哲理小说 》 城堡 The Castle 》
一-1
卡夫卡 Franz Kafka
卡夫卡出生在布拉格的一個猶太商人家庭，沿襲了純種猶太人聰明的血統。父親是一個半行乞的屠夫的兒子，白手起傢，在傢中專橫如暴君，任意虐待妻兒，他對卡夫卡的學習、生活不聞不問，衹是偶爾指手畫腳地訓斥一通———他想把兒子培養成為性格堅強而又能幹的年輕人，但結果是適得其反。卡夫卡內心中一直對父親存有無法消除的畏懼心理，自小心裏充滿恐懼，敏感成性。加上他作為布拉格講德語的少數人的一分子，更造就了他無邊無際的孤獨。
迫於父親的壓力，他學習法律，後入一傢私人保險公司任低薪職員，一直湮沒在人群之中。他一生三次訂婚，又三次解除婚約，其中原因之一就是怕結婚會破壞他已經習慣的孤獨生活。後來他患上肺結核病，更使他遠離熱鬧的塵世生活，沉浸在自己孤獨的內心世界中。
這個孤僻的小職員的最大愛好就是寫作，他那敏感、怯懦的性格和孤僻、憂鬱的氣質確實適合做一個作傢。卡夫卡業餘創作的大部分作品在他生前一直鎖在抽屜裏，少量面世的短篇小說還不足讓他一鳴驚人，而且對他的同時代人來說，他的小說太超前了，當時的人們遠未有能力體驗卡夫卡獨特而奇怪的荒謬感。他病逝後遺留下大量手稿。
二戰之後，世界在廢墟上重建，戰爭所帶來的人類心靈深重的陰影，使人們不約而同地把目光轉嚮了30年前死去的無名作傢卡夫卡，他及其作品在西方世界掀起了一股熱潮，人們像投票選舉政界要員一樣把他列為現代派小說傢的第一候選人。
推薦閱讀版本：湯永寬譯，武漢大學出版社出版。
《城堡》-內容精要
一個寒冷的鼕天的夜晚，土地測量員K來到了一個村子，他的目的是要前往村子附近的那座城堡去執行公務。當K在村口遙望城堡時，他感到籠罩在夜色之中的城堡，如同一片空洞虛無的幻景，這樣的感覺似乎預示着他的任務不是那麽容易完成的。
他前往客店投宿，可是客店老闆對他的到來有點不知所措。他告訴K已經客滿了，衹好把K勉強安頓下來。客店裏的人得知K要去城堡，都用特別的眼神看他。一位年輕人告訴K，每個進入城堡的人都必須得有一張許可證，而要想得到許可證，就必須去找城堡裏的伯爵。
第二天，K走嚮城堡，可是耗費了一整天的時間他也無法靠近城堡一步。天色暗下來，他衹好先去找棲身之處。找來找去，又回到了昨天晚上的那傢客店。在搭雪橇前往客店的途中，他遇到了兩個自稱是他的助手的人。他們非常熱情地幫助 K，並且用電話聯絡城堡裏的辦事機構，詢問具體何時能上城堡去，對方回答：“任何時候都不能來。”
這時，來了一位叫巴納巴斯的人，他是城堡的信使，K對他的來到十分興奮，認為他可以成為自己和城堡聯繫的中間人。巴納巴斯給他帶來了城堡的信，信裏既沒有對K的到來表示歡迎，也沒有暗示他趕快離開。事情依舊毫無轉機。K和信使一道去了他傢，信使的妹妹又表示她可以幫助K，於是把 K送進了一傢旅館，她告訴K，城堡的頭面人物剋拉姆住在那裏，可以藉機找剋拉姆打通關節。
在旅館的酒吧裏，K認識了剋拉姆的情婦弗麗達，K頓時使出渾身解數試圖靠近弗麗達，然而旅館裏的人不停地添亂，助手們也在一邊添亂，使他無法和弗麗達親密地談一談關於剋拉姆。他甚至用與弗麗達結婚的許諾想換得跟剋拉姆談一次話的機會。但K最終發現弗麗達這條路是走不通的，因為她和信使一樣，是個無關緊要的小人物，她早已失寵。
K去見村長，村長告訴他，K來到村子完全是個錯誤，因為這裏根本用不着土地測量員。城堡裏不同部門彼此封閉，造成了一些差錯，所以K纔會收到公文，然而這份公文是早已無效的。村長承認他在幾年前收到一個招聘一位土地測量員的公文，然而他無論如何找不到那張可以證明K合法身份的薄紙片。村長表達了自己對這件事情的看法，他覺得K收到的公文其實是一封某個主管，比如剋拉姆，對他表示私人關心的的信，不能代表城堡的意見，因此K應當趁早回去。
K感到受騙上當了，但他堅持要求得到他應得的權利，那就是找一個住處，安頓他和弗麗達的新傢。客棧老闆一心想趕走K，K臨走前，又從老闆娘那裏聽到了關於她和剋拉姆舊情的回憶，這使K感到很不舒服，因為他不由自主地想到了自己的未婚妻。
這時村裏學校的教師奉村長之命前來，允許K帶傢眷住進學校任看門人，同時他也強調，學校其實並不需要一個看門人，他完全遵從村長的命令。K感到受到了侮辱，他拒絶了這份工作。可弗麗達堅持K接受它，她說如果K不接受，連個安身之處都沒有，那麽這對K對她自己都是十分羞愧的事情。
K對於進入城堡仍然抱着最後的希望，這已經不單純是執行公務，而是有關個人尊嚴的問題。他冒雪來到剋拉姆的旅館，女招待說這會兒剋拉姆正準備離開旅館，雪橇已在院子裏等着他，K二話沒話，守到雪橇邊，喝着白蘭地等剋拉姆出來。和以前一樣，剋拉姆本人永遠不會出現，他的秘書摩麥斯出來告訴K： “不管你跟我走或者留在這裏，你都不會見到他。”K反而陷入了進退兩難的地步，如果他離開，周圍人的神色舉止裏就表明剋拉姆就此脫身了；如果他堅持等下去，顯然也是沒有結果的。秘書拿出一份會談記錄，K指出這是引K走嚮剋拉姆的惟一道路，但首先K必須接受一番苛刻的審查，K覺得不可忍受，於是他們兩人大笑着分別了。
《城堡》作傢卡夫卡
信使巴納巴斯又帶來了剋拉姆的一封信，剋拉姆贊賞了K及其助手的測量工作，這使K睏惑不已，他至今為止從未幹什麽測量工作，每天做的事情就是在等待爭取城堡的許可。K開始懷疑信使的可靠，但他仍托巴納巴斯帶去一個回音，申訴自己焦灼地渴盼見到剋拉姆一面的心情。
之後K回到他和弗麗達的新傢，那是學校裏的一間大教室，可是K和弗麗達的生活並不安寧。兩個助手不停地淘氣，爭食物，瞅準機會睡到惟一的稻草墊子上去。第二天，學校的女教師來了，她十分吃驚，繼而不斷地責駡 K，K幾乎像個劣等動物一樣被欺辱，可他决不接受校方的解職通知。他遷怒於兩位無用的助手，宣佈辭退他們，助手們施出渾身氣力哀求K。弗麗達反對K的决定，她說一旦辭退助手，K就永遠沒有機會見到剋拉姆了。弗麗達鼓勵K不要喪失信心。
K 來到信使傢等待回音，信使的姐妹奧爾伽和阿瑪麗亞總嚮K暗示她們的傾慕之情，並且在閑聊中，暗示K，她們的哥哥巴納巴斯可能從未見過剋拉姆，他總是給K帶來那些耽誤了很久，失去時效的信。就連剋拉姆本人，也是可疑的，關於剋拉姆的種種情況，很大程度上是村裏人想象出來的。奧爾伽又告訴K，城堡裏的官員如同暴君，他們可以隨時瞧上村裏的任何姑娘，給她們寫下流無比的信。他們的談話離正題越來越遠，奧爾伽講起了阿瑪麗亞因為拒絶城堡裏另一位大官員索爾蒂尼的求愛而遭受的不幸，他們全家都被迫接受了一種幾乎整天無所事事的刑罰，城堡強製他們退出社會生活。奧爾伽提醒K，不要指望任何一位有同情心的官員為他說話。巴納巴斯為K送信，其實不過是想讓自己一傢人不露痕跡地再受恩寵，對於K來說，沒有任何意義。這場繁冗而推心置腹的談話被K的一位助手打斷了，K很快意識到弗麗達和另一位助手呆在傢裏，他趕緊回傢了。
到傢裏，K發現弗麗達不見了。原來她以為K跑去勾搭巴納巴斯的姐妹，於是和另一個助手達成協議，背叛K。這時，巴納巴斯又跑來找K，興衝衝地通知他，剋拉姆的主要秘書之一艾朗格要和K當面談一談。K和一群人等候在漆黑的旅館門口，K被最先領了進去，但艾朗格卻睡着了，K衹好等着。在等待的時候，他又重新見到了弗麗達，他們激烈爭論了忠實與不忠實的問題。弗麗達坦然地告訴K，她已經和那位助手同居了。K則十分平靜地回敬她：自從你相繼失去了剋拉姆的情婦以及我的未婚妻這兩種身份之後，你早已經沒有了魅力。聽完此話後，弗麗達似乎被觸動了。但是她又見到助手時，馬上就改變主意。她說：她再也不想回到K身邊接受他的折磨。
小說就在此處戛然而止，卡夫卡未寫完它，他原來打算的結尾是K將精疲力竭而死。後世及研究者預計的結局是：K彌留之際，城堡終於來了通知，允許K留在村子裏，但不許進入城堡，K永遠不可能到達那裏，一直到死。
《城堡》-專傢點評
當一個作傢不能被他同時代的人所理解時，他會怎樣處理自己的作品。卡夫卡選擇的是毀滅。他在遺書中委托好友布羅德將其所有作品“毫無保留地，讀也不必讀就統統予以焚毀”。萬幸布羅德自作主張將卡夫卡的遺稿保存下來，整理出版，這一次明智的“背信棄義”使我們今天依舊能一睹卡夫卡這位文學大師一生勤奮的成果。
