26.9.14

Discovering Franz Kafka Writings And Kafkaesque Art

By Karina Frost


While Franz Kafka is known for his writings, a number of artists have incorporated different images into various pieces over time. This art, now often known as kafkaesque art, is popular all over the world. Whether for the love of horrific, nightmarish images or the emotions such art has been known to bring to the surface, art enthusiasts and writers alike tend to flock to shows featuring this type art.

Most of the writer's work expresses the absurdity of society today. In particular, the growth of capitalism and a lack of personal attention when it comes to bureaucracy and red tape. Often, the individuals in his books stand alone in opposition to others' ideologies and lifestyles. Kafkaesque is a label now given to art by artists to describe absurd and surreal characteristics like those found in his many writings.

Kafka seems to portray a world in which God is dead, if present at all, with the individual on trial for crimes in a past life. The trial, to survive the world which has become void of purpose or meaning. Regardless of beliefs, individuals can still find references to religious and spiritual aspects in his work.

Current events and concerns about the future figured prominently in the writings of Kafka. He believed, or at least portrayed a belief that the world was void of meaning and purpose. As a result of this belief, the writer provided an ideology that most societies are less than hospitable in most situations.

The writer, being from a middle class Germanic Jewish family from Prague has many reasons for his views of society. While he was born to a Germanic Jewish family, he identified as Austrian and Hungarian rather than German. With dual citizenship, he also spoke a second language of Czech though not as well as his native language.

The writer delved into a lot of different interests in his personal and professional life. His educational experience includes a focus in chemistry, law, science and English. One reason for his varied interests being that the more he knew, the better career opportunities he would most likely have in the future.

At that time, writers were known more as hobbyists than having a career in the field. While this is still the case for some, most published writers are considered to have a career in the area. Sadly, for Franz Kafka, while known as one of the most prolific writers of his time, it appears he did not see English, or writing as a solid career choice which could stand on its own.

Like many artists, he suffered from anxiety and depression. While having a somewhat negative belief in medicine, he did try a number of different natural treatments. One in particular, which is thought to have possibly been the reason for the tuberculosis was the large amount of unpasteurized milk he drank during his lifetime. While this may have been the case, it is also believed a vegetarian diet most likely being the reason he lived as long as he did, even after the tuberculosis diagnosis.




About the Author: