by Franz Kafka
Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir
Give it Up!
IT WAS very early in the morning, the streets clean and deserted, I was on my way to the station. As I compared the tower clock with my watch I realized it was much later than I had thought and that I had to hurry; the shock of this discovery made me feel uncertain of the way, I wasn't very well acquainted with the town as yet; fortunately, there was a policeman at hand, I ran to him and breathlessly asked him the way. He smiled and said: "You asking me the way?" "Yes," I said, "since I can't find it myself." "Give it up! Give it up!" said he, and turned with a sudden jerk, like someone who wants to be alone with his laughter.
Translated by Tania and James Stern
On Parables
MANY complain that the words of the wise are always merely parables and of no use in daily life, which is the only life we have. When the sage says: "Go over," he does not mean that we should cross to some actual place, which we could do anyhow if the labor were worth it; he means some fabulous yonder, something unknown to us, something that he cannot designate more precisely either, and therefore cannot help us here in the very least. All these parables really set out to say merely that the incomprehensible is incomprehensible, and we know that already. But the cares we have to struggle with every day: that is a different matter.
Concerning this a man once said: Why such reluctance? If you only followed the parables you yourselves would become parables and with that rid of all your daily cares.
Another said: I bet that is also a parable.
The first said: You have won.
The second said: But unfortunately only in parable.
The first said: No, in reality: in parable you have lost.
Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir
POSTSCRIPT
Albert Camus once said that "the whole of Kafka's art consists in compelling the reader to re-read him." Since the interpretations of Kafka are many and the search for the meaning of his stories seemingly endless, the reader will return to the story itself in the hope of finding guidance from within. Thus a second reading will — hopefully — become a commentary on the first, and subsequent readings will — again hopefully — shed light on the preceding ones. It is the purpose of this volume to provide ready access to the entire corpus of Kafka's stories; they, rather than the novels, constitute the very core of his brief life's work.
The longer stories which form the bulk of the volume are followed by a collection of shorter stories and sketches. All stories published by Kafka during his lifetime and the material from the literary estate that Max Brod selected for publication after Kafka's death are included. Within the two parts (the longer and the shorter stories) a chronological order has been attempted. The notes by Max Brod and, later, the efforts of Klaus Wagenbach, Malcolm Pasley, and Ludwig Dietz to establish a literary chronology have been consulted and have offered welcome aid. Some dates remain approximations only.
Kafka chose the titles of the stories in the case of material published by himself. All other tales were given their titles by Max Brod, except for "Description of a Struggle," "The Village Schoolmaster," "The Bucket Rider," "The Great Wall of China," "A Crossbreed," and "The Problem of Our Laws," which come from Kafka's hand.
"The Stoker," though published by Kafka as a separate story, is not included; it has its rightful place as the first chapter of the novel Amerika. Two brief dialogues, "Conversation with the Supplicant" and "Conversation with the Drunk," also published by Kafka, have been omitted; they reappear in their proper context in "Description of a Struggle." However, "The Trees," "Clothes," and "Excursion into the Mountains" — also from "Description of a Struggle" — were retained. And, because of their special significance, two pieces, parts of other works by Kafka, are reproduced here as "introductory parables": "Before the Law," which reappears in the novel The Trial; and "An Imperial Message," whose place is in "The Great Wall of China." The fragments of "The Hunter Gracchus", "The Great Wall of China," and "A Report to an Academy" are placed after the stories that bear these titles. "The Warden of the Tomb," Kafka's only piece in dramatic form, was given hospitality in this volume of stories.
In 1934, a decade after Franz Kafka's death, Schocken Verlag, Berlin, acquired the world rights to his works in an agreement made with Kafka's mother and with Max Brod, whom the author had appointed his literary executor. Between 1935 and 1937, Schocken Verlag published the first German edition of Kafka's collected writings. In 1946, Schocken Books Inc., New York, reissued this German-language edition, and has since published English-language translations of most of the works (see Bibliography). In 1950, Schocken granted a license to S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, for German publication of Kafka's oeuvre. Kafka's writings have been translated and published in many countries, east and west. British editions are published by Martin Seeker & Warburg Ltd., London.
A critical edition of Kafka's complete works is being planned. This edition will make use of the original manuscripts deposited in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, and of other collections.
NAHUM N. GLATZER
June 1971
BIBLIOGRAPHY
I. KAFKA'S STORIES AND COLLECTIONS OF STORIES PUBLISHED DURING HIS LIFETIME
(For details, see the notes to the individual stories.)
Betrachtung. Leipzig: Rowohlc Verlag, 1913.
Das Urteil. Eine Geschichte. Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1913.
Der Heizer. Ein Fragment, Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1913.
Die Verwandlimg. Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1915; 2d ed., 1918.
In der Strafkolonie. Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1919.
Ein Landarzt. Kleine Erzählungen. Munich and Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1919.
Ein Hungerkünstler. Vier Geschichten. Berlin: Verlag Die Schmiede, 1924.
II. KAFKA'S WORKS PUBLISHED AFTER HIS DEATH
Der Prozess. Berlin: Verlag Die Schmiede, 1925.
Das Schloss. Munich: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1926.
Amerika. Munich: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1927.
Beim Bau der Chinesischen Mauer. Ungedruckte Erzählungen und Prosa aus dem Nachlass. Hsg. von Max Brod und Hans Joachim Schoeps [edited by Max Brod and Hans Joachim Schoeps]. Berlin: Gustav Kiepenheuer Verlag, 1931.
Vor dem Gesetz. Von Heinz Politzer aus den Schriften Kafkas zusammengestellt [collected by Heinz Politzer from Kafka's writings]. Berlin: Schocken Verlag, 1934 (Bücherei des Schocken Verlags, No. 19).
III. COLLECTED WORKS IN GERMAN
Gesanrmelte Schriften. Hsg. von Max Brod (in Gemeinschaft mit Heinz Politzer) [Collected Writings, edited by Max Brod in cooperation with Heinz Politzer].
Schocken A.
i. Erzählungen und kleine Prosa. Berlin: Schocken Verlag, 1935.
ii. Amerika. Berlin: Schocken Verlag, 1935.
iii. Der Prozess. Berlin: Schocken Verlag, 1935.
iv. Das Schloss. Berlin: Schocken Verlag, 1935.
v. Beschreibung eines Kampfes. Novellen, Skizzen, Aphorismen aus dem Nachlass. Prague: Verlag Heinrich Mercy Sohn, 1936. [Verlag Heinrich Mercy Sohn acted as agent for Schocken Verlag.]
vi. Tagebücher und Briefe. Prague: Verlag Heinrich Mercy Sohn, 1937.
Gesanrmelte Schriften. Hsg. von Max Brod [Collected Writings, edited by Max Brod].
Schocken B.
i. Erzählungen und kleine Prosa. Zweite Ausgabe. New York: Schocken Books, 1946.
ii. Amerika. Dritte Ausgabe. New York: Schocken Books, 1946.
III. Der Prozess. Dritte Ausgabe. New York: Schocken Books, 1946.
iv. Das Schloss. Dritte Ausgabe. New York: Schocken Books, 1946.
v. Beschreibung ernes Kampfes. Novellen, Skizzen, Aphorismen aus dem Nachlass. Zweite Ausgabe. New York: Schocken Books, 1946.
Gesanrmelte Werke. Hsg. von Max Brod [Collected Works, edited by Max Brod].
Schocken C.
[1] Der Prozess. Vierte Ausgabe. New York: Schocken Books [1950]; Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1950.
[2] Das Schloss. Vierte Au
sgabe. New York: Schocken Books [1951]; Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1951.
[3] Tagebücher 1910-1923. New York: Schocken Books [1951]; Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1951.
[4] Briefe an Milena. Hsg. und mit einem Nachwort versehen von Willy Haas [edited, with an epilogue, by Willy Haas]. New York: Schocken Books, 1952; Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1952.
[5] Erzählungen. Dritte Ausgabe. [Identical with Erzählungen und kleine Prosa.] New York: Schocken Books [1952]; Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1952. [Quoted as Erzählungen.]
[6] Amerika. Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1953.
[7] Hochzeitsvorbereitungen auf dem Lande und andere Prosa aus dem Nachlass. New York: Schocken Books, 1953; Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1953. [English title, see Schocken D7.]
[8] Beschreibung ernes Kampfes. Novellen, Skizzen, Aphorismen aus dem Nachlass. Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1953. (A text-critical edition of the title story appeared as Beschreibung eines Kampfes: Die zwei Fassungen. Hsg. und mit einem Nachwort versehen von Max Brod. Textedition von Ludwig Dietz. [The Two Versions. Edited and with an epilogue by Max Brod. Text-critical edition by Ludwig Dietz.] Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Verlag, 1969.)
[9] Briefe 1992-1924. Hsg. von Max Brod [edited by Max Brod]. Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1958.
[10] Briefe an Felice und andere Korrespondenz aus der Verlobungszeit. Hsg. von Erich Heller und Jürgen Born, mit einer Einleitung von Erich Heller [edited by Erich Heller and Jürgen Born, with an introduction by Erich Heller]. Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Lizenzausgabe, 1967.