人們提到卡夫卡，總是會提起他的《變形記》，裏面的小公務員一早起來發現自己變成了一個大甲蟲。西方文學中常常用《變形記》來指代現代化文明中人的異化。然而在這裏所推薦的《城堡》，因其多義性更富於閱讀的快樂。中篇小說《城堡》與《審判》及《美國》合稱“卡夫卡三部麯”，它們都具有卡夫卡小說一貫的荒誕不經風格：異化現象，難以排遣的孤獨和危機感，無法剋服的荒誕和恐懼。卡夫卡的小說揭示了一種荒誕的充滿非理性色彩的景象，個人式的、憂鬱的、孤獨的情緒，運用的是象徵式的手法。其中《城堡》更富於“卡夫卡式”的構思和語言風格。
和卡夫卡的其他小說一樣，《城堡》沒有惟一正確的解釋，解釋權授予了每個閱讀者，這來源於這部作品的多義性。表面上，這作品的故事再簡單不過了，一個土地測量員K來到一個村莊，想進入管轄附近地區的伯爵居住的城堡，他費了九牛二虎之力，攤上一切也沒能達到目的。《城堡》所具有的荒謬、虛擬，無明確的時代地理背景的特徵使它抹上很濃的寓言色彩，無論評論傢還是普通讀者都能夠獲得不同的結論，《城堡》究竟表達了怎樣的主題，這終了還是一個難解之謎，有人說它表現的是“人試圖進入天國而不得的痛苦”；有人則認為它集中反映了卡夫卡本人的精神世界的荒誕、孤獨與恐懼；有人則結合寫作年代背景，說明城堡實際上反映了奧匈帝國官僚體製與大衆的鴻溝，更有論者以為，《城堡》和《審判》、《美國》的主題相同，即“人們所追求的真理，不管是自由、安定，還是法律，都是存在的，但這個荒誕的世界給人們設置了種種障礙，無論你怎麽努力， 總是追求不到， 最後衹能以失敗告終。” 在《城堡》中，“城堡”是最大的謎團，它與主人公K的目標總是若即若離，也正因此，能夠激起人們相當的閱讀興趣，其中的人物如CC伯爵，以至於剋拉姆部長等都神秘莫測，足以見卡夫卡這位小說傢的天才的智慧。
《城堡》小說傢卡夫卡
閱讀卡夫卡的小說，對每一個讀者來說都是挑戰。他喜歡長句子，字裏行間充滿了大量的暗喻，他用文字堆起了一個個迷宮。讀者會在穿行文字時遇到極大的阻力。然而當你習慣他的文字風格後，你會發現，原先的阻力變成了動力，帶給你閱讀的快感。
1913年8月15日，卡夫卡在自己的日記裏寫道：“我將不顧一切地與所有人隔絶，與所有人敵對，不同任何人講話。”6天後他又這樣寫道：“現在我在我的家庭裏，在那些最好的、最親愛的人們中間，比一個陌生人還要陌生。近年來我和我的母親平均每天說不上20句話；和我的父親除了有時彼此寒暄幾句幾乎就沒有更多的話可說；和我的已婚的妹妹和妹夫們除了跟他們生氣我壓根兒就不說話。理由很簡單：我和他們沒有任何一丁點兒的事情要說。一切不是文學的事情都使我無聊， 叫我憎恨”三年之後，這個不僅和整個世界格格不入，而且也和自己格格不入的猶太人，雖然尚未進入完全與世隔絶的城堡，卻終於從家庭裏逃出，為自己找到了一條窄得像西服袖子一樣的幽深的死巷。這就是如今在布拉格頗為知名的黃金巷、又譯為“煉金術士巷”。黃金巷22號的連棟屋中間，有座建於16世紀的、衹有一個房間和一間小閣樓的小小藍屋，墻壁很薄，房捨低矮得伸手便可觸及天花板。這是被他的好友馬剋斯·布羅德稱之為“一個真正的作傢的修道士般的密室”的處所。卡夫卡在這裏繼續用謎一般的文字構築着自己靈魂的城堡。
《城堡》卡夫卡及傢人
在卡夫卡的世界裏，噩夢永遠沒有醒來的時候，在荒誕的、不合邏輯的世界裏描繪“人類生活的一切活動及其逼真的細節”，這正是作為小說傢的卡夫卡的天賦所在，當我們讀到《變形記》、《城堡》、《審判》等作品時，簡直就像面對着一尊尊充滿力量的雕塑，你能從那極度的變形與誇張裏體會到生命的悸動與衝突。對於卡夫卡自己來說，生存就是一場必須“恰當運用自己的力量（因為我們的力量永遠是有限的）”的抗爭。雖然前途黯淡，但前途畢竟終會到來。通過寫作這一形式卡夫卡為自己的抗爭找到了存在的形象。從卡夫卡自己的書信與日記，我們也許能領會到那無窮無盡的力量源泉，他這樣寫道：“不要絶望，甚至對你並不感到絶望這一點也不要絶望。恰恰在似乎一切都完了的時候，新的力量畢竟來臨，給你以幫助，而這正表明你是活着的。”“一場傾盆大雨。站立着面對這場大雨吧！讓它的鋼鐵般的光芒刺穿你。你在那想把你衝走的雨水中飄浮，但你還是要堅持，昂首屹立，等待那即將來臨的無窮無盡的陽光的照耀。”令人吃驚的是，它們竟然帶着這樣一些姿態：憂傷、理解、痛苦、謙卑，卡夫卡由此走嚮了無限深淵。最終他完成了對自己的塑造：他成為無限深淵中惟一裸行的思想者。卡夫卡的道路是對抗之路，他與存在於他身邊的世界和秩序一直是抗爭着的，藝術或者說文學寫作是他對抗外部荒誕世界的惟一武器，他別無選擇。雖然在此期間，他極度渴望實現藝術與現實的統一，甚至他個人與外部世界有過短暫的統一，但這種統一也是一瞬即逝的，表面和形式上的。他也渴望有自己的家庭，但他害怕家庭損害他的寫作；他也像凡夫俗子一樣，渴望有自己的孩子，做一名好父親，但直到他有一個已長到7歲纔夭折的孩子。
卡夫卡生前默默無聞，孤獨地奮鬥，隨着時間的流逝，他的價值纔逐漸為人們所認識，作品引起了世界的震動，並在世界範圍內形成一股“卡夫卡”熱，經久不衰。他一生的作品並不多，但對後世文學的影響卻是極為深遠的。他與法國作傢馬賽爾·普魯斯特、愛爾蘭作傢詹姆斯·喬伊斯並稱為西方現代主義文學的先驅和大師。美國詩人奧登認為：“他與我們時代的關係最近似但丁、莎士比亞、歌德與他們時代的關係。”後世的許多現代主義文學流派如“荒誕派戲劇”、法國的“新小說”等都把卡夫卡奉為自己的鼻祖。
關於卡夫卡，我們還可以說上很多很多。據說在現代文學的研究中，關於卡夫卡的論文數量之大，僅僅打印題目就需要幾十頁。但是，理解卡夫卡最好的方法，就是進入他的文字世界，安靜地傾聽他通過語言表達的內心。這不正是我們現在這個浮躁的現代文明所缺少的嗎？
《城堡》-妙語佳句
他真要以為外面是灰色的天空與灰色的土地渾然一體的荒漠世界了。
可是如果這一切的平靜、舒適與滿足都要想恐怖地告一段落，那該怎麽辦呢？
一-1
Ｋ到村子的時候，已經是後半夜了。村子深深地陷在雪地裏。城堡所在的那個 山岡籠罩在霧靄和夜色裏看不見了，連一星兒顯示出有一座城堡屹立在那兒的亮光 也看不見。Ｋ站在一座從大路通嚮村子的木橋上，對着他頭上那一片空洞虛無的幻 景，凝視了好一會兒。
接着他嚮前走去，尋找今晚投宿的地方。客棧倒還開着，客棧老闆儘管已經沒 法給他騰出一間房間來，而且時間這麽晚，意想不到還有客人來，也使他感到惱火， 可他還是願意讓Ｋ睡在大廳裏的草包上。Ｋ接受了他的建議。幾個莊稼漢還坐在那 兒喝啤酒，但是他不想攀談，他到閣樓上去給自己拿來了一個草包，便在火爐旁邊 躺了下來。這裏是一個很暖和的地方，那幾個莊稼漢都靜悄悄的不吱一聲，於是他 擡起疲乏的眼睛在他們身上隨便轉了一圈以後，很快就睡熟了。
可是不多一會兒，他給人叫醒了。一個年輕小夥子，穿得像城裏人一樣，長着 一張像演員似的臉兒，狹長的眼睛，濃密的眉毛，正跟客棧老闆一起站在他的身邊。 那幾個莊稼漢還在屋子裏，有幾個人為了想看得清楚一些和聽得仔細一些，都把椅 子轉了過來。年輕小夥子因為驚醒了Ｋ，彬彬有禮地嚮他表示歉意，同時作自我介 紹，說自己是城守的兒子，接着說道：“這個村子是屬於城堡所有的，誰要是住在 這兒或者在這兒過夜，也可以說就是住在城堡裏。沒有伯爵的許可，誰都不能在這 兒耽擱。可是你沒有得到這種許可，或者起碼你沒有拿出一張這樣的證件來。”
Ｋ已經支起了半個身子，現在他理了理自己的頭髮，擡起頭來望着這兩個人， 他說：“我這是闖進了哪個村子啦？這兒有一座城堡嗎？”
“一點不錯，”年輕小夥子慢條斯理地回答道，這時，滿屋子的人都對Ｋ這句 問話搖頭，“這兒是我的大人威斯特一威斯伯爵的城堡。”
“難道一個人得有一張許可證才能在這兒過夜嗎？”Ｋ問道，似乎想弄清楚自 己所聽到的會不會是一場夢。
“一個人必須有一張許可證，”那個小夥子伸出臂膀嚮那些在場的人說，他那 種手勢帶着鄙視Ｋ的嘲笑意味，“難道一個人不需要有許可證嗎？”
“唔，那麽，我就得去搞一張來，”Ｋ說，打着哈欠推開毯子，像是準備起來 的樣子。
