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A Different Kafka by John Banville | The New York Review of Books

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October 24, 2013

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A Dierent Kafka
JohnBanville

Kafka:TheDecisiveYears

byReinerStach,translatedfromtheGermanbyShelleyFrisch PrincetonUniversityPress,581pp.,$24.95(paper)

Kafka:TheYearsofInsight
byReinerStach,translatedfromtheGermanbyShelleyFrisch PrincetonUniversityPress,682pp.,$35.00

FranzKafka:ThePoetofShameandGuilt
bySaulFriedlnder YaleUniversityPress,183pp.,$25.00

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A Different Kafka by John Banville | The New York Review of Books

HansGerdKoch,Hagen

FranzKafka(right)with,fromright,hissecretaryJulieKaiser,hissisterOttla,theircousinIrma,andthemaid Maenka,nearZrau,Bohemia,1917

WhatarewetomakeofKafka?Not,surely,whathemadeofhimself,oratleastwhathe wouldhaveusbelievehemadeofhimself.InalettertohislongsufferingfianceFelice Bauerhedeclared:IammadeofliteratureIamnothingelseandcannotbeanything else.Thiswasaconstantthemeofhismatureyears,andonethatheexpandedonina highlysignificantdiaryentryfromAugust1916:Mypenchantforportrayingmy dreamlikeinnerlifehasrenderedeverythingelseinconsequentialmylifehasatrophied terribly,anddoesnotstopatrophying. Ofcourse,Kafkaisnotthefirstwriter,norwillhebethelast,tofigurehimselfasamartyr tohisartthinkofFlaubert,thinkofJoycebutheisremarkableforthesingle mindednesswithwhichheconceivedofhisrole.Whoelsecouldhaveinventedthe torturemachineatthecenterofhisfrightfulstoryInthePenalColony,whichexecutes miscreantsbygravingtheirsentencelemotjuste!withametalstylusintotheirvery flesh? Hisconceptionofhimselfastormentedartistisalliedcloselytohisviewofhis predicamentasamanstrugglingtomaintainhishealthandsanityinthefaceofan unrelentinglyinhospitableworld.Intheannalsoflamentation,fromJobandJeremiahto BeckettsUnnamable,surelynoonehasdevotedhimselftothesustainedmoanwithsuch dedication,energy,andexquisitefinesseastheauthoroftheTheJudgmentandthe LettertoHisFather,ofthediaries,andofthecorrespondencewithFeliceBauerandhis loverMilenaJesensk,aswellashisfriendMaxBrod.1 Therearemoments,numerousmoments,whenthissupremeironistseemedtorecognize thecomicalaspectofhisendlesscomplaining,andthewintry,selfmockingsmilethat flashesoutatusontheseoccasionsispeculiarlyirresistible.Wethinktooofthatfamous incidentwhenKafkawasreadingaloudtheopeningpagesofTheTrialbeforeagroupof Praguefriendsbutlaughedsomuchthathehadtostopatintervals,whilehislisteners alsolaugheduncontrollably,despitewhatBroddescribedastheterriblegravityof thischapter.Thatmusthavebeenquiteanevening. DespitetheparticularityofKafkasworkandwhatotherwriterhasfashionedaliterary landscapeasinstantlyrecognizableashis?asanartistheisgenerallytakenforatabula rasa.Inhisshortstudy,FranzKafka:ThePoetofShameandGuilt,SaulFriedlnder quotestheGermanAmericancriticErichHellersdescriptionofKafkaasthecreatorof themostobscurelucidityinthehistoryofliterature,andgoesontonotehowtheopacity
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A Different Kafka by John Banville | The New York Review of Books

