his stories, also brings an autobiographical approach, so he also represents a personal historical context, from his point of view and perspective of the events that occurred. It shows in the work, the lousy relationship that the author had with his father, reaching the point of not being able to direct the word or simply be submissive to the requests he made, such as Kafka from the beginning he knew that his passion wereThe letters and literature, but never manifested it because his father did not agree with this idea because he seemed absurd and a lost case, on the other hand, forced him to pursue the law degree against his will;This relationship can be reflected in another work written by this author, called a letter to the father, where he shows us the thoughts and feelings of him towards his parent in fragments such as:
I never understood your total insensitivity to the penalty and shame that you could cause me with your power (…) You downloaded your words without the slightest repair, nobody made you sorry, neither at that time nor later;In front of you, one was completely helpless.
In addition, this author was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which affected a lot in the way he visualized the world and around him, giving him a more pessimistic and raw approach to the writings that he created.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it can be mentioned that no work is acquitted of having in its history reflected aspects of the life of its author, or the historical context where the book is being written. Specifically in the treated narration, it is clearly notorious as Franz Kafka managedsuch an abstract way in which philosophy could brush so closely in his fiction writings, thus showing the contradictions and incoherence that he believed that they existed in society.
On the other hand, it is important to mention that it is essentialgive a totally different sense to what is being read;For example, when the metamorphosis is read, without having done an investigation before the author, the reaction of the Samsa family towards his son is impressive, but when the thoughts and traditions of the society were understood at that time, it is understandableThe reason why the characters behaved in that way, in addition that there is also the new literary movement where this story is involved.
Therefore, it can be finalized by saying that every literary work, for more resources and symbols that have involved, will always have some connection with its environment, being mainly of the historical context found and the unique characteristics that each author has when writing,expressing either implicitly or explicitly how they perceive the world, their thoughts or ideals.
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