“請問你打算嚮誰去申請許可證？”小夥子問他。
“從伯爵那兒呀，”Ｋ說，“衹有這麽辦啦。”
“深更半夜的，想從伯爵老爺那兒去搞一張許可證！”小夥子往後退了一步， 叫嚷了起來。
“這樣辦不到嗎？”Ｋ冷冷地問道。“那你幹嗎叫醒我？”
這一下把小夥子惹惱了。“你少耍你這種流氓態度！”他嚷道。“我堅决要求 你尊重伯爵的權威！我叫醒你是通知你必須馬上離開伯爵的領地。”
“這種玩笑已經開夠啦，”Ｋ用一種特別冷靜的聲調說着，重新躺下來，蓋上 了毯子。“你未免有點兒過分啦，我的朋友，明天我得談談你這種態度，假如需要 的話，客棧老闆和諸位先生會給我作證的。讓我告訴你吧，我就是伯爵大人正在等 待着的那位土地測量員。我的助手們明天就會帶着工具坐了馬車來到這兒。我因為 不想錯過在雪地裏步行的機會，這纔徒步走來的，可是不幸我一再迷失路途，所以 到得這麽晚。在你想要來通知我以前，我早就知道上城堡去報到是太遲了。這就是 為什麽我今晚權且在這樣的床鋪上過夜的緣故，可是你，不妨說得客氣一點，卻粗 魯無禮地把我吵醒了。這就是我所要說的一切。先生們，晚安，”說罷，Ｋ就嚮火 爐轉過身去。
“土地測量員？”他聽見背後這樣猶豫不决地問着，接着是一陣沉默。但是那 個小夥子很快又恢復了自信，壓低了自己的聲音，充分表示他關心Ｋ的睡眠，但是 他的話還是能讓人傢聽得很清楚。他對客棧老闆說：“我得打電話去問一問。”這 麽說，在這樣一個村店裏居然還有電話機？凡是應有的設備，他們全都有。眼前這 個例子就使Ｋ感到驚奇，但是總的說來，他也確實預料到的。電話機似乎就裝在他 的頭頂上面，當時他睡意正濃，沒有註意到。假如那個小夥子非打電話不可的話， 那麽，即使他心眼兒再好，也還是免不了要驚動Ｋ的，因此，惟一的問題是Ｋ是否 願意讓他這樣幹；他决定讓他於。那麽，在這樣的情況下，裝作睡覺就沒有什麽意 義了，所以他又翻轉身來，仰天睡着。他看得見那些莊稼漢正在交頭接耳，竊竊私 語；來了一位土地測量員，可不是一件小事。那扇通嚮廚房的門已經打開，整個門 框給客棧老闆娘那副龐大的身子堵住了，客棧老闆踮着腳尖嚮她走過去，告訴她發 生了什麽事情。現在，電話機上的對話開始了。城堡的城守已經睡着了，可是一位 副城守——副城守之———名叫弗裏茲的還在那兒。那個小夥子一面通報自己是希 伐若，一面報告說他發現了Ｋ，一個其貌不揚、三十歲左右的漢子，枕着一個小背 囊，正安靜地睡在一隻草包上，手邊放着一根節節巴巴的手杖。他自然懷疑這個傢 夥，由於客棧老闆的顯然失職，那麽他，希伐若，就有責任來查究這件事情。他叫 醒了這個人，盤問了他，並且給了他正式的離境警告，可是Ｋ對待這一切的態度很 無禮，也許他有着什麽正當的理由，因為臨了他聲稱自己是伯爵大人雇來的土地測 量員。當然，這種說法至少總得要有官方的證實，所以，他，希伐若，請求弗裏茲 先生問一問中央局，是否真的盼望過這麽一個土地測量員來着，然後請立刻電話回 復。
這樣，當弗裏茲在那邊查詢，小夥子在這邊等候回音的時候，屋子裏靜悄悄的。 Ｋ沒有挪動位置，甚至連身子也沒有動一下，仿佛毫不在乎似的，衹是望着空中。 希伐若這種混合着敵意和審慎的報告，使Ｋ想起了外交手段，而像希伐若這麽一個 城堡的下級人員居然也精通此道。而且，他們還勤於職守，中央局在夜裏還有人值 班呢。再說，他們顯然很快就回答了問題，因為弗裏茲已經打電話來了。他的答復 似乎夠簡單的，因為希伐若立刻放下了聽筒，生氣地叫了起來：“就跟我原先說的 一樣！什麽土地測量員，連一點影子都沒有。一個普通的招搖撞騙的流浪漢，而且 說不定比這更壞。”Ｋ一時轉念，希伐若、莊稼漢、客棧老闆和老闆娘也許會聯合 起來對付他。為了至少能躲避他們第一陣襲擊，於是他緊緊地縮在毯子裏。但是電 話鈴又響起來了，而且，在Ｋ聽來，鈴聲似乎響得特別有力。他慢慢地探出頭來。 儘管這回電話不可能也跟Ｋ有關係，但是他們都靜了下來，希伐若再一次拿起聽筒。 他諦聽了對方相當長的一段話以後，便低聲地說：“一個誤會，是嗎？我聽了很遺 憾。部長本人是這麽說的嗎？怪極了，怪極了。教我怎麽嚮土地測量員解釋這一切 呢？”
Ｋ竪起了耳朵。這麽說，城堡已經承認他是一個土地測量員啦。從這一方面來 說，這樣對他是不利的，因為這意味着，關於他的情況，城堡已經得到了詳細的報 告，估計到了一切可能發生的情況，因此，含着微笑接受了這樣的挑釁。可是從另 一方面說，這對他很有利，因為假使他的解釋是對的，那麽他們就是低估了他的力 量，他也就可以有比之於自己所敢於想望的更多的行動自由。可是假使他們打算用 承認他是土地測量員的這種高傲的上司對下屬的態度把他嚇跑，那他們就打錯了主 意；這一切衹不過使他身上感到有一點不好受，如此而已。
希伐若怯怯地嚮他走過來，但是他揮了揮手把希伐若趕走了。客棧老闆殷勤地 請他搬到自己的房間裏去睡，他也拒絶了，衹是從老闆手裏接受了一杯熱茶，從老 板娘手裏接受了一隻臉盆、一塊肥皂和一條毛巾。他甚至不用提出讓大傢離開這間 屋子的要求，因為所有的人都轉過臉去一擁而出了，生怕他第二天認出他們是誰。 燈已經吹滅了，最後靜靜地留下他一個人。他沉沉地一直睡到第二天早晨，連老鼠 在他身邊跑過一兩次也沒有把他驚醒。
吃了早餐以後，客棧老闆告訴他，早餐以及他所有的膳宿費用都由城堡負擔。 他準備馬上出門到村子裏去，但是看到老闆似乎為了昨天晚上怠慢了他，老是含着 沉默的哀求在他的身邊打轉，他對這個傢夥感到有點憐憫起來，便請他坐一會兒。
“我還沒有見到伯爵，”Ｋ說，“可是他對活兒幹得好的人，準會付給優厚的 酬報的，是不是？像我這樣路遠迢迢從家乡跑到這兒來，就得在口袋裏裝進一點東 西才能回去啊。”
“體面的先生用不着為這種事情犯愁。在我們這兒，沒有人會抱怨人傢少給了 他工錢的。”
“唔，”Ｋ說，“我可不是像你們這樣膽小的人。即使對伯爵那樣的人，我也 敢表示我的意見。但是當然啦，用不着費什麽麻煩就把一切事情都解决，那就更好 了。”
客棧老闆坐在Ｋ對面的窗架邊上，不敢找舒適一點的地方坐下來，他那對棕色 的大眼睛含着憂慮的神色直愣愣地望着Ｋ。起初他一心想跟Ｋ在一塊兒聊聊，可是 現在他似乎又急於想溜走了。他是害怕Ｋ要嚮他盤問伯爵的情況，還是在這個他認 為是“紳士”的身上發現了什麽破綻，因而害怕了呢？Ｋ必須轉移他的註意力。他 望着挂鐘說道：“我的助手們不久就要到了。你能給他們在這兒安排一個住處嗎？”
“當然，先生，”他說，“可是他們不會跟你一起住到城堡裏去嗎？”
難道客棧老闆真是這麽樂意把大有希望的顧客，特別是Ｋ這樣的人放走，毫無 條件地把他轉讓給城堡嗎？
“這現在還說不定，”Ｋ說。“我得先弄清楚人傢要我幹的是什麽工作，要是 我必須在這下面村子裏工作，比方這麽說的話，那我在這兒住着也許更妥當一些。 再說，我怕城堡裏的生活我過不慣，我是喜歡自由自在的人。”
“你不瞭解城堡，”客棧老闆悄悄地說。
“當然，”Ｋ回答道，“一個人的判斷不應該下得過早。我眼下衹知道他們懂 得怎樣挑選一個優秀的土地測量員。說不定也還有別的吸引人的東西吧。”說着， 他站起來想擺脫面前這個客棧老闆，因為這傢夥正心神不定地咬着嘴唇哩。想要贏 得他的信任是不容易的。