ofKafkastextshasallowedhimtoberegardedas aneuroticJew,areligiousone,amystic,aselfhatingJew,acryptoChristian,a Gnostic,themessengerofanantipatriarchalbrandofFreudianism,aMarxist,the quintessentialexistentialist,aprophetoftotalitarianismoroftheHolocaust,an iconicvoiceofHighModernism,andmuchmore. ItisnotablehowfewcriticsandcommentatorshaveseenKafkaasessentiallyaproduct ofhistimeandmilieuearlytwentiethcenturyMitteleuropaanditistoFriedlnders creditthathenotestheongoinginfluenceofExpressionismandcontemporaryworks offantasticliteraturesuchasGustavMeyrinksDerGolemonKafkasliterary sensibility.Thefactis,KafkawasasonofPraguetohisphthisicfingertips.Asayoung manheremarkedruefullythatthecityhadclaws,andwouldnotletgo.Heknewwell bothhimselfandhisbirthplace. ReinerStach,inhisongoingbiographyofKafka,strivesforasimilarlyintimate knowledgeofhissubject,andofthetimeandplaceinwhichhelivedandworked.Stach isatoncehighlyambitiousandadmirablyunassuming.Hewishes,hetellsus,to experiencewhatitwasliketobeFranzKafka,yetsuggeststhattheefforteventoget justalittlebitcloserisillusory: Methodologicalsnaresareofnousethecagesofknowledgeremainempty.So whatdoweachieveforallourefforts?ThereallifeofFranzKafka?Certainlynot. Butafleetingglanceatit,oranextendedlook,yes,perhapsthatispossible. Thismodestyisnotfalse,butitismisplaced.Sofar,twovolumesofthislatestKafka biographyhavebeenpublished.TheDecisiveYearsandTheYearsofInsightarevolumes twoandthreevolumeone,dealingwiththelifeupto1910,washeldupwhileStach waitedinhopevainhope,itwouldseemthatanimportantarchiveofMaxBrods papers,atpresentheldinIsrael,wouldbereleasedhowever,thebookisnowduefor publicationin2014. Ontheevidenceofthetwovolumesthatwealreadyhave,thisisoneofthegreatliterary biographies,tobesetuptherewith,orperhapsplacedonanevenhighershelfthan, RichardEllmannsJamesJoyce,GeorgePaintersMarcelProust,andLeonEdelsHenry James.Indeed,inthisworkStachhasachievedsomethingtrulyoriginal.2Bya combinationoftirelessscholarship,uncannyempathy,andwritingthatmightbestbe describedaspassionatelyfluent,3hedoestrulygiveasenseofwhatitwasliketobe FranzKafka.HehassethimselftheProustiantaskofsummoningup,andsummingup,
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A Different Kafka by John Banville | The New York Review of Books

