636 Kafka, Franz
priests will have in Stephen’s life. He fears them, and
instinctively knows that many of the teachings to
which he is subjected in his life run counter to what
he knows about himself; however, at the same time,
he admires the commitment and the sacrifice of the
priesthood, and even considers that this role in life
might be his some day.
Joyce makes clear that Stephen’s admiration of
sacrifice is misplaced, and perhaps driven by his own
self-loathing. This self-loathing is not necessarily
caused by the Catholicism that surrounds him, but
it certainly is exacerbated by it. Joyce implies in the
text that it is the dual condition of being Irish and
being Catholic that keeps Stephen from breaking
free. When he is very young, he is present as the
adults in his family argue about Ireland, politics,
and religion. Charles Stewart Parnell, the most
important political leader in Ireland, has married a
divorced woman, Kitty O’Shea—and indeed been
the cause of her divorce—and the priests and bish-
ops of Ireland have declared that the Catholic faith-
ful must disavow allegiance to him. Stephen’s father
and family friend Mr. Casey believe that the priests
should stay out of politics, but Mrs. Riordan, whom
Stephen calls Dante, believes the opposite. She says,
“A priest would not be a priest if he did not tell his
flock what is right and what is wrong.” She follows
this with “The bishops and priests of Ireland have
spoken, and they must be obeyed.” It matters not,
to her, what the best course is politically; it matters
only what the priests say. The men at the table do
not agree with her, but they too are conflicted, as
they continue to call themselves Catholics despite
being unable to follow the priests’ edict. The Irish,
it seems, are governed by two masters—the English
and the Roman Catholic Church—and in this case,
at least, the two are in collusion to keep the people
oppressed.
This position of inferiority confuses Stephen,
for he rightly believes himself to be of extraordinary
disposition (thus, the “artist” in the title). At a reli-
gious retreat, he begins to sink to what is perhaps
his most confused state. The speaker tells the boys
they should be in fear for their immortal souls and
gives an extended and quite graphic description of
hell. He speaks to them of the “boundless, shore-
less, bottomless” torments: the darkness, the foul,
unbreathable stench, the fire, and ultimately, the
demon tormentors themselves. Stephen leaves the
retreat devastated, incredulous, yet convinced that
he could be one of the sinning, damned creatures
bound for this hell. He begins a life of self-denial,
constantly atoning for his worldly nature. He forces
himself to never consciously shift position in bed,
so as to cause himself pain; he purposefully seeks
out bad smells; he walks with his eyes downcast, so
as never to see beauty or meet the eyes of women.
Stephen believes he may one day be a candidate
for the priesthood, but as soon as a priest inquires
about this interest, he realizes that such a life
repulses him. He says, “He was destined to learn
his own wisdom apart from others or to learn the
wisdom of others himself wandering among the
snares of the world.”
Jennifer McClinton-TemplekaFka, Franz The Metamorphosis
(1915)
The Metamorphosis begins with the transformation
of Gregor Samsa into a giant insect. Samsa is an
ordinary man with family and work responsibilities
who dreams of a different life. His transformation
into an insect provides Samsa with the life-changing
opportunity that he desires. This transformation
also changes Gregor’s family by forcing them to
accept financial responsibility for themselves. This
change in the family dynamic makes Gregor an
outsider in his own family, and the subsequent
abuse he suffers leads to his death. It is only after
his death that Gregor and his family achieve peace.
Kafka’s story is a critique on the sacrifices that an
individual must make to keep the family unit going.
The Metamorphosis addresses the dehumanization of
work and family life through Gregor’s transforma-
tion. As a normal man, he is confined to his job and
his family responsibilities. As an insect, he is allowed
to forego these responsibilities and live a life free
from work. Gregor’s metamorphosis provides him
with the opportunity to become a master of his own
fate. Subsequently, Gregor’s family are also trans-
formed, from their financial dependence on Gregor
to financial independence from him. The Metamor-
phosis allows Gregor a measure of liberation from