Ｋ正要走出去，這時看見墻上一隻暗淡無光的框架裏有一幅黑黝黝的肖像。他 睡在靠近爐邊的鋪上時，早就打量過，可是從那麽遠的地方望過去，根本看不清是 什麽，還以為是釘在木框上的一塊普通底板呢。可是現在纔看清楚，這原來是一幅 畫，是一個五十光景的男人的半身像。他的頭低低地搭拉在胸前，低得連眼睛也幾 乎看不見了，又高又大的前額和結實的鷹勾界重得似乎使腦袋都擡不起來。由於這 樣的姿勢，他那滿腮的大鬍子就都給下巴頦壓住了，而且還往下披散。他的左手掩 沒在濃密的頭髮裏，但是好像沒法子把腦袋撐起來似的。“他是誰？”Ｋ問。“是 伯爵嗎？”他站在畫像前面朝客棧老闆轉過身去。“不，”客棧老闆說，“他是城 守。”“這可真是一個漂亮的城守啊，”Ｋ說，“可惜他生了一個沒有教養的兒子。” “不，不，”客棧老闆說，他把Ｋ拉近一點，湊着他的耳朵低低地說道，“昨天希 伐若是吹牛，他的父親衹不過是一個副城守，而且是職位最低的一個。”在這會兒， Ｋ覺得客棧老闆正像是一個小孩子似的。“這個壞蛋！”Ｋ笑了一笑說。可是客棧 老闆沒有笑，他接下去說道：“可就說他的父親，勢力也就不小呢。”“你給我站 遠一點吧，”Ｋ說，“你以為誰都是有勢力的，我，說不定也是有勢力的，是吧？” “不，”他膽怯但又一本正經地回答說，“我可並不以為你有勢力。”“你的眼睛 可真厲害，”Ｋ說，“說實話，我可真的不是一個有勢力的人。所以我認為我尊敬 有勢力的人並不比你差，衹是我沒有你那麽老實，而且也不經常願意承認這一點。” 說罷，Ｋ在他的面頰上輕輕打了一下，為的是使他高興起來，喚起他的友誼。這居 然使他微微地笑了一下。他實在還很年輕哩，臉蛋兒挺嫩，幾乎還沒有長鬍子；他 怎麽會娶上那個身材那麽龐大、年歲比他大的妻子呢？從一扇小窗口裏就能望見她 赤露着胳膊肘兒在廚房裏忙得直打轉兒。Ｋ不想再勉強贏得他的信任了，再說也不 願意把自己最後好容易把他逗出來的笑容嚇跑。這樣，他就僅僅嚮他做了個手勢， 叫他把門打開，接着就跨進了晴朗的鼕天的早晨。
現在，他看得見那座城堡了。在光明閃耀的天空，它顯得輪廓分明，再給一層 薄薄的積雪一蓋，就顯得更加清晰了。山上的積雪似乎比山下村子裏的少得多。昨 天打村子裏經過的時候，Ｋ覺得就跟在大路上一樣難走。這兒，厚厚的積雪一直堆 到茅屋的窗口，再往上就又蓋滿了低矮的屋頂，可是在山上，一切都是那麽輕盈。 那麽自在地在空中飛翔，或者至少可以說，從下面看起來是這樣。
大體說來，這個城堡的遠景是在Ｋ的預料之中的。它既不是一個古老的要塞， 也不是一座新穎的大廈，而是一堆雜亂無章的建築群，由無數緊緊擠在一起的小型 建築物組成，其中有一層的，也有兩層的。倘使Ｋ原先不知道它是城堡，可能會把 它看作是一座小小的市鎮呢。就目力所及，他望見那兒衹有一座高塔，它究竟是屬 於一所住宅的呢，還是屬於教堂的，他沒法肯定。一群群烏鴉正繞着高塔飛翔。
Ｋ一面嚮前走，一面盯着城堡看，此外他就什麽也不想。可是當他走近城堡的 時候，不禁大失所望；原來它不過是一座形狀寒倫的市鎮而已，一堆亂七八糟的村 捨，如果說有什麽值得稱道的地方，那麽，惟一的優點就是它們都是石頭建築，可 是泥灰早已剝落殆盡，石頭也似乎正在風化消蝕。霎時間Ｋ想起了他家乡的村鎮。 它决不亞於這座所謂城堡，要是問題衹是上這兒來觀光一番的話，那麽，跑這麽遠 的路就未免太不值得了，那還不如重訪自己的故鄉，他已經很久沒有回故鄉去看看 了。於是，他在心裏就把家乡那座教堂的鐘樓同這座在他頭上的高塔作起比較來。 家乡那座鐘樓綫條挺拔，屹然矗立。從底部到頂端扶搖直上，頂上還有蓋着紅瓦的 寬闊屋頂，是一座人間的佳構——人們還能造出別的什麽建築來呢？——而且它具 有一種比之普通住房更為崇高的目的和比之紛壇繁雜的日常生活更為清晰的涵義。 而在他上面的這座高塔——惟一看得見的一座高塔——現在看起來顯然是一所住宅， 或者是一座主建築的塔樓，從上到下都是圓形的，一部分給常春藤親切地覆蓋着， 一扇扇小窗子，從常春藤裏探出來，在陽光下閃閃發光，一種好像發着癲狂似的閃 光。塔頂蓋着一種像閣樓似的東西，上面的雉諜參差不齊，斷斷續續十分難看，仿 佛是一個小孩子的哆哆嗦嗦或者漫不經心的手設計出來的，在蔚藍的蒼穹映襯之下， 顯得輪廓分明。猶如一個患着憂鬱狂的人，原來應該把他鎖在傢裏最高一層的房間 裏，結果卻從屋頂鑽了出來，高高地站立着，讓世界衆目睽睽地望着他。
Ｋ重又立停下來，似乎立停了他纔有更多的判斷力。但是他卻受到了幹擾。他 立停的地方是鄉村教堂，那後面就是學校。教堂實際上不過是一所禮拜堂和一些為 了供教區居民住用而擴建的像𠔌倉一樣的附加建築罷了。那學校是一所又長又矮的 房子，一副老態竜鐘的神氣，跟土裏土氣的模樣觸目地混合在一起。它坐落在如今 已經變成一片雪地的一座圍着籬笆的花園後面。這當兒，孩子們正跟着他們的老師 走出來。他們圍擁着他，都仰起頭來盯着他看，同時像連珠炮似地嘰嘰喳喳談着。 他們說得那麽快，Ｋ簡直沒法子聽懂他們在說些什麽。那位老師是一個肩膀狹窄、 身材矮小的青年，走起路來身子直挺挺的，可是那樣的姿態倒還並不顯得怎麽可笑。 他從遠處就已經用眼睛緊緊盯住了Ｋ看了，這也是很自然的，因為眼前除了這些小 學生之外，再沒有別人。作為一個外鄉人，尤其因為對方是一個儀表威嚴的小夥子， 因此Ｋ便首先走上去，說道：“您早，先生。”孩子們仿佛約好了似的，一下子都 靜了下來，也許他們的老師喜歡有這麽一種突然的靜默作為他斟酌詞句的準備。 “你在看城堡嗎？”他這句話問得比Ｋ所預料的溫和，但是他說話的腔調流露出他 並不贊成Ｋ這樣的行為。“是的，”Ｋ說，“我在這兒是一個外鄉人，我昨天晚上 纔來到這個村子。”“你不喜歡城堡嗎？”教師很快又問他。“什麽？”Ｋ反問道， 他感到有點驚奇，於是用緩和的口氣又問了一遍。“我喜不喜歡城堡？為什麽您認 為我不喜歡城堡呢？”“從來沒有一個外鄉人是喜歡城堡的，”教師說。為了免得 說錯話，Ｋ便改變話題，說道：“我想您是認識伯爵的吧？”“不認識，”教師說， 把身子轉了過去。可是Ｋ不願意就這樣給他擺脫掉，便又問道：“怎麽，您不認識 伯爵？”“幹嗎我一定要認識伯爵？”教師低聲地回答說，接着用法語高聲添了一 句：“請不要忘記有天真爛漫的孩子們在場啊。”Ｋ抓住這句話作為一個正當的理 由，問道：“我改天能來拜訪您嗎，先生？我在這兒得呆一些時候，可我已經感到 有點寂寞了。我跟那些莊稼漢合不來，我想，我跟城堡恐怕也合不來呢。”“農民 和城堡沒有什麽區別，”教師說。“也許是吧，”Ｋ說，“可是這一點並不能改變 我的處境。改天我能去拜訪您嗎？”“我住在天鵝街一個屠夫傢裏。”這與其說是 邀請，實在還不如說是通知。可是Ｋ說：“好，我一定去看您。”教師點了點頭， 便領着他那群孩子往前走去，孩子們立刻又叫嚷起來了。他們不久就在那陡峭直下 的小路裏消失了。
可是Ｋ對這次談話感到又害怕又氣。自從來到這裏以後，他第一次真正感到疲 倦起來。他經過的那麽一段漫長的旅程，起先似乎並沒有使他覺得身子怎樣疲乏— —在那些日子裏，他是多麽從容不迫地一步一步走過來的呵！——可是現在他感到 勞累的後果了，而且是在這樣不合時宜的時刻。他感到自己有一種不可抗拒的渴望， 想結識一些新的朋友，可是每當結識一個朋友，似乎又衹是增加他的厭倦。儘管如 此，在目前的情況下，假使他一定要叫自己繼續往前走，至少走到城堡入口那兒， 那他的氣力還是綽綽有餘的。
因此，他又走起來了，可是路實在很長。因為他走的這條村子的大街根本通不 到城堡的山岡，它衹是嚮着城堡的山岡，接着仿佛是經過匠心設計似的，便巧妙地 轉到另一個方向去了，雖然並沒有離開城堡，可是也一步沒有靠近它。每轉一個彎， Ｋ就指望大路又會靠近城堡，也就因為這個緣故，他纔繼續嚮前走着。儘管他已經 筋疲力盡，他卻决不願意離開這條街道。再說這個村子居然這麽長，也使他感到納 罕，它仿佛沒有個盡頭似的。他走啊走的，衹看到一幢接着一幢的式樣相同的小房 子，冰霜封凍的窗玻璃，皚皚的白雪，沒有一個人影兒——可是最後他到底掙脫了 這條迷宮似的大街，逃進了一條小巷。這兒雪積得更深，你得花很大的勁才能把腳 從雪地裏拔出來，這是非常纍人的，搞得渾身大汗。他猛地立停下來，再也走不動 了。
好啦，他到底不是在一座荒島上，在他的左右兩邊全是茅屋。他捏了一個雪球 朝一扇窗子扔過去。立刻有人把門打開了——這是他跑遍全村打開的第一扇門，— —門口出現了一個穿着褐色皮襖的老農夫，腦袋嚮一邊歪着，顯出一副衰弱而和善 的模樣。“我可以在你傢歇一會兒嗎？”Ｋ問道。“我纍極啦。”他沒有聽見老頭 兒的答話，但是懷着感激的心情看着一塊木板嚮他身邊推過來，準備把他從雪裏搭 救出來，於是他跨上幾步，就走進了廚房。
