The Life and Work of Franz Kafka

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Franz Kafka was a fundamental pillar that contributed immensely to shaping 20^th-century literature through novels and short stories. The modernist writer famously known for his novels The Metamorphosis, and The Trial, transformed literature and left a remarkable legacy that the current and future generations should acknowledge and emulate. While his contributions to literature remain unrivaled, Kafka was never free from criticisms and controversies, especially after he declared that he was an atheist. At just 41 years, Kafka succumbed to lung tuberculosis, leaving a thriving field of modernist literature that has remained a significant part of world literature. Franz Kafka’s biography, connection to fellow modernists in other disciplines, the critical acclaim of his works, and his culture demonstrate that he was an impactful person and the void he left remains fallow.

Since he was an important figure, especially among academicians worldwide, numerous publications have been made on his life and works. Franz Kafka was born on July 3, 1883, in Prague, Czech Republic, formerly known as Bohemia, which formerly belonged to the Austria-Hungarian Empire (The Kafka Project). He was the first-born child of middle-class and German-speaking Jew parents, who became a natural writer (The Kafka Project). Under the strict care of his authoritative parents, who ran a business as their major income-generating activity, Franz Kafka grew and became an obedient, intelligent, and responsible person.

Kafka started his education by learning German and French languages and culture. Between 1889 and 1893, he studied at the Deutsche Knabenschule boys’ elementary school in Prague (The Kafka Project). After this school, he joined Altstädter Deutsches Gymnasium, a secondary school implementing an academic curriculum in eighth grades using the German language. After that, Franz Kafka joined Prague-based Charles University, where he studied law. It was not until he joined a literary club at the university that he developed an interest in reading and participating in literary events. He graduated in 1906.

He published several literary texts in which he expressed his philosophy of existentialism and absurdism, which positively influenced the field of literature. His short stories that were primarily published in newspapers and magazines include “Compilations” (1912), “The Judgement” (1913), “The Metamorphosis” (1913), and “A Country Doctor” in 1919 (Joshi 71). His novels included The Trial, America in 1927, and The Castle in 1926. These publications have continued to attract the attention of literature enthusiasts to date. As a literature artist, Kafka had specific perspectives about life, which he expresses in his publications. For instance, he believed in an individual’s freedom and responsibility to make decisions affecting them in the meaningless world, underpinning his philosophy of existentialism. His other perspective could be described by the philosophy of absurdity; he sought to search for purpose in existence and the lack of meaning of existence (Taylor 256). These perspectives have been fundamental in helping his readers understand his novels, short stories, and positions on controversial issues.

Kafka was not the only member of modernism; the movement allowed him to create a critical connection with other modernist artists, composers, and writers. Modernism was an umbrella movement with many participants, including Kafka, one of its most influential shapers, and his friend Max Brod who edited and published Kafka’s manuscripts after his death (Engel 2). Modernism, which emerged in the mid-19^th century, expressed artists’ rebellion against realism, the traditional and outdated historicist traditions, and academics and instead explored new aspects of literature and social, economic, and political life aspects as the world continued to revolutionize (Engel 2). Besides his friend Brod, the modernist movement kept him close to other writers such as Felix Weltsch.

Other renowned modernist writers who influenced Kafka included James Joyce, a novelist from Ireland; Virginia Woolf, an English writer; and William Faulkner, an American novelist. Other modernists who significantly promoted the movement’s growth and with whom Franz Kafka had strong connections included Gertrude Stein, Wallace Stevens, and Marcel Proust (Engel 8). These writers, artists, and composers enabled Kafka to understand the various aspects of the modernist movement. His literary and philosophical interactions with these people also shaped his understanding of religion, beliefs, and philosophical ideas.

Besides primarily working with artists in his field, especially his friend Max Brod, with whom he pursued the same course in law, Kafka also collaborated with Felix Weltsch, a philosopher who was Max Brod’s friend. From Weltsch, Kafka developed his philosophies of existentialism and absurdism. As a renowned publisher and librarian, Weltsch helped Kafka to publish his works (Engel 7). Another artist that Kafka collaborated with was Karl Hermann, a businessperson. He asked Kafka to collaborate with him in running his asbestos factory. Kafka also worked with novelists and short story artists such as Albert Camus, Eugine Lonesco, and Jean-Paul Sartre, whom he influenced in terms of writing.

Kafka’s novels and short stories had significant connections with his colleagues, especially his friend Max Brod, a lawyer who shifted to literature due to Kafka’s influence. For instance, his unpublished work appealed to his German editors, including Jurgen Born, Malcolm Pasley, and Gerhard Neumann, who edited his works (Engel 2). His works connected with his colleagues in a special way in that they expressed fantasy, which appealed to most people. For instance, “The Metamorphosis” contained significant fantasy that appealed to many. Kafka was an intelligent writer who understood his audience and thus connected well with them.