IV. SCHOCKEN EDITIONS OF KAFKA'S WORKS IN ENGLISH
Schocken D.
[1] The Great Wall of China. Stories and Reflections. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir. Exegetical Notes by Philip Rahv. New York, 1946; new edition, 1970. [Quoted as Great Wall of China.] The present version follows the Schocken edition of 1970.
[2] Amerika. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir. Preface by Klaus Mann. Afterword by Max Brod. Copyright 1946, by New Directions. Published by Schocken in 1962 in association with New Directions.
[3] The Penal Colony. Stories and Short Pieces. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir. New York, 1948. [Quoted as Penal Colony.]
[4] Diaries, 1910-1923. Edited by Max Brod. Translated by Joseph Kresh. New York, 1948. [Quoted as Diaries, followed by the date of entry.]
[5] Diaries, 1914-1923. Edited by Max Brod. Translated by Martin Greenberg, with the cooperation of Hannah Arendt. New York, 1949. [Quoted as Diaries, followed by the date of entry.]
[6] Letters to Milena. Edited by Willy Haas. Translated by Tania and James Stern. New York, 1953.
[7] Dearest Father. Stories and Other Writings. Translated by Ernst Kaiser and Eithne Wilkins. Notes by Max Brod. New York, 1954.
[8] Description of a Struggle. Translated by Tania and James Stern. New York, 1958.
[9] Parables and Paradoxes/Parabeln und Paradoxe. Bilingual edition. Edited by Nahum N. Glatzer. Second, expanded, ed., New York, 1961.
[10] Letter to His Father/Brief an den Vater. Bilingual edition. Translated by Ernst Kaiser and Eithne Wilkins. New York, 1966.
[11] The Metamorphosis/Die Verwandlung. Bilingual edition. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir. New York, 1968.
[12] The Trial. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir. Revised, and with additional material translated by E. M. Butler. With excerpts from Kafka's Diaries. Drawings by Franz Kafka. New York, 1968.
V. OTHER EDITIONS OF KAFKA'S WORKS IN ENGLISH
The Trial. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd., 1935; London: Martin Seeker & Warburg Ltd., 1945, 1956 (the latter edition revised, with additional material translated by E. M. Butler). New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1937; definitive edition, 1957.
The Castle. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir. London: Martin Seeker & Warburg Ltd., 1930, 1953 (the latter edition with additional material translated by Eithne Wilkins and Ernst Kaiser). New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1930; new edition, with an introduction by Thomas Mann, 1941; definitive edition, 1954.
Amerika. Translated by Willa and Edwin Muir. Preface by Klaus Mann. Afterword by Max Brod. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1938; London: Martin Seeker & Warburg Ltd.; Norfolk, Conn.: New Directions, 1946.
VI. SUPPLEMENT
Benson, Ann. "Franz Kafka: An American Bibliography," Bulletin of Bibliography, XXII, No. 5 (1958).
Brod, Max. Franz Kafka: A Biography. Second, enlarged edition (including an additional chapter, "New Aspects of Kafka"). Translated from the German by G. Humphreys Roberts and Richard Winston. New York: Schocken Books, 1960. [Quoted as Max Brod, Franz Kafka.]
Flores, Angel, and Swander, Homer, eds. Franz Kafka Today. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1958.
Hemmerle, Rudolf. Franz Kafka -- eine Bibliographie. Munich: Verlag Robert Lerche, 1958.
Janouch, Gustav. Conversations with Kafka: Notes and Reminiscences. With an introduction by Max Brod. Translated by Goronwy Rees. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1953. [Quoted as Conversations with Kafka.]
Järv, Harry. Die Kafka-Literatur: Eine Bibliographie. Malmö and Lund: Bo Cavefors Verlag, 1961. [An extensive listing of the writings on Kafka.]
Jonas, Klaus W. "Franz Kafka: An American Bibliography," Bulletin of Bibliography, XX, No. 9 (1952), and XX, No. 10 (1953).
EDITORS AND TRANSLATORS
(* used in the present volume)
Arendt, Hannah: co-tr., Diaries, 1914-1923. New York, 1949 (Schocken D5).
Born, Jurgen: co-ed., Briefe an Felice. Frankfurt a. M., 1967 (Schocken C10).
* Brod, Max: ed., Gesammelte Schriften, vols. I-VI. Berlin (Prague), 1935-1937 (Schocken A).
* ——-: ed., Gesammelte Schriften, vols. I-V. New York, 1946 (Schocken B).
* ——-: ed., Gesammelte Werke, 10 vols. New York and Frankfurt a. M., 1950-1967 (Schocken C).