這是一間很大的廚房，屋子裏光綫很暗。從外面進來，起先什麽也看不清。Ｋ 在一隻洗衣桶上絆了一交，一隻女人的手把他扶住了。一個角落裏傳來了孩子們的 大聲號哭。另一個角落裏涌出一陣陣水蒸氣，把本來已經很暗的屋子變得更暗了。 Ｋ像是站在雲端裏一樣。“他準是喝醉了，”有人在這樣說。“你是誰？”有人嚇 唬地大聲喝問着，接着，顯然是對老頭兒說的：“你幹嗎讓他進來？難道咱們要把 街上每一個遊蕩的人都帶到傢裏來嗎？”“我是伯爵的土地測量員，”Ｋ說，在這 個他仍舊看不見的人面前，他竭力給自己辯護着。“哦，這是土地測量員！”這是 一個女人的聲音，接着是一片沉默。“那麽。你認識我？”Ｋ問道。“當然，”還 是那個女人的聲音簡短地說道。但是，人傢認識他，這似乎並不就是一種介紹。
The Castle (German: Das Schloß) is a novel by Franz Kafka. In it a protagonist, known only as K., struggles to gain access to the mysterious authorities of a castle who govern the village where he wants to work as a land surveyor. Kafka died before finishing the work, but suggested it would end with the Land Surveyor dying in the village; the castle notifying him on his death bed that his "legal claim to live in the village was not valid, yet, taking certain auxiliary circumstances into account, he was permitted to live and work there". Dark and at times surreal, The Castle is about alienation, bureaucracy, and the seemingly endless frustrations of man's attempts to stand against the system.
History of the novel
Kafka began writing The Castle on the evening of January 27, 1922, the day he arrived at the mountain resort of Spindlermühle (now in the Czech Republic). A picture taken of him upon his arrival shows him by a horse-drawn sleigh in the snow in a setting reminiscent of The Castle. Hence, the significance that the first few chapters of the handwritten manuscript were written in first person and at some point later changed by Kafka to a third person narrator, 'K.'
Max Brod
Kafka died prior to finishing The Castle and it is questionable whether Kafka intended on finishing it if he had survived his tuberculosis. On separate occasions he told his friend Max Brod of two different conditions: K., the book's protagonist, would continue to reside and die in the village; the castle notifying him on his death bed that his "legal claim to live in the village was not valid, yet, taking certain auxiliary circumstances into account, he was permitted to live and work there" , but then on September 11, 1922 in a letter to Max Brod, he said he was giving up on the book and would never return to it. As it is, the book ends mid-sentence.
Although Brod was instructed by Kafka to destroy all his works on his death, he did not and set about publishing Kafka's writings. The Castle was originally published in German in 1926 by the publisher Kurt Wolff Verlag of Munich. This edition sold far less than the 1500 copies that were printed. It was republished in 1935 by Schocken Verlag in Berlin, and in 1946 by Schocken Books of New York.
Brod had to heavily edit the work to ready it for publication. His goal was to gain acceptance of the work and the author, not to maintain the structure of Kafka's writing. This would play heavily in the future of the translations and continues to be the center of discussion on the text. Brod donated the manuscript to Oxford University.
Brod placed a strong religious significance to the symbolism of the castle. This is one possible interpretation of the work based on numerous Judeo-Christian references as noted by many including Arnold Heidsieck.
Malcolm Pasley
