How, and in what ways can we use Freud's ideas on family romances/drama to read The Metamorphosis? Does the story assert or challenge these ideas, and where might we see examples of this?
I wonder if The Metamorphis into a bug can connect with the oedipus complex. Could the character turn into a bug to get the mother's attention away from the father? We see the mother and sister want to see him even though he is a bug, but the father does not want him ever in sight. The father is still maintaining his possession of the mother by keeping her from the son who may desire his mother. I was slightly expecting The Metamorphosis to end the way it did. I was not expecting him to return to human form, or be accepted by the father and be allowed outside of his bedroom. Because I was not anticipating any of these endings, I suspected death to be the ending.
In Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa’s relationship with his father effectively demonstrates the nature of an Oedipus complex. Before Gregor’s transformation, one assumes that his father’s reign as the family patriarch has long since come to an end; the father, previously a wealthy and successful man, is now old and weak, emasculated by Gregor, the son who has taken his place and now quite proudly provides for the family. However, as soon as Gregor undergoes the physical part of his transformation—a symbolic form of emasculation, through which he is rendered helpless and incapable—the father begins to reclaim his seat of power; the initial hesitance in his response to his son’s transformation yet intimates the inevitability of his comeback. He starts off “with a fierce expression on his face as if he mean[s] to knock Gregor back to his room,” aggressive and fearsome, yet soon “look[s] uncertainly around the living room, cover[s] his eyes with his hands, and [weeps] until his great chest heave[s]” (Kafka 66). This mention of his “great chest” alludes to the sheer physical force of his body and presence, both of which are now far more powerful than his son’s. In a fit of unanticipated violence, the father “mak[es] more noise than ever in an effort to drive Gregor forward, as if there [is] no obstacle in the way at all,” physically asserting the dominance he seeks to recover. His “strong push which [is] literally a deliverance,” which severely cripples his son, serves as a confirmation of this irreversible switching of roles (71). The second time he attacks Gregor his voice “sound[s] at once angry and exultant,” for he resents his son but relishes his return to power. Gregor no longer recognizes his father. Indeed he “[can] not risk standing up to him,” this violent, confrontational man who even tries to kill him, in an effort to displace him entirely and permanently (90). The father’s insistence on wearing his uniform at all times is a physical symbol of his authority, one that he, though he has clearly secured this role, deems necessary. In overthrowing his son—who, in initially replacing his father, was already in danger of emasculation—he has justifiably retrieved his former identity. Gregor also exhibits a strange sexual fascination with his mother and his sister, Grete, both of whom he sees or pictures in a state of undress. He thinks of Grete undressed, “just [getting] out of bed”—an incredibly intimate image (61). When his mother begs the father for Gregor’s life she “rush[es] out. . .in her underbodice. . .leaving her loosened petticoats, one after another, behind her on the floor” (91). Gregor even imagines living in his room, alone with his sister, in which she would stay in of her own accord. What’s more, he pictures “rais[ing] himself to her shoulder and kiss[ing] her on the neck”—her bare neck—“which. . .she [keeps] free of any ribbon or collar” (101). The ending seems to be yet another reassertion of the father's reclaiming of his power; the metamorphosis of the whole family is illustrated--a family that is happy, as it now lacks the combative, oedipal conflict between father and son. Additionally, the metamorphosis of Grete, who has since grown from a girl into a young woman, is highlighted.
Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” can definitely be read in light of Freud’s Family Romances. Freud’s concept of the family is entangled and permeated by sexuality and sexual desire. As he delineates, it is this sexuality that creates tension and competition within the familial structure, specifically between a father and son. Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” is not directly about sexual desire, however, it does include friction between Gregor and his father. When Gregor transforms into the grotesque insect form, it frightens and disgusts his entire family. Despite this immediate aversion to him, his mother and sister, Grete, attempt to adjust to Georg’s new form. The mother is not as successful as Grete at this, however, it is important to note that there is still some form of a relationship between them. Gregor’s father completely rejects him, though. In the beginning of the story, Mr. Samsa is diminished and dependent – neither of which are characteristics of a patriarch in Freud’s conception of patriarchal family structures. However, once Gregor transforms into a bug and attracts the attention of his mother, even if by making her faint, Mr. Samsa undergoes a transformation of his own; he becomes aggressive and violent towards Gregor. In a Freudian lens, this circumstance could be a product of the competition for a mother’s affection and attention between a father and son. When Gregor gains attention from his mother by becoming a bug (although it is obviously not very positive attention), his father comes out of his emasculated role and asserts himself, while further rejecting Gregor. Another way that it can be read in light of Freud’s concept of the family, is by challenging this structure (initially, at least). In the beginning of the story, Gregor is the sole provider for his family, and his father assumes a similar role to the women in the family by being dependent. This circumstance challenges traditional patriarchal family structures. Gregor’s transformation causes his father to become more aggressive and take his powerful role in the family back from his son, though. So, in this sense, the family structure in the story is consistent with the Freudian ‘family’ because there is still great conflict between the father and son. As for the ending, I found it abrupt, but it nonetheless matched my expectations. I did not expect for Gregor’s situation to reverse in his favor.
The story provides us with a relationship between father and son that demonstrates what Freud was discussing. Gregor works all the time and wants more than anything to be able to stop working, however, he can't because no one else in his family works. At the beginning the father is lazy, and Gregor is respectful towards him although he is the one who does everything in the household. Eventually the father becomes more powerful and Gregor becomes weaker. Gergor is eventually disowned by his family with the exception of possibly his sister. The story takes a change of power during the moment where Gregor's father launches an apple at him and it gets stuck in his wing. Much like in "the Judgement" when the father eventually becomes more powerful and the story turns. Gregor ends up being neglected to the point where he can no longer live and starves to death. What Freud was saying was that the relationship between father and son can be an intoxicating one.If the son can never leave his childhood house and has to continue taking care of his family than the son never reaches the next step in life because the father remains in charge.
I wonder if The Metamorphis into a bug can connect with the oedipus complex. Could the character turn into a bug to get the mother's attention away from the father? We see the mother and sister want to see him even though he is a bug, but the father does not want him ever in sight. The father is still maintaining his possession of the mother by keeping her from the son who may desire his mother.
ReplyDeleteI was slightly expecting The Metamorphosis to end the way it did. I was not expecting him to return to human form, or be accepted by the father and be allowed outside of his bedroom. Because I was not anticipating any of these endings, I suspected death to be the ending.
In Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa’s relationship with his father effectively demonstrates the nature of an Oedipus complex. Before Gregor’s transformation, one assumes that his father’s reign as the family patriarch has long since come to an end; the father, previously a wealthy and successful man, is now old and weak, emasculated by Gregor, the son who has taken his place and now quite proudly provides for the family.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as soon as Gregor undergoes the physical part of his transformation—a symbolic form of emasculation, through which he is rendered helpless and incapable—the father begins to reclaim his seat of power; the initial hesitance in his response to his son’s transformation yet intimates the inevitability of his comeback. He starts off “with a fierce expression on his face as if he mean[s] to knock Gregor back to his room,” aggressive and fearsome, yet soon “look[s] uncertainly around the living room, cover[s] his eyes with his hands, and [weeps] until his great chest heave[s]” (Kafka 66). This mention of his “great chest” alludes to the sheer physical force of his body and presence, both of which are now far more powerful than his son’s.
In a fit of unanticipated violence, the father “mak[es] more noise than ever in an effort to drive Gregor forward, as if there [is] no obstacle in the way at all,” physically asserting the dominance he seeks to recover. His “strong push which [is] literally a deliverance,” which severely cripples his son, serves as a confirmation of this irreversible switching of roles (71). The second time he attacks Gregor his voice “sound[s] at once angry and exultant,” for he resents his son but relishes his return to power.