anentireworld,andhasperformedthattaskwithremarkablesuccess.Theresultisan eerilyimmediateportraitofoneofliteraturesmostenduringandenigmaticmasters. PartofStachsmethodisapointbypointmappingofthebiographicalevidenceagainst theautobiographicalevidencewithintheworkandKafkaiseverywhere autobiographical,thoughheseekstocoverhistrackswithfinicalcare.Stachisin sympathywithKafkasdismissalofpsychology,andmaintainsanepistemological approachtohistask,cleavingtothefactsasheknowsthemandheknowsagreatmany andneverindulginginthekindoffancifulspeculationthatsomanybiographers permitthemselves.4 Onoccasionhewilltakeadeliberatestepbackinordertopresentabroadviewofthisor thataspectofKafkaslifeandwork.See,forinstance,involumethree,hisbrilliant exegesisontheprosefragmentTheGreatWallofChina.Thepiecefocusesnotonthe emperoronwhoseordersthewallwasconstructed,butontheconstructionitself,which wasbuiltnotasasingleentitybutratherinindividualsectionsfarapartfromone another,thesamemethod,Stachpointsout,thatKafkabroughttotheassemblingofhis novels,TheTrialinparticular.OftheGreatWall,Stachwrites: nooneapartfromthoseinthetopcommandcansaywithanycertaintyhowfarthe constructionhasprogresseditisnotevenclearwhetherthewallwillreallyhaveall thegapsfilledinwhentheworkisdone.Itisnevercompleted,andremainsa fragmentmadeupoffragments. InthiswaytheWallmatchesthemetastructurethathasbeencharacterizedasKafkas worldorKafkasuniverse. Volumetwo,TheDecisiveYears,begins,excitingly,inMay1910,withtheapproachof HalleysComet.Formonths,newspaperreportshadbeenwarningofapossible collision,giganticexplosions,firestorm,andtidalwaves,theendoftheworld.OnMay 18,thedaywhenthecometwouldeithersmashintotheearthormissit,excitedcrowds throngedthestreetsandcafsofPrague,amongthemathin,sinewymanaheadtaller thaneveryonearoundhim.OnewondershowmuchheedKafkapaidtothethreatened celestialcollision.Ifwearetotakethediariesandthelettersatfacevalue,heregarded themomentouseventsofhistimewithwearyindifference.Considerhisinfamousdiary entryforAugust2,1914:GermanyhasdeclaredwaronRussia.Swimminginthe afternoon.InthismatterStachtakesacharacteristicallysubtleapproach: OneoftheprimaryreasonsthatKafkahascometoberegardedasobliviousto realityandpoliticallyremoteisthathefocusedlessongreatlossesthemselves
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evenwhentheywerecatastrophicthanonthelargersignificanceoftheselosses, andthewaytheylaidbaretheessenceoftheeraasawhole.Thedeclineofagreat symbol,theendofatradition,thetipofthepyramidchoppedoff[e.g.,the assassinationoftheArchdukeFerdinandandthesubsequentdestructionofthe AustroHungarianEmpire]likemostofhiscontemporaries,heexperiencedthese eventsassignsofanirreversibledissolution. KafkawastwentyseventheyearofHalleysComet,andasStachnotes,withmuted wryness,thefifteenpageshehadpublishedalreadyshowedeveryindicationthathe wouldgofar.Thiswasnotapparenttoeveryone,andthelonglitanyofKafkas publishingwoesmakesfordispiritingreadinghowever,itshouldbesaidindefenseof hispublishersthatKafkamusthavebeenimpossibletodealwith.Yetalthoughhewas bothdiffidentanddifficult,thisdoesnotmeanhewasalsoindifferent.Thenotionthat hewasnotconcernedaboutpublicresonance,Stachwrites,thathewasimmunetoboth praiseandcriticism,isfalse.Indeed,itseemsthatduringWorldWarIheengageda clippingsagencysothathewouldnotmisseventhemostfleetingpublicreferencetohis work.Allthesame,hehadnoillusionsaboutthepossibilityofworldlysuccessandfame. Heremarkedwithmelancholyhumorofhisfirstbook,aslimvolumeentitledMeditation, ElevenbooksweresoldatAndrsstore.Iboughttenofthemmyself.Iwouldloveto knowwhohastheeleventh. Muchofhisenergy,physicalandspiritual,wasbenttothetaskofinsulatinghimself againsttheworldsaffronts.Intheprocess,Stachwrites,he establishedasystemofobsessionsthatwouldenhancehislifeonanarcissistic levelbutconsumeallhisvitality.HisstoryTheBurrowpresentsavividsymbol ofthis:Acreaturewhowallshimselfintoremainselfsufficient,inapermanent stateofsiege,isthereforecondemnedtopermanentvigilance.Everythingis threateningeveryspotisvulnerable.Onecannotletdownonesguardanywhere, everyactofcarelessnessispunished,andasingleleakwillsinktheship.Ifnothing canenter,andallcracksaresealed,nothingcanexiteither.Henotedlaconicallyin hisdiary,Myprisoncellmyfortress.Itishardtoimagineamoreprecise analogy. Butwhatisit,exactly,thatdriveshimdownintotheburrowofhimself,theretocowerin Kierkegaardianfearandloathing?Hesawhimselfasalien,hardlyhuman,acreaturewho, asoneofNietzschesfriendssaidofthephilosopher,seemedtocomefromaplacewhere nooneelselived.Why?Inseekingananswer,onereturnstoErichHellerselegant characterizationofKafkasprosestyleasatoncelucidandobscure.Nativespeakers