The publisher, Salmen Schocken, soon realized the translations were "bad" and in 1940 desired a "completely different approach". In 1961 Malcolm Pasley got access to all of Kafka's works, except The Trial, and deposited them in Oxford's Bodleian library. Pasley and a team of scholars (Gerhard Neumann, Malcolm Pasley, Jost Schillemeit, and Jürgen Born) started publishing the works in 1982 through S. Fischer Verlag. Das Schloß was published that year as a two volume set — the novel in the first volume, and the fragments, deletions and editor's notes in a second volume. This team restored the original German text to its full, and incomplete state, including the unique Kafka punctuation considered critical to the style.
Stroemfeld/Roter Stern
Interpretations of Kafka's intent for the manuscript are ongoing. Stroemfeld/Roter Stern Verlag is working for the rights to publish another critical edition with manuscript and transcription side-by-side. But they have met with resistance from the Kafka heirs and Pasley. This edition is not yet available.
Major editions
* 1930 Translators: Willa and Edwin Muir. Based on the First German edition, by Max Brod. Published By Secker & Warburg in England and Alfred A. Knopf in the United States.
* 1941 Translators: Willa and Edwin Muir. Edition include an Homage by Thomas Mann.
* 1954 Translators: Willa and Edwin Muir additional sections translated by Eithne Wilkins and Ernst Kaiser. "Definitive edition". Based on the Schocken 1951 Definitive edition .
* 1994 Translators: Muir, et al. Preface by Irving Howe.
* 1997 Translator: J. A. Underwood, Introduction: Idris Parry. Based on Pasley Critical German Text.
* 1998 Translator: Mark Harman Based on Pasley Critical German Text.
The title
The title, Das Schloß, may be translated as "the castle" or "the lock". It is also similar to Der Schluß (close or end). The castle is locked and closed to K and the townspeople; neither can gain access.
Plot
The narrator, K. arrives in the village, governed by the castle. When seeking shelter at the town inn, he gives himself out to be a land surveyor summoned by the castle authorities. He is quickly notified that his castle contact is an official named Klamm, who, in the introductory note, informs K. he will report to the Council Chairman.
The Council Chairman informs K. that, through a mix up in communication between the castle and the village, he was erroneously requested but, trying to accommodate K., the Council Chairman offers him a position in the service of the school teacher as a janitor. Meanwhile, K., unfamiliar with the customs, bureaucracy and processes of the village, continues to attempt to reach the official Klamm, who is not accessible.
The villagers hold the officials and the castle in the highest regard, justifying, quite elaborately at times, the actions of the officials, even though they do not appear to know what officials do or why they do it; they simply defend it. The number of assumptions and justifications about the functions of the officials and their dealings are enumerated through lengthy monologues of the villagers. Everyone appears to have an explanation for the official's actions that appear to be founded on assumptions and gossip. One of the more obvious contradictions between the "official word" and the village conception is the dissertation by the secretary Erlanger on Frieda's required return to service as a barmaid. K. is the only villager that knows that the request is being forced by the castle (even though Frieda may be the genesis), with no regard for anyone in the village, only Klamm. Pepi and Jeremiah quickly come to their conclusions and do not hesitate to state them.
