The Persistence of Patriarchy in Franz Kafka's “Judgment”

Abstract

Though commentators such as Gerhard Neumann have read Kafka's “Judgment” as a critique of patriarchal authority and the tyranny of familial relations, the story's powerful effect originates from the affirmation of patriarchal authority which motivates its plot. The story situates the protagonist in a conflict between the demands of a patriarchal family and a universalist culture outside the family based on friendship. The victory of the father and the resulting death of the son function as part of an attempt to recover traditional structures of authority which have been eroded by a modern notion of culture based on individual freedom and ‘elective’ affinities rather than binding ones. The death of the son is not an example of senseless repression but of a self‐sacrifice of modern and individualist desires in favor of the patriarchal authority of the father.

Physical Versus Spiritual Suicide

“…He also mentions that the Father of Kafka was conservative and both have different mindset that lead to a conflict between them, and we see solid representation of this in short story The Judgement. Pan (2000) comments that, "In this conflict between the father's authority and the affinity relation to the friend as determiners of Georg's identity" (p.132). Pan says that the father of Georg is conservative with narrow minded beliefs, father is unable to understand his son's feelings, and this behavior towards the Georg has the negative impact on him that leads to repression of his identity.…”