Transformation - Henshin (English spelling) Die Verwandlung

A short story by the German author Kafka. Published in 1915. Salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning from a heavy dream to find himself transformed into an incredibly poisonous insect. Gregor is anxious about going on a business trip, but when his son Gregor does not come out of his room, his father, mother, and sister are worried, and the manager comes to investigate, and Gregor appears before them, causing great confusion. The misfortune of the son who is the family's breadwinner puts the family in dire straits. The sister devotedly takes care of the poisonous insect, but its strange appearance arouses fear in the family, and the father inflicts serious injuries on her. The father and sister go to work, the mother does piecework, and they take in three lodgers, but when the lodger sees the poisonous insect, he declares that he is leaving the house, causing the sister to explode with rage at Gregor. However, the next morning the poisonous insect dies, and the family joyfully goes for a walk in the suburbs. The mysterious transformation has been subject to various interpretations, but it offers a brutally direct look into the inhuman aspects of modern professional and domestic life.

[Yoshihiko Shiroyama]

"Metamorphosis" (translated by Yoshitaka Takahashi, Shincho Bunko / translated by Hajime Yamashita, Iwanami Bunko / translated by Masafumi Nakai, Kadokawa Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ドイツ語作家カフカの短編小説。1915年発表。セールスマンのグレーゴル・ザムザは、朝、重苦しい夢から覚めると、自分が途方もない毒虫に変わっているのに気がつく。出張する予定のグレーゴルは焦るが、部屋から出てこない息子グレーゴルを心配する父、母、妹と、事情を調べにきた支配人の前に現れて、大混乱が起きる。一家を支える息子の不幸で、家族は非常な苦境に陥る。妹は献身的に毒虫の世話をするが、その怪奇な姿は家族の恐怖を呼び起こし、父からは重傷を負わされる。父、妹は勤めに出て、母は内職し、3人の下宿人を置くようになるが、毒虫を見た下宿人は家を出ると宣言し、妹はグレーゴルに怒りを爆発させる。しかし翌朝毒虫は死に、一家は喜々として郊外へ散歩に出ていく。不思議な変身について、さまざまな解釈が行われたが、現代の職業生活、家庭生活について、その非人間的な面が残酷なまでに直視されている。

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