English

Franz
Kafkas

Metamorphosis
SUBMITTED BY:SHIVAM MISHRA
B.A. LLB
ROLL NO:- 151
PRN: - 16010323151
IN
AUGUST 2016
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF
Srinivas Bandameedi
SYMBIOSIS LAW SCHOOL, HYDERABAD
SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY, PUNE

INTRODUCTION
The Metamorphosis is a novella by Franz Kafka, initially
distributed in 1915. It has been called one of the fundamental
works of fiction of the twentieth century and is considered in
schools and colleges over the Western world.

The story starts with a voyaging businessperson, Gregor Samsa,

waking to get himself changed into a vast, massive creepy
crawly like animal. The reason for Gregor's change is never
uncovered, and Kafka himself never gave a clarification.
Whatever remains of Kafka's novella manages Gregor's
endeavors to conform to his new condition as he manages being
difficult to his folks and sister, who are repulsed by the frightful,
verminous animal Gregor has ended up.

Context:Now an icon of twentieth-century literature, Franz Kafka entered

the world in unexceptional circumstances. His father was an
ambitious and bullying shopkeeper and his mother was a
wealthy brewers daughter who married beneath her social rank.
He was their first child, born in 1883 in a house in the center of
Prague. Five siblings followed, two of whom died young, leaving
Kafka the only boy. Kafka had a sensitive disposition and slight
appearance, much to his fathers distaste. Moreover, Kafkas
literary interestshe wrote plays for his sisters and read
constantlydid not sit well with his fathers practical mindset.
Their relationship remained strained throughout Kafkas life, and
his fathers overbearing and authoritarian personality left its
mark on much of Kafkas writing.
Kafka underwent a rigorous and strict education that placed
great emphasis on the classics. In 1901, he enrolled in CharlesFerdinand University (now known as Charles University),
intending to study chemistry but harboring literary ambitions.
After two weeks, he abandoned chemistry for law, then switched
to German literature, only to return to law. He never liked law,
however, and said he chose it because it required the least
amount of mental energy. After graduation, he worked for a year
in the judicial system before leaving for a job in insurance. He
hated his first employer and the long hours, so in 1908 he went
to work for Bohemias Workers Accident Insurance Institute,
where he stayed for the rest of his working life.
In 1913, Kafka went to a sanatorium in Italy to revive his failing
health. He continued to write to Felice Bauer, and the two were
engaged that year.Kafkas engagement ended in 1914. That
year, Kafka began work on his novel The Trial, which he never
managed to complete. In 1917, he and Bauer briefly became reengaged. Their renewed relationship ended when Kafka was
diagnosed with tuberculosis shortly thereafter. In 1919, Kafka
proposed to the daughter of a janitor, sending his father into a
rage, but Kafka left her just before the wedding. He next
developed a passionate attachment to a married journalist who

translated his work into Czech, then he fell in love with Dora
Diamant, a volunteer at a tuberculosis clinic. Kafka followed her
to Berlin, but his condition worsened and they moved to a clinic
near Vienna. On June 3, 1924, unable to eat because of the pain,
Franz Kafka starved to death.

Plot Overview:The story begins with Gregor waking up in bed and finding out that hes just
turned into a vermin, probably a roach. Despite his state, Gregor feels that he can
still go to work. However, he proves unable to do this when he finds he has so
much trouble getting out of bed and opening the door. Furthermore, no one can
understand him. Gregors employer who had come to Gregors house to fetch
him to work, leaves in a very nervous state and Gregor worries about losing his
job. His family, however, cannot believe that the bug is Gregor and shoves him
back into his room when Gregor tries to step out badly bruising Gregor. Gregor
returns to his room and goes to sleep. The family is now faced with the problem
of the lack of money since Gregor was the only member of the family that
worked. Luckily, the father had saved some money which the family would be
able to live off of for about a year. Also each member of the family got a job.
Herr got a job at the bank, Frau got a job knitting lingerie, and Grete got a job as
a store clerk. In the meantime, the only person who enters the room is Grete who
comes by and feeds Gregor twice a day. After time, the maid was fired and a
charwoman was hired to do the cleaning. Also, the Samsas took up three lodgers
to help pay the rent on the flat. These lodgers, however, did not know about
Gregor. One night after dinner, Grete began playing the violin which lured
Gregor out into the dining room. The lodgers caught sight of him and Herr
pushed them into their room out of sight of Gregor. The lodgers threatened to
leave without paying. Gregor was pushed back into his own room. Early next
morning, the charwoman came to clean and found Gregor dead in his room. She
told the rest of the family. Herr ordered the lodgers out of his house. The entire
family then wrote letters to their employers requesting a day off to relax. They
then took a train trip where the Samsas realized that it was about time that Grete
got married.

CONCLUSION:The Metamorphosis deals with an absurd, or wildly irrational, event, which in

itself suggests that the story operates in a random, chaotic universe. The absurd
event is Gregors waking up to discover he has turned into a giant insect, and
since its so far beyond the boundaries of a natural occurrenceits not just

unlikely to happen, its physically impossibleGregors metamorphosis takes on

a supernatural significance.
All these elements together give the story a distinct overtone of absurdity and
suggest a universe that functions without any governing system of order and
justice.
Gregors metamorphosis had an adverse impact on, as his family members
struggle with feelings of both sympathy and revulsion toward him. Grete and the
mother in particular feel a great deal of sympathy for Gregor after his change,
apparently because they suspect some aspect of his humanity remains despite his
appearance. This sympathy leads Grete initially to take on the role of Gregors
caretakershe even goes so far as to try to discover what food he likes after his
changeand it leads the mother to fight with Grete over moving the furniture out
of Gregors room since she holds out hope that he will return to his human form.
Even the father, who shows the least sympathy of the family members toward
Gregor and even attacks him twice, never suggests that they kill him or force him
out of the house. Instead, he implicitly shows compassion for Gregor by allowing
the family to care for him.