Remembering Franz Kafka - 100 Years On

Evanne Evans, 20 Jan 2025

Born in Prague in 1883 to a middle-class Jewish family, Franz Kafka grew up in the vibrant but fraught atmosphere of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Educated at the German University in Prague, Kafka earned a law degree, but spent most of his life working as an insurance clerk, writing his fiction in the predawn hours.

Despite his dedication, Kafka published only a handful of stories during his lifetime, as he was plagued by self-doubt and a sense of failure. He instructed his friend and confidant, Max Brod, to burn all unpublished manuscripts upon his death in 1924; fortunately, Brod ignored this request, thereby ensuring Kafka’s unparalleled legacy in world literature. Kafka’s most significant publications include:

The Metamorphosis (1915) is an iconic novella that opens with the unforgettable transformation of Gregor Samsa into a giant insect. Its themes of alienation and familial responsibility have made it a staple of literary study.

The Trial (1925), published posthumously, recounts the nightmarish ordeal of Josef K., who is arrested and prosecuted by authorities for an unspecified crime, touching on themes of crime and bureaucracy.

The Castle (1926) depicts the protagonist, known as K., gaining access to a mysterious castle, which reflects the human search for meaning in a complex world. Amerika (The Man Who Disappeared) (1927) is an unfinished work about the young Karl Rossmann’s surreal adventures in an imagined United States, blending comic with social critique.

Kafka’s writing continues to inspire authors, artists, and philosophers. His exploration of the absurd, the powerlessness of the individual, and a universe governed by ambiguous authority has made his surname an adjective in multiple languages. The Kafkaesque world remains eerily relevant, capturing the relentless puzzles of modern life.