The Classic Collection of Franz Kafka. Novellas and Stories: The Metamorphosis, In the Penal Colony, Jackals and Arabs, Hunger Artist, A Country Doctor and others
"The Classic Collection of Franz Novellas and Stories" brings together a selection of extraordinary works by Franz Kafka, one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. This collection showcases Kafka's unique literary style and his exploration of existential themes, alienation, and the human condition. "The Metamorphosis" is a haunting novella that follows the bizarre transformation of Gregor Samsa into a giant insect, exploring themes of identity, isolation, and the absurdity of human existence. In "In the Penal Colony," Kafka delves into themes of justice, punishment, and the dehumanizing effects of institutional power. "Jackals and Arabs" examines the complexities of power dynamics and cultural clashes, while "The Hunger Artist" delves into themes of self-denial, artistic suffering, and the pursuit of meaning. "A Country Doctor" depicts the struggles and ethical dilemmas faced by a doctor in a small village, merging the ordinary with the surreal. Kafka's works are characterized by their introspective and unsettling atmosphere, intricate symbolism, and a sense of unease that pervades his narratives. His writing explores the depths of the human psyche and confronts the readers with the absurdities and uncertainties of existence. "The Classic Collection of Franz Kafka" is an essential read for lovers of literary fiction and those interested in exploring the complexities of human nature. Kafka's stories continue to captivate readers with their enigmatic narratives, thought-provoking themes, and their ability to evoke a profound sense of introspection and contemplation.
The Metamorphosis In the Penal Colony Jackals and Arabs Hunger Artist Before the Law An Imperial Message A Country Doctor A Report for an Academy The Judgement The Hunter Gracchus Rejection Children on a Country Road The Way Home Unhappiness Unmasking a Confidence Trickster On the Tram Josephine the Songstress The Great Wall of China Up in the Gallery Absent-Minded Window-Gazing Clothes The Tradesman
Prague-born writer Franz Kafka wrote in German, and his stories, such as "The Metamorphosis" (1916), and posthumously published novels, including The Trial (1925), concern troubled individuals in a nightmarishly impersonal world.
Jewish middle-class family of this major fiction writer of the 20th century spoke German. People consider his unique body of much incomplete writing, mainly published posthumously, among the most influential in European literature.
His stories include "The Metamorphosis" (1912) and "In the Penal Colony" (1914), whereas his posthumous novels include The Trial (1925), The Castle (1926) and Amerika (1927).
Despite first language, Kafka also spoke fluent Czech. Later, Kafka acquired some knowledge of the French language and culture from Flaubert, one of his favorite authors.
Kafka first studied chemistry at the Charles-Ferdinand University of Prague but after two weeks switched to law. This study offered a range of career possibilities, which pleased his father, and required a longer course of study that gave Kafka time to take classes in German studies and art history. At the university, he joined a student club, named Lese- und Redehalle der Deutschen Studenten, which organized literary events, readings, and other activities. In the end of his first year of studies, he met Max Brod, a close friend of his throughout his life, together with the journalist Felix Weltsch, who also studied law. Kafka obtained the degree of doctor of law on 18 June 1906 and performed an obligatory year of unpaid service as law clerk for the civil and criminal courts.
Writing of Kafka attracted little attention before his death. During his lifetime, he published only a few short stories and never finished any of his novels except the very short "The Metamorphosis." Kafka wrote to Max Brod, his friend and literary executor: "Dearest Max, my last request: Everything I leave behind me ... in the way of diaries, manuscripts, letters (my own and others'), sketches, and so on, [is] to be burned unread." Brod told Kafka that he intended not to honor these wishes, but Kafka, so knowing, nevertheless consequently gave these directions specifically to Brod, who, so reasoning, overrode these wishes. Brod in fact oversaw the publication of most of work of Kafka in his possession; these works quickly began to attract attention and high critical regard.
Max Brod encountered significant difficulty in compiling notebooks of Kafka into any chronological order as Kafka started writing in the middle of notebooks, from the last towards the first, et cetera.
Kafka wrote all his published works in German except several letters in Czech to Milena Jesenská.