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assureusofthelimpidbeautyofKafkasGerman,ofitsunrivaledpurityand conciseness.Yethislanguage,likeFreuds,givesadistinctsenseofshroudedness.His sentencesmovelikeLoieFullersChinesedancersinYeatsspoemNineteenHundred andNineteen,whoenwound/Ashiningweb,afloatingribbonofcloth,insidewhich thedancersthemselvesseemednomorethanflickeringshadows.InKafka,somethingis alwaysnotbeingsaid.Whatisit? SaulFriedlnderhasastrongsuspicionaboutwhattheanswermightbe.Describing Kafka,beautifully,asthepoetofhisowndisorder,Friedlnderstateshiscasebaldly: TheseDiariesandtheLettersindicateclearlyenoughthatexceptfortheconstant ponderingabouthiswriting,thequintessenceofhisbeingtheissuestorturing Kafkamostofhislifewereofasexualnature. Laterhereinforcesthisview,insistingthatasidefromthetotalprimacyofwriting, sexualissuesturnedintothemostobsessivepreoccupationofKafkaslife.Ofwhat varietywerethesesexualissues?Allthesourcesindicatethathisfeelingsofguilt wererelatednottosomeconcreteinitiativesonhispartbuttofantasies,toimagined sexualpossibilities.Andthesepossibilities,Friedlndersuggests,werehomoeroticin origin. InoneofthemoreheatedpassagesduringthecourseofLolita,HumbertHumbertpauses tosurmisethatbynowhisrespectablereaderseyebrowswillhavetraveledto somewherenearthebackofhisbaldinghead.NodoubttherewillbemanyKafka admirersonwhomFriedlndersthesiswillhaveasimilareffect.Itisimportanttostress, therefore,thatFriedlnderisnofirebrandyoungacademicthirstingfortenureandbent onmakingascandalousnameforhimself.Heisemeritusprofessorofhistoryandholds theClub39EndowedChairofHolocaustStudiesatUCLAhewonthePulitzerPrizein 2008forhisbookTheYearsofExtermination:NaziGermanyandtheJews,19391945. HewasborninPrague,andanumberofaspectsofhislifechimewithKafkas:hisfather studiedlawatCharlesUniversityandbecame,likeKafka,legaladvisertoaPrague insurancefirmand,tragically,likethoseofKafkasthreesisters,myparentslives endedinGermancamps.However,theseechoesfromlongago wouldnothaveconvincedmeofwritingonatopicsofarremovedfrommyfield, history,butforveryspecificandhardlymentionedissuesthatIconsidered importantenoughtobebroughtupinasmallbiographicalessay. Oneisremindedoftheboywhocannotbutspeakoutastheemperorswishespastinhis
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invisiblenewclothesexceptthatinthiscasetheroyalpersonageisonlytooeagerthat nooneshouldseethefancyoutfitheissecretlywearing. Friedlnderbaseshiscasemostlyoninternalevidencefromthefictionalwritings,buthe alsofollowsupsomeexcisionsthatMaxBrodmadeinthepublishedversionsofthe lettersandthediaries.ThereisforinstanceanentryforFebruary2,1922,which, Friedlnderwrites,BrodcensoredintheEnglishtranslationbutleftunalteredinthe German.HereiswhatKafkawrote,withthecensoredpassagesinsquarebrackets: Struggleontheroadto[the]Tannensteininthemorning,strugglewhilewatching theskijumpingcontest.HappylittleB.,inallhisinnocencesomehowshadowedby myghosts,atleastinmyeyes[,speciallyhisoutstretchedleginitsgrayrolledup sock],hisaimlesswanderingglance,hisaimlesstalk.Inthisconnectionitoccursto mebutthisisalreadyforcedthattowardseveninghewantedtogohomewith me. Therearealsosomeadmiringglancesthrowninthedirectionofacoupleofhandsome Swedishyouths.Itishardlyadamningtestament.Whatisperhapsmostsignificantisthe factthatBrodfeltitnecessarytomakethesequietelisions,sinceitsuggestshehad definitesuspicionsabouthisfriendssexualinclination. FriedlnderfollowstheKafkascholarMarkAndersoninthinkingithighlyimprobable thatKafkaeverconsideredthepossibilityofhomosexualrelations.5Nordoeshefora momentseektosuggestthattheimaginedsexualpossibilitiesKafkamayhave entertainedareakeytounlocktheenigmasattheheartoftheKafkacanon.Allthesame, oncethisparticulargenieisoutofthebottlethereisnoforcingitbackinside.Repressed homosexualyearningscertainlywouldaccountforsomeofthemorestrikingofKafkas darkerpreoccupations,includingthedisgusttowardwomenthathesofrequently displays,6hisfascinationwithtortureandevisceration,andmostofall,perhaps,his