Who is the author of the short story The Metamorphosis published in 1915?
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The author of the short story The Metamorphosis, published in 1915, is the Czech writer Franz Kafka. Born in 1883 in Prague, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Kafka is now considered one of the most iconic and influential writers of the 20th century. His literary work, marked by profound originality and a particularly oppressive atmosphere, remains one of the most powerful examples of literature capable of expressing the alienation of modern man.
With The Metamorphosis, Kafka plunges us into a story that is both fantastical and tragic. The text tells the story of Gregor Samsa, a modest sales representative who, one morning, wakes up inexplicably transformed into a monstrous insect. The fantastical aspect of the metamorphosis contrasts with the chilling realism of the family and social context depicted by Kafka, creating a striking contrast that greatly contributes to the lasting impact of this work.
Kafka’s literary style is unique and characterized by sober, precise, but highly symbolic prose. The Metamorphosis is a perfect example of this, combining stylistic simplicity with philosophical depth. Kafka never dwells on explaining the reasons or explicit meaning of this transformation. Instead, he invites the reader to reflect on the universal themes he subtly addresses throughout the novella: identity, isolation, absurdity, existential loneliness, and alienation.
During his lifetime, Kafka published only a few texts, often reluctantly. Most of his major works, such as The Trial and The Castle, remained unpublished during his lifetime. It was thanks to his close friend Max Brod that these texts saw the light of day after his death in 1924. The Metamorphosis, however, is a notable exception, as it was published in 1915, ensuring him early recognition in European literary circles.
The importance of The Metamorphosis also lies in the autobiographical and symbolic dimensions that Kafka incorporates into it. The character of Gregor Samsa is often interpreted as a double of Kafka himself, expressing his own feelings of marginalization from his family and the society in which he lives. Gregor’s physical transformation can be interpreted as a metaphor for social rejection or the inability to communicate, recurring themes in Kafka’s work.
Furthermore, Kafka’s lasting influence on world literature stems from the fact that he was one of the first writers to depict so powerfully the absurdity of the modern world. In this respect, his work foreshadows existentialist thought and the literary movement of the absurd, championed by authors such as Albert Camus and Samuel Beckett in the decades that followed.
Even today, Kafka continues to fascinate readers around the world, particularly thanks to his major work The Metamorphosis, which is regularly studied in schools and universities. Through this novella, Kafka managed to capture something essential about the modern human condition, making him an essential writer whose influence extends far beyond his own era.
Thus, with The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka not only left a lasting mark on European literature, but also contributed to world culture a profound and timeless reflection on the individual confronted with a world whose meaning eludes him, perfectly embodying his unique universe, now identified by the term “Kafkaesque.”
literature
Who is the author of the short story The Metamorphosis published in 1915?
Answer
The author of the famous short story The Metamorphosis, published in 1915, is Franz Kafka, a major Czech writer of the 20th century with a strange universe.