——-: ed., Tagebücher 1910-1923. Prague, 1937; New York, 1951 (Schocken C3).
Glatzer, Nahum N.: ed., Parables and Paradoxes, 2d ed. New York, 1958.
Greenberg, Martin: tr., Diaries, 1914-1923. New York, 1949 (Schocken D5).
Haas, Willy: ed., Briefe an Milena. New York and Frankfurt a. M., 1952 (Schocken C4).
——-: ed., Letters to Milena. New York, 1953 (Schocken D6).
Heller, Erich: ed., Briefe an Felice. Frankfurt a. M., 1967 (Schocken C10).
* Kaiser, Ernst, and Wilkins, Eithne: tr., Dearest Father. New York, 1954 (Schocken D7).
Kresh, Joseph: tr., Diaries, 1910-1913. New York, 1948 (Schocken D4).
Muir, Willa and Edwin: tr., The Castle. London, 1930; New York, 1930, 1941, 1954.
——-: tr., The Trial. London, 1935; New York, 1937, 1957, 1968.
——-: tr., The Trial. New York, 1968 (Schocken D12).
——-: tr., Amerika. London, 1938; Norfolk, Conn., 1946; New York, 1962.
——-: tr., Amerika. New York, 1946, 1962 (Schocken D2).
* ——-: tr., The Great Wall of China. New York, 1946, 1970 (Schocken D1).
* ——-: tr., The Penal Colony. New York, 1948 (Schocken D3).
Politzer, Heinz: ed., Vor dem Gesetz. Berlin, 1934 (Schocken Bücherei).
——-: co-ed., Gesammelte Schriften, vols. I-IV (Schocken A).
Schoeps, Hans Joachim: co-ed., Beim Bau der Chinesischen Mauer. Berlin, 1931.
Stern, Tania and James: tr., Letters to Milena. New York, 1953 (Schocken D6).
* ——-: tr., Description of a Struggle. New York, 1958 (Schocken D8).
Wilkins, Eithne: see Kaiser, Ernst.
ON THE MATERIAL
INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME
Two Introductory Parables
Before the Law
"Vor dem Gesetz," from the ninth chapter of the novel Der Prozess (The Trial), written in the winter of 1914, was first published in the almanac Vom jüngsten Tag, Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1916. See the fragment "I ran past the first watchman," in Dearest Father (Schock
en D7), pp. 322 f. Included in the collection of stories Ein Landarzt. Kleine Erzahlungen, Munich and Leipzig: Kurt Wolff Verlag, 1919. Der Prozess was published by Verlag Die Schmiede, Berlin, 1925 (Die Romane des XX. Jahrhunderts). Vor dem Gesetz: Ausgewahlte Erzahlungen und Aphorismen, Berlin: Bücherei des Schocken Verlags, No. 19, 1934. Erzahlungen (Schocken B1 and C5), pp. 144 ff. Penal Colony (Schocken D3), pp. 148 ff.
Diaries, December 13, 1914: "Contentment and a feeling of happiness as the 'Legend' ['Before the Law'] in particular inspires in me."
An Imperial Message
"Eine kaiserliche Botschaft," written in the spring of 1917 as part of the story "The Great Wall of China" (Great Wall, Schocken D1, pp. 93 f.), was published in the Prague Jewish weekly Selbstwehr (September 24, 1919) and in Ein Landarzt (A Country Doctor). See Penal Colony (Schocken D3), pp. 158 f.
The Longer Stories
Description of a Struggle
The first draft of the unfinished "Beschreibung eines Kampfes" was written in 1904-5. The story (in two parallel versions) was for a long time considered lost until, in 1935, it turned up in Max Brod's library. Brod edited it as the title story (pp. 9-66) of vol. V of Kafka's Gesammelte Schriften (Schocken A, B, C8), which, in addition, includes fourteen longer and shorter stories and the novelist's only larger piece in dramatic form ("The Warden of the Tomb"). Description of a Struggle (Schocken D8), pp. 9-96.
Kafka to Brod: "The thing that pleases me most about the short story ['Description of a Struggle'] is that I have got rid of it" (Briefe, March 18, 1910, p. 80). Kafka wanted to destroy the manuscript but finally allowed Brod to keep it (Max Brod, Franz Kafka, p. 61). Max Brod prepared a text-critical edition of the two versions and added an epilogue: Franz Kafka, Beschreibung eines Kampfes: Die zwei Fassungen. Herausgegeben und mit einem Nachwort versehen von Max Brod. Text-edition von Ludwig Dietz. Frankfurt a. M.: S. Fischer Verlag, 1969.