The Judgement

🇩🇪 Germany: The Judgement, Franz Kafka

Summary

The Judgement by Franz Kafka tells the story of Georg Bendemann, a young businessman who becomes embroiled in a disturbing conflict with his elderly father.  The story opens with Georg writing a letter to a childhood friend who has fallen on hard times in Russia. He hesitates to tell his friend about his recent engagement to Frieda Brandenfeld, worried about how the news might be received.  When Georg finally shares the news with his father, a seemingly innocuous conversation takes a sinister turn. His father, who initially appears frail and bedridden, becomes increasingly aggressive and accusatory, ultimately declaring that Georg has betrayed his friend and is unfit to live.

The power dynamic between father and son shifts dramatically as the father rises from his bed, towering over Georg and delivering a devastating judgement: "I sentence you to death by drowning!"  Georg, overwhelmed by guilt and a sudden sense of self-loathing, flees the house and, in a desperate act of compliance with his father's condemnation, throws himself from a bridge.  Kafka masterfully creates an atmosphere of claustrophobia and paranoia, blurring the lines between reality and the protagonist's internal turmoil.

The story is open to various interpretations, often viewed as an exploration of themes such as guilt, authority, and the complex relationship between fathers and sons. Some critics see it as an allegory for the Oedipal complex, highlighting the son's subconscious desire to overthrow the father. Others focus on the story's reflection of Kafka's own anxieties and his strained relationship with his father.  The ambiguity of the narrative and the sudden, shocking ending leave the reader to grapple with the psychological complexities of the characters and the unsettling nature of their fate.

The Judgement is a powerful example of Kafka's distinctive literary style, characterised by its dreamlike atmosphere, its exploration of alienation and existential dread, and its portrayal of the individual's struggle against unseen forces of power and control.  It remains a chilling and thought-provoking work that continues to resonate with readers today.

Discussion questions