Gregor no longer recognizes his father. Indeed he “[can] not risk standing up to him,” this violent, confrontational man who even tries to kill him, in an effort to displace him entirely and permanently (90).
The father’s insistence on wearing his uniform at all times is a physical symbol of his authority, one that he, though he has clearly secured this role, deems necessary. In overthrowing his son—who, in initially replacing his father, was already in danger of emasculation—he has justifiably retrieved his former identity.
Gregor also exhibits a strange sexual fascination with his mother and his sister, Grete, both of whom he sees or pictures in a state of undress. He thinks of Grete undressed, “just [getting] out of bed”—an incredibly intimate image (61). When his mother begs the father for Gregor’s life she “rush[es] out. . .in her underbodice. . .leaving her loosened petticoats, one after another, behind her on the floor” (91). Gregor even imagines living in his room, alone with his sister, in which she would stay in of her own accord. What’s more, he pictures “rais[ing] himself to her shoulder and kiss[ing] her on the neck”—her bare neck—“which. . .she [keeps] free of any ribbon or collar” (101).
The ending seems to be yet another reassertion of the father's reclaiming of his power; the metamorphosis of the whole family is illustrated--a family that is happy, as it now lacks the combative, oedipal conflict between father and son. Additionally, the metamorphosis of Grete, who has since grown from a girl into a young woman, is highlighted.
Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” can definitely be read in light of Freud’s Family Romances. Freud’s concept of the family is entangled and permeated by sexuality and sexual desire. As he delineates, it is this sexuality that creates tension and competition within the familial structure, specifically between a father and son. Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” is not directly about sexual desire, however, it does include friction between Gregor and his father. When Gregor transforms into the grotesque insect form, it frightens and disgusts his entire family. Despite this immediate aversion to him, his mother and sister, Grete, attempt to adjust to Georg’s new form. The mother is not as successful as Grete at this, however, it is important to note that there is still some form of a relationship between them. Gregor’s father completely rejects him, though.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the story, Mr. Samsa is diminished and dependent – neither of which are characteristics of a patriarch in Freud’s conception of patriarchal family structures. However, once Gregor transforms into a bug and attracts the attention of his mother, even if by making her faint, Mr. Samsa undergoes a transformation of his own; he becomes aggressive and violent towards Gregor. In a Freudian lens, this circumstance could be a product of the competition for a mother’s affection and attention between a father and son. When Gregor gains attention from his mother by becoming a bug (although it is obviously not very positive attention), his father comes out of his emasculated role and asserts himself, while further rejecting Gregor.
Another way that it can be read in light of Freud’s concept of the family, is by challenging this structure (initially, at least). In the beginning of the story, Gregor is the sole provider for his family, and his father assumes a similar role to the women in the family by being dependent. This circumstance challenges traditional patriarchal family structures. Gregor’s transformation causes his father to become more aggressive and take his powerful role in the family back from his son, though. So, in this sense, the family structure in the story is consistent with the Freudian ‘family’ because there is still great conflict between the father and son.
As for the ending, I found it abrupt, but it nonetheless matched my expectations. I did not expect for Gregor’s situation to reverse in his favor.
The story provides us with a relationship between father and son that demonstrates what Freud was discussing. Gregor works all the time and wants more than anything to be able to stop working, however, he can't because no one else in his family works. At the beginning the father is lazy, and Gregor is respectful towards him although he is the one who does everything in the household. Eventually the father becomes more powerful and Gregor becomes weaker. Gergor is eventually disowned by his family with the exception of possibly his sister.
ReplyDeleteThe story takes a change of power during the moment where Gregor's father launches an apple at him and it gets stuck in his wing. Much like in "the Judgement" when the father eventually becomes more powerful and the story turns. Gregor ends up being neglected to the point where he can no longer live and starves to death. What Freud was saying was that the relationship between father and son can be an intoxicating one.If the son can never leave his childhood house and has to continue taking care of his family than the son never reaches the next step in life because the father remains in charge.