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Φραντς Κάφκα: Ο ανατόμος της εξουσίας
Στο βιβλίο αυτό συγκεντρώνονται έξι κείμενα που φιλοδοξούν να αναδείξουν την πολιτική-αναρχική διάσταση των γραπτών του Κάφκα και να εξετάσουν το γιατί αποσιωπήθηκε αυτή η παράμετρος από την επίσημη κριτική, καθώς και το γιατί υποβαθμίστηκε η αντίστοιχη σύνδεσή του με αναρχικούς κύκλους της Πράγας από πολλούς βιογράφους του.
100 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2007
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69 people want to read
About the author
Κώστας Δεσποινιάδης
44 books15 followersΟ Κώστας Δεσποινιάδης γεννήθηκε στην Κοζάνη το 1978. Από το 2001 έχει ιδρύσει το περιοδικό και τις εκδόσεις "Πανοπτικόν". Εκτός από το "Πανοπτικόν", κείμενά του έχουν δημοσιευτεί σε διάφορα έντυπα. Ως επιμελητής εκδόσεων και μεταφραστής έχει συνεργαστεί με πολλούς εκδοτικούς οίκους. Κείμενά του έχουν μεταφραστεί στα γαλλικά, τα γερμανικά, τα ισπανικά και τα αγγλικά.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 23, 2022
Πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα ανάλυση του έργου του Κάφκα που συνήθως αναλύεται από άλλους ως μια απλή περιγραφή της γραφειοκρατίας. Ο Δεσποινιαδης αναλύει υπό το πρίσμα των πολιτικών επιρροών του Καφκα και της ζωής του και μας προτρέπει να αντιληφθούμε την βαθιά πολιτική κριτική του Κάφκα στην εξουσία αλλά και στον τρόπο που αντιλαμβάνεται την δομή της, όχι ως ιεραρχημένη όπως είναι το σύνηθες αλλά ως χαοτική και κατακερματισμένη σε σημείο που συναντάται παντού. Με ιντριγκαρε στο να ξαναπροσπαθήσω να διαβάσω τον Πύργο υπό άλλη ματιά
March 23, 2021
A brilliantly crafted result of years of analysis on Kafka's anarchist ties and the not-so-hidden critique in his books. The recognition of other scholar attempts on dissecting his work, before subverting those and presenting the author's viewpoint is especially pleasing
January 4, 2020
This brief book sets out strident argumentation of the part of a dedicated anarchist to claim FK as a comrade. Taking aim at Max Brod’s suggestion that his great friend was a ‘non-political writer’
Despiniadis picks through the texts of his novels and short stories, augmented with references to his diary and surviving letters to reveal a Kafka with unquestionable anarchist sympathies and an outlook on the world that was fully apart of that philosophy.
The critique of the insanities of bureaucratic power is obviously central to works like The Castle and The Trial. The intensity of his vision of corridors, waiting rooms, minor officials and incomprehensible proceedings that make up the subject of these novels makes it unlikely that Kafka’s stance was a generalised alienation from the world, more to do with religious feeling than a political outlook.
Despiniades reinforces his argument with the evidence of Kafka’s participation in the anarchist circles that existed in the Prague of his day. Whilst he remained a silent presence in the affinity groups that were the organised base of anarchism this cannot be taken as a mark of the marginality of his involvement. The absence of any consideration from a theoretical standpoint of the difference between thought and action in anarchism makes it plausible to view his devotion to writing as the inspiration he took from the meetings he attended.
A second manifestation of alienated power which is a common theme in anarchist thinking is that of the patriarchal family. Kafka’s writing on this form of authority stretches across three principal works, The Metamorphosis, The Judgement and the first chapter from Amerika which started life as a short story entitled The Stoker. All depict troubled father-son relationships which Kafka experienced in his own childhood.
The final component of Kafka’s analysis of power is the compulsion to strive for the approval of the established social order which exists across so much of his work but is best illustrated in The Metamorphosis. Samsa is crippled by his transformation into a giant insect but it seems that, in the first instance, his mortification comes from his inability to attend to the obligations of his employment. The family is deeply implicated in this fall from grace, since Samsa has to forego his role as the main breadwinner of his household. But his anguish is intensified by the loss of his ability to go out in the world and be seen as the sort of citizen who might win the approval of his society.
