Synopses & Reviews
It is one of the most memorable first lines in all of literature: "When Gregor Samsa woke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed into some kind of monstrous vermin." So begins Kafka's famous short story,
The Metamorphosis. Kafka considered publishing it with two of the stories included here in a volume to be called
Punishments. The Judgment explores an enigmatic power struggle between a father and son, while
In the Penal Colony examines questions of power, justice, punishment, and the meaning of pain in a colonial setting. These three stories are flanked by two very different works.
Meditation, the first book Kafka published, consists of light, whimsical, often poignant mood-pictures, while the autobiographical
Letter to his Father analyzes his difficult relationship with his father in devastating detail. This new translation by Joyce Crick pays particular attention to the nuances of Kafka's style, and the Introduction and notes by Ritchie Robertson provide guidance to this most enigmatic and rewarding of writers. There is also a Biographical Preface, an up-to-date bibliography, and a chronology of Kafka's life.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
About the Author
Joyce Crick is an award-winning translator who taught at University College London for many years.
Ritchie Robertson is Fellow and Tutor in German at St. John's College, Oxford.
Table of Contents
Biographical Preface Introduction
Note on the Text
Note on the Translation
Select Bibliography
A Chronology of Franz Kafka
MEDITATION
Children on the Highway 3
Unmasking a Confidence-Man 5
The Sudden Stroll 7
Decisions 8
The Trip to the Mountains 8
The Bachelor's Distress 9
The Small Businessman 9
Gazing Out Idly 11
The Way Home 11
The Runners 12
The Passenger 12
Dresses 13
The Rebuff 13
For Gentleman-Riders to Think About 14
The Window on to the Street 14
Wish to Become a Red Indian 15
Trees 15
Unhappiness 15
THE JUDGEMENT
THE METAMORPHOSIS
IN THE PENAL COLONY
LETTER TO HIS FATHER
Explanatory Notes
Meditation
The Judgement
The Metamorphosis
In the Penal Colony
Letter to his Father