Jan 17, 2025
Aakanksha Sharma
The fame of ‘Kafkaesque’
A word that seems to scream elegance and glamour on social media today is ‘Kafkaesque’. Mention the term in any conversation or gathering of people who like books, and all of a sudden you are the epitome of intellectual sophistication. But, do you know what it truly means?
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The man behind the word
The word ‘Kafkaesque’ comes from the name of author Franz Kafka, the man who wrote some of the most haunting, and yet thought-provoking books. Be it the man who turned into a bug, or a man who faced trial for a crime he did not know about, Kafka addressed the absurd.
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Kafka’s works
One of the most famous works by Kafka is undoubtedly ‘The Metamorphosis’. The story of Gregor Samsa being turned to a bug and facing isolation from his family and society has always amused and saddened readers.
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‘The Trial’ and its trials
Another famous work by Kafka is ‘The Trial’. This one features a man named Josef who is arrested for an unspecified crime and becomes trapped in the legal system with no real solution at hand, or means to escape. .
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The figments of love
The only time we see Kafka write and feel love is in his ‘Letters to Milena’. Milena was Kafka’s love and muse for the longest time, and the letters between them became a different part of his personality that was known to the very few.
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The Kafkaesque
‘Kafkaesque’ is not just a buzzword, it is a world of existential dread, of absurdities, and inescapable despair. From being held criminal for a crime you don’t know about, to trying to rule a region in ‘The Castle’, Kafkaesque spreads with his work.
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The grim nature of his world
Although it is a glamorous buzzword today and being in a ‘Kafkaesque’ state is considered ordinary or normal, this is not really something one should want to feel and experience. It is practically a situation where a person is trapped in oppressive systems and bizarre worlds.
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His own life
Kafka’s personal life was a mirror of his works. He worked as a bureaucrat, a profession he despised, and was always stuck between feelings of inadequacy, illness, and alienation, most of which came from the unloving nature of his father.
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Why is it becoming a buzzword?
The word has become famous not for its meaning but for how ‘intellectual’ and sophisticated it sounds. In fact, so many people have been describing their lives as ‘Kafkaesque’ just when they encounter the smallest of confusions or when things get complicated.
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More than just a buzzword!
Using ‘Kafkaesque’ to sound cool undermines the whole meaning and emotion behind it. It brings down the feelings that defined his work, and the turmoil that consumed him.
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Thanks For Reading!
Next: 10 most inspirational and motivational quotes from books and authors
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