Franz Kafka's the Trial

by Harold Bloom (Editor)

A selection of critical essays on Franz Kafka's novel "The Trial."

142 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1987

About the author

Harold Bloom was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. In 2017, Bloom was called "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world." After publishing his first book in 1959, Bloom wrote more than 50 books, including over 40 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and one novel. He edited hundreds of anthologies concerning numerous literary and philosophical figures for the Chelsea House publishing firm. Bloom's books have been translated into more than 40 languages. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1995.
Bloom was a defender of the traditional Western canon at a time when literature departments were focusing on what he derided as the "school of resentment" (multiculturalists, feminists, Marxists, and others). He was educated at Yale University, the University of Cambridge, and Cornell University.

Reviews

[Victoria V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A greatest writer’s point of view to the felonious absurdity of bureaucracy and authorities.

[Boumy Sandberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

the best of Kafka

[Kirstie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one for the first time a couple of weeks ago...I'd read other Kafka works in high school but it's really been some time. In any case, I think the most interesting thing about this one is the feeling of being persecuted for no reason..for being innocent but chosen to go through a trial as if one had done something wrong. Kafka died before he could see his family members imprisoned and dead in concentration camps but I can't help but feel he must have picked up on an incoming psyche of how life is deeply unfair and would only get worse.

That said, this book is a classic but I did find a fault with it and that is Kafka imo spends a little too much time mired in the bureaucratic details of this judicial system and not enough concentrating on the anguish the main character is feeling having been accused. We get some of this but not nearly enough and I couldn't help feeling like if people are ever going to stop the inhumane nonsense of persecuting innocent people, they are going to need to relate to Josef K. and all those like him. Of course, the way the book is written does seem to heighten the effect of the ending but I won't spoil that for those who haven't read it yet.

A note on the translation..not sure who actually translated my book and how much difference people feel this makes in relation to this particular novel. My copy was so old it literally fell apart while I was reading it so I had to discard of it when finished. There were literally gigantic chunks of pages that started falling out right after I had finished reading them. I bought it from a used book store awhile ago but I didn't realize the binding in particular was in that bad of shape.

[Joselynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't want it to end that way. But really, it was the only way to end wasn't it? Kafka is a genius.

[John Mayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Master ! I have read this so many times and it never disappoints. I dedicated my first novel in The Parliament House Books series The Trial to this great man.

[Micebyliz]

Another book above my pay grade. I did get some of it, at least enough to know that i wasn't getting it :) Maybe my brain is not a sponge anymore...