[
In the Penal Colony] is one of the most memorable and provocative exemplars of Kafka’s idiom in what might be called the “punishment” phase of his writing, from 1912 to 1915. As in “Der Heizer” [“The Stoker”, written in 1912, the first chapter of the America novel], “Das Urteil” [“The Judgment”, 1912], “Die Verwandlung” [“The Metamorphosis”, 1912], and
Der Prozess[
The Trial, 1914-15], punishment is grossly disproportionate to any guilt that may have been incurred, and indeed by any reasonable measure, the misdemeanour being punished here can scarcely be counted a crime, let alone a capital one. The description of the elaborate execution apparatus and its procedure has the haunting detail and elusive symbolism of a vivid nightmare. The…
1919 words
Citation: Dodd, William J.. "In der Strafkolonie". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 20 April 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=14607, accessed 23 November 2024.]