Having read the novels and short stories it seems surprising that the view of Kafka as a non-political writer could have held sway over the years. The characterisation of Kafka as an ‘anatomist of power’ in this book goes to the heart of his absorption in the detail of human subjection. The challenge to the idea that he was driven by the alienation of human beings from an essence that is essentially spiritual rests on the understanding of a society that grinds people down specifically through its mastery of the power of castles, trials, and ultimately, the family.
Despiniadis picks through the texts of his novels and short stories, augmented with references to his diary and surviving letters to reveal a Kafka with unquestionable anarchist sympathies and an outlook on the world that was fully apart of that philosophy.
The critique of the insanities of bureaucratic power is obviously central to works like The Castle and The Trial. The intensity of his vision of corridors, waiting rooms, minor officials and incomprehensible proceedings that make up the subject of these novels makes it unlikely that Kafka’s stance was a generalised alienation from the world, more to do with religious feeling than a political outlook.
Despiniades reinforces his argument with the evidence of Kafka’s participation in the anarchist circles that existed in the Prague of his day. Whilst he remained a silent presence in the affinity groups that were the organised base of anarchism this cannot be taken as a mark of the marginality of his involvement. The absence of any consideration from a theoretical standpoint of the difference between thought and action in anarchism makes it plausible to view his devotion to writing as the inspiration he took from the meetings he attended.
A second manifestation of alienated power which is a common theme in anarchist thinking is that of the patriarchal family. Kafka’s writing on this form of authority stretches across three principal works, The Metamorphosis, The Judgement and the first chapter from Amerika which started life as a short story entitled The Stoker. All depict troubled father-son relationships which Kafka experienced in his own childhood.
The final component of Kafka’s analysis of power is the compulsion to strive for the approval of the established social order which exists across so much of his work but is best illustrated in The Metamorphosis. Samsa is crippled by his transformation into a giant insect but it seems that, in the first instance, his mortification comes from his inability to attend to the obligations of his employment. The family is deeply implicated in this fall from grace, since Samsa has to forego his role as the main breadwinner of his household. But his anguish is intensified by the loss of his ability to go out in the world and be seen as the sort of citizen who might win the approval of his society.
Having read the novels and short stories it seems surprising that the view of Kafka as a non-political writer could have held sway over the years. The characterisation of Kafka as an ‘anatomist of power’ in this book goes to the heart of his absorption in the detail of human subjection. The challenge to the idea that he was driven by the alienation of human beings from an essence that is essentially spiritual rests on the understanding of a society that grinds people down specifically through its mastery of the power of castles, trials, and ultimately, the family.
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January 13, 2021«Σε αυτήν τη συναρπαστική μελέτη ο Κώστας Δεποινιάδης εστιάζει στη σύνδεση του Κάφκα με αναρχικές ιδέες και στοχαστές, όπως ο Πιοτρ Κροπότκιν, η Έμμα Γκόλντμαν, ο Πιερ Ζοζέφ-Προυντόν και ο Μαξ Στίρνερ και καταγράφει τις επαφές του συγγραφέα με τους αναρχικούς της Πράγας. Μια σημαντική πτυχή της μελέτης είναι η βαθιά ριζωμένη αποστροφή του Κάφκα, τόσο στη ζωή όσο και στα έργα του, για την εξουσία και τις αρχές. Τονίζοντας την κριτική που ασκεί ο Κάφκα στην εξουσία και τους αντιπροσωπευτικούς της θεσμούς, ο Δεσποινιάδης εξευρίσκει αντανακλάσεις της αναρχικής θεωρίας στον Πύργο, στη Δίκη, στην Αμερική, στη Μεταμόρφωση, στη Σωφρονιστική Αποικία και στη Φωλιά και προβαίνει σε εμφανείς συσχετισμούς της φανταστικής λογοτεχνικής μεθόδου του Κάφκα με τις απόψεις αναρχικών συγγραφέων, όπως ο Άρθουρ Χόλιτσερ (Amerikaheuteundmorgen), ο Ότο Γκρος, ο Μάρτιν Μπούμπερ και ο Κροπότκιν.» Dagmar Lorenz
Ολόκληρη η κριτική της Dagmar Lorenz στην ιστοσελίδα μας: https://marginalia.gr/arthro/frants-k...
Ολόκληρη η κριτική της Dagmar Lorenz στην ιστοσελίδα μας: https://marginalia.gr/arthro/frants-k...
April 5, 2023
Un libro imprescindible que analiza la obra de Kafka en clave libertaria y, por otro lado, rastrea las conexiones biográficas entre el escritor checo y los círculos anarquistas de Praga. Genial.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews