Formalism and loss of the human dimension in Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis

Authors

  • Márcio José Coutinho Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5902/1679849X74214

Keywords:

Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis, Formalism, Human dimension

Abstract

The Metamorphosis is a work whose formalism (or realism, according to the Adornian conception) manifests itself through the deformation/ transformation of the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, into a cockroach. This deformation/transformation and its relationship with the formalist character of the work will be analyzed in the short story in question, in view of the contribution of such aspects to the compromised character of this literary text. In this sense, we emphasize the hypothesis that Gregor Samsa's transformation into a cockroach corresponds to the loss of his human dimension.

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Author Biography

Márcio José Coutinho, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS

Bolsista de Iniciação Científica do CNPq, participante do Projeto Integrado Literatura e Autoritarismo

References

ECO, Umberto. Seis passeios pelos bosques da ficção. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 1990.

HEISE, Eloá & RÖHL, Ruth. História da literatura alemã. Série Princípios. São Paulo: Ática, 1986.

KAFKA, Fanz. A metamorfose. Tradução de J. A. Teixeira Aguillar. Santiago: Publicações Europa América, 1988.

MARX, Karl & ENGELS, Friedrich. Fetichismo e reificação. In: Obras completas. MERQUIOR, José Guilherme. Arte e sociedade em Marcuse, Adorno e Benjamin. Rio Janeiro: Tempo Brasileiro, 1969.

STEINER, George. Language and silence. London: Pelican Book, 1969.

Published

2004-01-01 — Updated on 2004-01-01

Versions

How to Cite

Coutinho, M. J. (2004). Formalism and loss of the human dimension in Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. Literatura E Autoritarismo, (3). https://doi.org/10.5902/1679849X74214