Franz Kafka’s works connected with his colleagues in religion and mythology. His works dwelt much on the role of religion, culminating in his denouncement of it. From being born into a western Jewish family and growing up in the Jewish religion, Kafka ultimately assimilated and became a secularized Jew, abandoning religion (Engel 7). Additionally, his participation in the conversation about western Judaism, Zionism, and Eastern Judaism enabled him to connect with many people and become a famous person in Prague. These people included, among others, Milena Jesenka, a Czech journalist, editor, translator, and writer. Besides, Kafka also connected to traditionalists by addressing traditional religion, which had a massive following in Prague. His publication, “The Trial,” addresses the traditional religion and opines on God’s avenging side. In addition, it explores the corruption and brutal hierarchical orders that eroded his belief in God and shaped his worldview.

Gender and ethnicity played critical roles in Franz Kafka’s works. As mentioned earlier, he was a German-speaking male Jew, influencing his perceptions of gender and ethnicity. The gender issue is one of the critical themes that have attracted many criticisms of Kafka. According to Joshi, Kafka’s father, an authoritative figure, influenced his perception of gender, which is evident in “The Metamorphosis” (60). He also influenced Kafka’s personality, life, and occupation. In the novel, Kafka portrayed males as stronger than females, revealing his perception of gender. In his Letter to His Father, Kafka provided a lengthy and detailed description of his father, followed by a short and shallow description of his mother (Joshi 60). He described his father as strong with endurance, eloquence, appetite, voice loudness, and healthy. This example is a valid manifestation of Kafka’s understanding of gender through his experience and observation.

Franz Kafka was not mainly concerned about his ethnicity because he did not address it in his publications as he did gender, religion, and modernism. However, being Jew, he perceived it essential to learn the cultures of other ethnic groups, especially German and French people, through learning their languages (The Kafka Project). More importantly, Kafka was slightly sensitive to his ethnicity concerning religion. As aforementioned, he doubted his Jewish religion and culture, culminating in his assimilation and becoming a secular Jew receiving a meager impact from the Jewish religion and culture (Engel 7). Therefore, even if Kafka never addressed ethnicity directly, it can be deduced from the writings to understand the context in which he wrote.

Franz Kafka flourished in a thriving Jewish culture, significantly impacting his life, education, and occupation. Broadly, culture denotes the way of life characterized by language, dressing, and traditions of a people and how they are practiced. The family, the smallest social unit and a critical aspect of culture, impacted Franz’s life. From his family and by learning from his parents, Kafka understood gender roles between men and women (Joshi 67). Furthermore, he learned how to distinguish between the physical appearances of men and women by comparing his mother and father. The Jewish culture influenced the decision to learn languages, attend school, and become a lawyer. Furthermore, the enormous value that his culture and community placed on literature influenced his shift from law into literature, thereby writing short stories and books.

Kafka’s writings were explicitly influenced by the perceived weaknesses of realism, a movement that existed before Modernism. According to him, realism was not a true reflection of society because it focused much on traditional culture, art, and literature, yet the world had progressed and become more revolutionized. Consequently, while embracing Modernism, Kafka felt inspired to embrace modernity and address issues such as gender, social relationships, and religion which he perceived as necessary during his time (Engel 8). Besides the technological revolution, which also enhanced the occurrence of World War 1, Kafka’s artistry was also influenced by the inadequacy of religion to address issues that people faced. As a result, he converted to secularism.

Franz Kafka’s contributions to the emergence of Dada in Europe due to the influence of Modernism makes him a historically significant figure. Also called Dadaism, Dada was a cultural movement that began in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1914 during the first World War and peaked in the 1920s (Padularosa 118). Its significance was evidenced in spreading anti-war messages through literature, visual arts, graphic design, and theater. Besides, members of the Dada Movement organized demonstrations and public gatherings and protested against the brutality of the Great War, marked by the casualties and property destruction that resulted from it.

A comprehensive examination of Franz Kafka’s biography, connection to colleagues, and the role of culture and gender in his works reveal the critical roles he played before his death. Even though Franz Kafka died many years ago, he remains an important figure in literature, especially in the modernist movement, in which he was a fundamental pillar and helped develop. He connected with other modernist writers and artists through his works in literature, while his works also appealed to many people. It should be noted that while Kafka’s efforts in literature are highly appreciated, criticisms and controversy regarding religion and his perception of gender featured especially among his opponents. Nevertheless, Kafka’s contributions to modernist literature continues to be recognized today.

Works Cited

Engel, Manfred. “Franz Kafka: Modernism, Modernity, Myth, and Religion.” A Companion to World Literature, 2020, pp. 1-10. Web.

Joshi, Shubham. “A Gender Study of Franz Kafka and His Work The Metamorphosis.” Contemporary Literary Review India, vol. 8, no. 2, 2021, pp. 57-90. Web.

Padularosa, Daniela. “Anti-Art? Dada and Anarchy.” Anarchism and the Avant-Garde. Brill, 2019, pp. 99-126.

Taylor, Dan. “Franz Kafka, subversive dreamer.” Studies, vol. 18, no. 2, 2019, pp. 255-256. Web.

The Kafka Project. “Kafka’s Life (1883-1924).” The Kafka Project, 2021. Web.

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The Life and Work of Franz Kafka

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