lifelongobsessionwithhisfather,orbettersay,withtheFathertheeternalmasculine. ForsurelypooroldHermannKafka,smalltimebusinessmanandpurveyoroffancy goods,couldnothavefittedintotheshoes,indeed,thenineleagueboots,thatKafka fashionedforhiminthestoryheconsideredhisfirstrealartisticsuccess,The Judgment,inwhichafathercondemnsasontodrownhimself,andinthenevertobe deliveredLettertoHisFather,duringthelongtoilsofwhichthesondeclared:My writingwasaboutyouinit,ImerelylamentedwhatIwasunabletolamentatyourbreast. Itwasadeliberatelydrawnoutfarewellfromyou.Here,assooftenthroughoutKafkas writings,wesee,inoneofFriedlndersrarelapsesintonearpsychobabble,
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anevolutioninthesymbolicsignificanceofpaternalauthorityfromitsmost fundamentalpsychosexualfunction(inaFreudiansense)toitspreeminentsocial functionasrepresentingtraditionandthelaw. Kafkasrepeatedcriesofselfdisgustarestriking,andfrequentlyborderonthe hysterical.WritingtoMilenaJesenskheoffersoneofhisloveliestandmostterrifying metaphorsNoonesingsaspurelyasthosewhoinhabitthedeepesthellwhatwetake tobethesongofangelsistheirsongbutprecedesitwithatorturedadmissionorisit awarpedformofboasting?Iamdirty,Milena,infinitelydirty,thisiswhyIscreamso muchaboutpurity.Andthisfromanobsessivelyfastidiousteetotalerand semivegetarianwhoseelegantbluesuitsandspotlesslinenweresooftencommented uponbyfriendsandacquaintances.Kafkacertainlycarriedsomedarktroubledeepinside him. Hissecretiveness,hisdrivetowardanobscurelucidity,areevidentnotonlyinhislife butalsoinhisworkandinhisworkingmethods.Inafascinatingstudyoftheoriginal manuscriptofDasSchloss(TheCastle),theKafkatranslatorandscholarMarkHarman hastracedtheprocessbywhichKafkacutandeditedtheworksoastopreserveanaura ofineffablemysterybymakingeverythingsound[asKafkawrote]einwenig unheimlich[alittleuncanny].7 Theuneditedversionofthenovelwasbeguninthefirstperson,butpartwayalongKafka changedhismindandwentbackthroughthepagesandswitchedfromItoK.8Ks characterandmotivationsarespelledoutquiteopenly,toomuchsofortheauthor,whoin revisingthemanuscript,Harmanwrites,consistentlycrossedoutsentencesandpassages thatrevealahighdegreeofselfawarenessonhisherospart.ReinerStach,following Harmanslead,pointsoutthat Kafkawouldsurelyhaveunderminedthemysterious,parabolic,orallegorical structureofTheCastleifhehadhadhisprotagonistappearexplicitlyasaJewora writer,althoughthisdoubleexperienceofexclusionclearlyunderlayhisdogged battleforvillageandcastle. AsHarmanwrites,wecanattributemanyofthedeletionstoKafkasoftenexpressed dislikeofpsychology.However,insteadofentirelyeliminatingpsychology,Kafkaburied theworkingsofhisherospsycheintheintersticesofhiswriting. Intheend,noneofthismattered,asKafkaventuredsteadilyintoahithertounknown realm.InMarch1922hewroteinhisdiary,Somewherehelpiswaitingandthebeaters
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aredrivingmethere.Bythen,however,fatehadhimfirmlyinitssights.Fiveyears previously,inthesummerof1917,Kafkahadsufferedhisfirstpulmonaryhemorrhage. Hegreetedtheonsetofillnesswithreliefdeath,afterall,wouldsolvesomanythings describingittoafriendasspecialyoumightsayanillnessbestoweduponme. Thereisundoubtedlyjusticeinthisillnessitisajustblow,which,incidentally,Ido notfeelatallasablow,butassomethingquitesweetincomparisonwiththe averagecourseofthepastyears,soitisjust,butsocoarse,soearthly,sosimple,so wellaimedatthemostconvenientslot. Sicknesswastofreehimatlast,fromthedemandsoflife,fromhimself,andevenfrom literature.HetoldMaxBrod,WhatIhavetodo,Icandoonlyalone.Becomeclearabout theultimatethings.Hehadmuchtowrite,intheshorttimelefttohim,yethisendeavor nowwouldnotbepurelyliterarybut,inthedeepestsense,moral.InAtNight,oneof hislatefragments,hewroteandrepeated,wordforword,inalettertoFeliceBauer Someonemustwatch,itissaid.Someonemustbethere.Fromnowonhewouldbe bothsentinelandwitness,andhisachievementwouldbetranscendent.Inthelaststory thathecompleted,JosephinetheSinger,ortheMouseFolk,hedescribesJosephines pipingsong,whichhereisinitsrightplace,asnowhereelse,andwhichdespitethe thinnessofthemusicexpressesessentials: Somethingofourpoorbriefchildhoodisinit,somethingoflosthappinessthatcan neverbefoundagain,butalsosomethingofactivedailylife,ofitssmallgaieties, unaccountableandyetspringingupandnottobeobliterated.

