‘The Trial’ by Kafka

“THE TRIAL” BY KAFKA
Various Interpretations

Prof. C.S. SHUKLA
M.J. College of Commerce, Bhavnagar (Gujarat)

The urge to explain different aspects presented in the novel: “The Trial” becomes stronger, as we follow the actions of Joseph K., who is on the trial. Kafka presents complicated and seemingly meaningless matters in such a simple, direct and lucid style that we are amazed at the craftsmanship of this master writer. We often get confused, if we try to find out the solutions of all actions to their logical end. Certain things in the novel can happen and certain things seem shockingly unbelievable. The ideas and images that are presented seem convincing enough, but the objects, which they represent can exist only in the insensible world. If we try to look for some defined order either of form or of theme, it will be a futile groping.

Opinions differ. Like the story of the elephant, the object can be subjected to various explanations. These explanations are there. One of these interpretations can be correct, it may be the right perception of the matter. The understanding and misunderstanding of the same matter may co-exist. They do not wholly exclude each other. If we present the most plausible and convincing argument, there will be more forthcoming, equally plausible and strong. We can present only the relative study of the matter.

Joseph K., a high officer of a bank is tried by a mysterious court for some mysterious offence. The whole trial is shrouded in mystery. He must have committed a very serious crime, because he is executed in a very brutal way at the end. The knife is thrust into his heart and turned there twice.

The novel is full of contradictions and ambiguities and as Eric Heller puts it: “It fails in aesthetic and in ethical logic”. A nightmare will not become a novel, even if it is pursued and elaborated through episode after episode.

“The Trial” is full of several possibilities – nature of Joseph K’s guilt, nature of law, nature of legal order at various levels, nature of punishment meted out to people and enforcement of law. The law is present. Its presence is felt. It is valid and glorious, but the people, who execute the law are of doubtful identities and characters. Perhaps, this is suggestive of the goodness of law and the evil of its execution. The law is essentially good, but when it comes to execution through different levels of authorities, it tends to degenerate. Does Kafka want to point out this common popular experience? The downward filtration of the execution to the lowest level makes it less and less corresponding to the spirit of the original and hence less and less morally effective. The sensuous world, the physical world is the evil of the spiritual world. Any attempt to translate this spiritual order into physical application would result in nothing but degeneration and evil.

The doorkeepers of the law are dismal. The judges are of mysterious characters. The executioners are ruthless and merciless, but they exist. This state is the concrete shape of the higher order­–ideal judiciary order.

What is Joseph K’s guilt? He did not live “here and now” in this world sufficiently. He lacked faith in the solid living – “life”. The ignorance of the law is Joseph K’s guilt. He was concerned with work-world only. He thinks that he is innocent. Engrossed in his own world, he does not know the court, its existence. He leads the “motivated life”. He has created his own work-world. Joseph K’s life was limited, normal, conceptual and ordered. If he leaps from this world into genuine universal order: breakthrough in the consciousness, breakthrough for the salvation is possible. What is required is the leap of faith. Otherwise, such existence, as of Joseph K’s, can be termed as the existence of the dead man. The story points out, though through suggestive images, the story of fall of man.

“The Trial” underlines the futility and evil character of existe­nce. Our very birth is in itself a “sin”; but once we are in this world, we should live courageously. People like Joseph K have sinned once more because they have not faced the challenges of life with tenacity, courage and abundance – we have failed misera­bly to enjoy the fruits of the Tree of Life. This tree signifies the laborious, simple, natural life of Wordsworth; hard; diligent, honest life of our forefathers, earning the bread by the sweat of the brow.

Psychological, theological, political interpretations are extended to explain the ambiguous nature of the episodes in the novel. The personality of Kafka’s father was overpowering and it belittled Kafka’s personality, and he felt a sort of inferiority so far as practical business work-world was concerned. At times, the rules of the world were incomprehensible to him. As he could not quite make out “the rules”, he could not follow them. This resulted in the void. He tried to find solace in women, but proved to be groping, ineffective and lacking, as represented in the story of Fraulin Bur­stner, Leni and the Washerwoman. Joseph K. tries to get involved in his business world, but as the trial goes on, he becomes fumbling. The strain begins to tell on him and then it seems futile. He is ultimately destroyed by the court. The novel shows the effect of the burden of living on the modern man. Such and such things happened to Joseph K and he could not bear the tensions. Such other things happen to the people and they are reduced almost to a breaking point. The episodes in the novel look like a nightmare. A very strange, perverse, thrilling and sometimes curious atmosphere created by showing outstretched hand, peering eyes, real and im­aginary ears and curious court places and punishing rooms. This, indeed shows the load of anxiety, an inner look into the subconscious and “pre-conscious”. Sometimes the sub-conscious fears break into the conscious world. When this happens, the inner visions are re­vealed in such a way that they do not look like sensible, orderly and “made to a pattern”, whatever it is, Kafka is ingeniously suc­cessful in presenting this obscure mass of ideas in the most sensible way. The modern man is tossed and tormented by the dilemma of life.

Does Kafka mean any spiritual explanation through the story? Does it pertain to a spiritual explanation of soul’s salvation? Is it an effort to show pilgrim’s progress? The soul endeavours to attain the ultimate reality. God is waiting for his devotee to come to him but cannot do anything Himself to help his devotee.

Man himself has to find his own solutions, guide himself and find “Mukti”. The intermediary advocates, and the organised religions, represented by different gates are, in a way, the guiding paths. Is salvation and realisation possible after death only?

The organisational aspects of the society hinder the path and make the man wayward. It is not possible to do away with the set-up. The dictates of the law are followed and enforced in letters. This rigidity this “whipping and torture” of the people representing dictatorial Austrian regime in Kafka’s time suggests a wish to find some equitable, justifiable, alternative for social order.