The castle is the ultimate bureaucracy with copious paperwork that the bureaucracy maintains is "flawless". This flawlessness is of course a lie; it is a flaw in the paperwork that has brought K. to the village. There are other failures of the system which are occasionally referred to. K. witnesses a flagrant misprocessing after his nighttime interrogation by Erlanger as a servant destroys paperwork when he cannot determine who the recipient should be.
The castle's occupants appear to be all adult men and there is little reference to the castle other than to its bureaucratic functions. The two notable instances are the reference to a fire brigade and that Otto Brunswick's wife is self declared as from the castle. The latter builds the importance of Hans (Otto's son) in K's eyes, as a way to gain access to the castle officials.
The functions of the officials are never mentioned. The officials that are discussed have one or more secretaries that do their work in their village. Although the officials come to the village they do not interact with the villagers unless they need female companionship, implied to be sexual.
Characters
Note: The Muir translations refer to the Herrenhof Inn where the Harman translations translate this to the Gentleman's Inn. Below all references to the inn where the officials stay in the village is the Herrenhof Inn since this was the first, and potentially more widely read, translation.
Character Description
K., the Land-Surveyor The protagonist of the story, recognized as a land surveyor, employed as the school janitor, and a stranger to the townspeople. He spends most of the novel trying to overcome the bureaucracy of the village and to contact the castle official Klamm.
Frieda A former barmaid at the Herrenhof, who is K.'s fiancée for most of the novel. She often finds herself torn between her duty to K. and her fears regarding his over-zealousness. She eventually leaves K. and ends up in the arms of his former assistant, Jeremiah (who has since become a waitperson at the Herrenhof).
Hans, landlord
(Bridge Inn) Nephew of the original owner of the inn. According to his wife, Gardena, he is lazy and overly nice to K.
Gardena, landlady
(Bridge Inn) The self proclaimed firebrand of the Bridge Inn she is a former short-term mistress to Klamm and very distrustful of K.'s motives. She remains infatuated with Klamm.
Barnabas, a messenger A messenger of the castle assigned to K. He is new to the service. K. is instructed to use him to communicate with the official Klamm. He is very immature and sensitive.
Arthur and Jeremiah, K's assistants
(Artur and Jeremias in Harman edition) Shortly after his arrival in the village, K. is given two assistants to help him with his various needs. They are a continual source of frustration for him, however, and he eventually drives them from his service through his brutal treatment. They have been assigned to K., to make him happy, by the official Galater who was deputizing for Klamm at the time.
Mayor/Superintendent
(Village Council Chairman in Harman edition) Assigned by Klamm to give K. his assignment and hence is his superior. He explains to K why he is not needed as a land surveyor. He offers K. the job of school janitor to the dismay of the Teacher.
Mizzi, the mayor's wife The wife and assistant of the Mayor, Gardena refers to her as the one who does the work.
Klamm An elusive castle official who is K.'s Castle Authority. Like the other Castle officials in the book, his actual area of expertise is never mentioned. K. spends a large portion of the novel trying to secure a meeting with Klamm. K., it seems, fixes many of his hopes for a successful resolution to his problems upon this meeting with Klamm. He has at least two secretaries—Erlanger (First Secretary) and Momus.
In Czech (and Kafka was able to speak and read/write Czech) "klam" means "illusion."
Momus, Klamm's secretary Handles all written work for and receives all petitions to Klamm. He is also secretary for Vallabne, who is not mentioned again in the novel.
Erlanger, Klamm's secretary The First Secretary of Klamm who is sent to "interrogate" K, but only gives him a short message.
Olga, Barnabas' sister The older sister of Amalia and Barnabas. She helps K. on his quest, partly by telling him the story of why her family is considered outcasts and by teaching him some of the village customs.
Amalia, Barnabas' sister Younger sister of Barnabas and Olga. She was disgraced in the village after rudely turning down a summons from the castle official Sortini for sexual favors.
Barnabas' Father The father of Olga, Amalia and Barnabas. Past village cobbler and notable fireman. After Amalia's disgraceful interactions with Sortini's messenger, his business is ruined and he is stripped of his fire credentials
Barnabas' Mother The mother of Olga, Amalia and Barnabas.
Otto Brunswick, son-in-law of Lasemann
(brother-in-law of Lasemann in Harman edition) Hans Brunswick's father. Opportunistically takes over Barnabas' father's customers as the Barnabas family falls into disrepute from Amalia's rude treatment of Sortini's Messenger. According to the Mayor, Brunswick was the only person in the village that desired that a land surveyor be hired. No reason for this is given.
Frau Brunswick Hans Brunswick's Mother. She refers to herself as "from the castle" and is the only reference to a female at the castle.
Hans, a sympathetic Student A student at the school where K is a janitor. Offers to help K and K uses him to attempt to find ways to get to the castle through his mother.
Herrenhof Landlord Landlord of the Herrenhof Inn.
Herrenhof Landlady Well dressed landlady at the Herrenhof Inn. Seems to be the matriarch of the Inn (as is Gardena at the Bridge Inn). Is distrustful of K.
Galater He is the castle official that assigned the assistants to K. He was also "rescued" by Barnabas' father in a minor fire at the Herrenhof Inn.
Brügel
(Bürgel in Harman edition) A Secretary of a castle official, Friedrich. Friedrich is not mentioned again in the book, but in deleted text is referred to as an official who is falling out of favor. Brügel is a long winded secretary who muses about Castle interrogations with K, when the latter errantly enters his room at the Herrenhof Inn.
Sordini Castle secretary who exhaustively manages any transactions at the castle for his department and is suspicious of any potential error.
Sortini Castle official associated with the village fire brigade who solicits Amalia with a sexually explicit and rude request to come to his room at the Herrenhof.
Teacher When K. becomes the janitor at the school, the teacher becomes K.'s de facto superior. He does not approve of K. working at the school, but does not appear to have the authority to terminate K's appointment.
Miss Gisa, the school mistress The assistant school teacher who is courted by Schwarzer and also dislikes K.
Schwarzer An under-castellan's son who appears to have given up living in the castle to court Miss Gisa and become her student teacher.
Pepi A former chamber maid who is promoted to Frieda's barmaid position when the latter leaves her position at the Herrenhoff to live with K. She was a chambermaid with Emilie and Hennriette
Lasemann, a tanner, father-in-law of Otto Brunswick
(brother-in-law of Otto Brunswick in Harman edition) The village tanner that offers a few hours shelter to K. during on his first full day in the village.
Gerstacker, a Coachman Initially suspicious of K. but gives him a free sleigh back to the Bridge Inn after refusing to provide a ride to the castle. At the end of the book attempts to befriend K. since he believes K. has clout with Erlanger.
Seemann, the Fire Company chief The fire chief that strips Barnabas' father of his fireman diploma after Barnabas' family falls into shame from Amalia's rude treatment of Sortini's Messenger.
Major themes
Theological
It is well documented that Brod's original construction was based on religious themes and this was furthered by the Muirs in their translations. But it has not ended with the Critical Editions. Numerous interpretations have been made with a variety of theological angles.
One interpretation of K.'s struggle to contact the castle is that it represents a man's search for salvation. According to Mark Harman, translator of a recent edition of The Castle, this was the interpretation favored by the original translators Willa and Edwin Muir, who produced the first English volume in 1925. Harman feels he has removed the bias in the translations toward this view, but many still feel this is the point of the book.
Fueling the biblical interpretations of the novel are the various names and situations. For example, the official Galater (the German word for Galatians), one of the initial regions to develop a strong Christian following from the work of Apostle Paul and his assistant Barnabas. The name of the messenger, Barnabas, for the same reason. Even the Critical Editions naming of the beginning chapter, "Arrival", among other things liken K. to an Old Testament messiah.