1 Brod,thoughmistakeninsomethingshisrepresentationofKafkaasareligiouswriter,forinstancewasevercommonsensical.He largelyhadthemeasureofhisfriend,andevenafterKafkahadbeendiagnosedwithtuberculosisdidnothesitatetowritetohimwitha flatrebuke:Youarehappyinyourunhappiness. 2 InthematteroforiginalityofapproachoneshouldmentionPietroCitatisKafka(Englishtranslation1990)andRobertCalassosK. (Englishtranslation2005).Thesearenotbiographiesbutdeeplyperceptiveandpoeticmeditationsontheuniquephenomenonthat Kafkarepresented. 3 ItisashametorelegatepraiseofShelleyFrischstranslationtoafootnote,butontheotherhandonewantstosingleouttheclarityand unemphaticbeautyofherlanguage.StachcouldnothavehopedforabetterEnglishversionthanthis,anditisapttoquoteherehis remarkonKafkasownapproachtolanguage:StandardGermanremainedtheonlymediumKafkarespected,andheneverdeliberately wentbeyonditslimits,andcertainlynotformereeffectyetthejourneywithinthismediumtookhimintounchartedterritories. 4 Stachwrites:Abiographercannotdispenseadvice,andperfunctorylongdistancediagnosesofhumanrelationshipsthatgoback generationsorevenepochsareamongthevilestsideeffectsofthehistoricallevelingthathasbecomeprevalentalongwiththe discursivepredominanceofpsychology.
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5 WhateverhomoeroticdrivesmayhaveinformedKafkassexuality,hewasmostprobablynotapractisinghomosexualwhosimply translatedbiographicalexperienceintocodedliteraryform.SeeMarkM.Anderson,Kafka,HomosexualityandtheAestheticsof MaleCulture,inGenderandPoliticsinAustrianFiction,editedbyRitchieRobertsonandEdwardTimms(EdinburghUniversity Press,1996),p.80. 6 Ifindeverynewlywedcouplegoingontheirhoneymoonarevoltingsight,whetherIrelatemyselftothemornot,andifIwantto arousedisgustinmyself,Ineedonlyimagineputtingmyarmroundawomanswaist.QuotedinAnderson,GenderandPolitics,p. 96.Ontheotherhand,ReinerStachisadamantthatKafkasfemalecharacters...arerepresentativesofpowerandofaknowledgethatis notacquiredbysocialstatusbutconferredoneveryfemalepersontheseareprototypesofamythoffemininity. 7 SeeHarmansMakingEverythingalittleuncanny:KafkasDeletionsintheManuscriptofDasSchlossandWhatTheyCanTellUs AboutHisWritingProcess,inACompaniontotheWorkofFranzKafka,editedbyJamesRolleston(CamdenHouse,2002).This essaywastranslatedintoGermanbyReinerStachandpublishedinNeueRundschau,which,undertheeditorshipofRobertMusil, mightverywellhavepublishedKafkasTheMetamorphosisforthefirsttimeitappearedinsteadinDieweissenBltterin1915. CentralEuropewas,andis,asmallworld. 8 InJanuary1922,asKafkawasembarkingonthecompositionofTheCastle,hearrivedonesnowyeveninginthehealthresortof SpindelmhleintheRiesengebirgenearthePolishborder.AttheHotelKrone,wherehewasexpected,hefoundhewaslistedinthe hoteldirectoryasDr.JosefKafka.

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