Franz Kafka in Context

Accessible essays place Kafka in historical, political and cultural context, providing new and often unexpected perspectives on his works.

This innovative book places Kafka's work in its many varied contexts. Accessible essays by leading Kafka scholars discuss his texts from new and often unexpected angles. They include his relation to Czech literature, modern culture, the role of Prague in the First World War, and friendship, illness and sexuality.Franz Kafka (1883–1924) lived through one of the most turbulent periods in modern history, witnessing a world war, the dissolution of an empire and the foundation of a new nation state. But the early twentieth century was also a time of social progress and aesthetic experimentation. Kafka's novels and short stories reflect their author's keen but critical engagement with the big questions of his time, and yet often Kafka is still cast as a solitary figure with little or no connection to his age. Franz Kafka in Context aims to redress this perception. In thirty-five short, accessible essays, leading international scholars explore Kafka's personal and working life, his reception of art and culture, his engagement with political and social issues, and his ongoing reception and influence. Together they offer a nuanced and historically grounded image of a writer whose work continues to fascinate readers from all backgrounds.