Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, whose work has left a profound mark on world literature and cultural history. Kafka, a German-speaking writer of Jewish descent from Prague, often explored themes such as alienation, existential anxiety, and the individual’s inability to understand or influence the systems that govern their lives.

His style became so distinctive that it gave rise to its own term—“kafkaesque”—referring to absurdly oppressive and incomprehensible situations in which individuals find themselves trapped. At the core of Kafka’s work is often an ordinary person confronted by an inexplicable and overwhelming authority.

Kafka’s best-known works include the novella “The Metamorphosis”, in which the protagonist Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into an insect, and the novel “The Trial”, which follows a man named Josef K. who is arrested without explanation and becomes entangled in a surreal and nightmarish legal process.

Although most of Kafka’s works were published only after his death, his writing has become a cornerstone of existential literature, continuing to resonate deeply with readers today.