Abuse of power
While in talking to Olga in (Chapter XVII, "Amalia's Secret") K. himself ridicules the officials, in general, based on Sortini's "abuse of power" in requesting Amalia to come to the Gentleman's Inn. K. caught, once again, in not understanding the customs of the village is shocked at the behavior of Sortini. Olga expresses the "heroic" actions of Amalia, but appears too understanding of the community's acceptance of the status quo when it comes to the solicitations by the officials.
Bureaucracy
The obvious thread throughout The Castle is bureaucracy. The extreme degree is nearly comical and the village residents' justifications of it are amazing. Hence it is no surprise that many feel that the work is a direct result of the political situation of the era in which it was written, which was shot through with anti-Semitism, remnants of the Habsburg bureaucracy, etc.
But even in these analyses, the veiled references to more sensitive issues are pointed out. For instance, the treatment of the Barnabas family, with their requirement to first prove guilt before they could request a pardon from it and the way their fellow villagers desert them have been pointed out as a direct reference to the anti-Semitic climate at the time.
Allusions to other works
Critics often talk of The Castle and The Trial in concert, highlighting the struggle of the protagonist against a bureaucratic system and standing before the law's door unable to enter as in the parable of the priest in The Trial.
In spite of motifs common with other works of Kafka, The Castle is quite different from The Trial. While K., the main hero of The Castle, faces similar uncertainty and difficulty in grasping the reality that suddenly surrounds him; Josef K., the protagonist of The Trial, seems to be more experienced and emotionally stronger. On the other hand, while Josef K.'s surroundings stay familiar even when strange events befall him, K. finds himself in a new world whose laws and rules are unfamiliar to him.
Publication history
Harman translation
In 1926 Max Brod persuaded Kurt Wolff Verlag to publish the first German edition of The Castle. Due to its unfinished nature and his desire to get Kafka's work published, Max Brod took some editorial freedom.
In 1961 Malcolm Pasley was able to gain control of the manuscript, along with most of the other Kafka writings (save The Trial) and had it placed in the Oxford's Bodleian library. There, Pasley headed a team of scholars and recompiled Kafka's works into the Critical Edition. The Castle Critical Edition, in German, consists of two volumes—the novel in one volume and the fragments, deletions and editor's notes in a second volume. They were published by S. Fischer Verlag in 1982, hence occasionally referred to as the "Fischer Editions".
Mark Harman used the first volume of this set to create the 1998 edition of The Castle, often refer to as based on the "Restored Text" or the "English Critical Edition".
The lack of the fragments and missing text would have little meaning to most readers if the Muir translation did not let one know that there was more to read. The casual reader may not find the additional text of value, which Harman mentions that he has not included the text. According to the Publisher's Note:
"We decided to omit the variants and passages deleted by Kafka that are included in Pasley's second volume, even though variants can indeed shed light on the genesis of literary texts. The chief objective of this new edition, which is intended for the general public, is to present the text in a form that is as close as possible to the state in which the author left the manuscript."
Harman has received general acceptance of his translation as being technically accurate and true to the original German. He has, though, received criticism for, at times not creating the prosaic form of Kafka. Some of this is due, as with Muir's translations, on accusations that Pasley compilations are also inaccurate, although better than Brod's.
As noted in the Table of Contents above, Harman includes an eleven page discussion on his philosophy behind the translation. This section provides significant information about the method he used and his thought process. There are numerous examples of passages from Pasley, Muir's translation and his translation to provide the reader with a better feel for the work. As referenced above, some feel that his (and the publisher's) praise for his work and his "patronizing" of the Muirs goes a little too far.
Muir translation
In 1930 Willa and Edwin Muir translated the First German edition of The Castle as it was compiled by Max Brod. It was published by Secker & Warburg in England and Alfred A. Knopf in the United States. 1941 edition was the edition that fed the Kafka post-war craze. The 1941 edition included a homage by Thomas Mann.
In 1954 the "Definitive" edition was published and included additional sections Brod had added to the Schocken Definitive German edition. The new sections were translated by Eithne Wilkins and Ernst Kaiser. Some edits were made in the Muir text namely the changes were "Town Council" to "Village Council", "Superintendent" to "Mayor", "Clients" to "Applicants" .
The 1994 edition, the current publication, contains a preface by Irving Howe.
The Muir translations make use of wording that is often considered "spiritual" in nature. In one notable example, the Muirs translate the description of the castle as "soaring unfalteringly" where Harman uses "tapered decisively". Furthermore, the word "illusory" is used from the opening paragraph forward. Some critics note this as further evidence of the bias in the translation leaning toward a mystical interpretation.
Underwood translation
A translation by J. A. Underwood was published in 1997 and 2000 (ISBN 0-14-018504-6) by Penguin in the UK.
Adaptations
The book was adapted by German director Rudolf Noelte into a film released in 1968. It was also filmed by Austrian director Michael Haneke in 1997 under the original German title Das Schloß, starring Ulrich Mühe as K. There is a 1994 Russian movie adaptation, The Castle, directed by Aleksei Balabanov. Another less-well-known adaptation was also made in Russia in 1994, called The Land Surveyor (Землемер). It was a 46-minute-long animation created at Diogen Studio and directed by Dmitriy Naumov and Valentin Telegin. . A 120-minute-long French radio adaptation, written by Stephane Michaka and directed by Cedric Aussir, was aired by France Culture in 2010.
Allusions to The Castle in other works
A story similar to that of The Castle is told in the British television series The Prisoner. In the late 1970s, an unlicensed computer game spin-off of The Prisoner took things one step further by incorporating elements of The Castle into the game play.
The novel Oficina Número 1 (Office Number 1) by Venezuelan writer Miguel Otero Silva has one character reading The Castle, and although never referred to by name, describes several parts of it.
The Castle is also referred to in Lawrence Thornton's Imagining Argentina. A professor is arrested under suspicion of subversive activities. He tells the authorities he has been meeting Dostoevsky, Koestler and Camus at a place called "the Castle". The main character's cat is also named Kafka.
Although not expressly stated as such, the Steven Soderbergh film Kafka from 1991, starring Jeremy Irons, incorporates the basic thematic elements of The Castle as well as allusions to Kafka's own life as a writer and his collected works. The title character, "Kafka", an insurance company clerk by day and a writer by night, lives and works in the shadow of the mysterious Castle, which rules over the life and death of the local citizenry through a seemingly incomprehensibly complex conspiracy of bureaucracy and cover-ups.
Iain Banks's novel Walking on Glass has characters who find themselves in a situation similar to K.'s: trapped in a castle, subject to arbitrary and bizarre rules which they must obey in order to find a way of leaving, and surrounded by "servants" who comply entirely with the rules by which the castle is run. The allusion is made specific in one of the final chapters, where reading The Castle (along with The Trial and Titus Groan) is hinted at as a key to the characters' escape from their own castle.
K., the protagonist of J.M. Coetzee's The Life and Times of Michael K, attempts to live simply outside the governing system of war torn South Africa.[citation needed]
African-American author Richard Wright references The Castle in his autobiography Black Boy.
Japanese game designer Suda51, creator of No More Heroes, is planning to make a game based on The Castle, titled Kuriyami
A world in the children's Nintendo DS game Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter, the Galactic Jungle, presents the player with a stubborn bureaucracy not unlike the one portrayed in the novel.
Gene Wolfe's novel There Are Doors contains numerous references to The Castle throughout, including a high-placed official known as Klamm, several characters referred to as "Herr K.," and an actual copy of Das Schloss found nailed to a table within a dream.
Argentinian writer Ernesto Sabato is said to be influenced by Kafka's existentialism. The main character in his novelle, "The Tunnel", is named Castel, presumably after Kafka's story title.
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