A Reaction to Franz Kafka's "A Country Doctor" Analytical Essay
A Reaction to Franz Kafka's "A Country Doctor"
An analysis of the subtle philosophical underpinnings in Franz Kafka's "A Country Doctor".
# 150027
| 930 words
| 3 sources
| MLA
| 2011
Published
on Jan 22, 2012
in
Literature
(European (other))
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Description:
The paper explores the major themes of the story "A Country Doctor" and connects them to contemporary influences on Kafka himself. Additionally, the paper critically analyzes the challenges confronted by Kafka's central character in the story and discusses the elements of the story that make it a nightmare.
From the Paper:
"The major themes of the story can be connected to at least two contemporary influences on Kafka. First, his representation of Jewish folklore in his writings, with regard to life in Europe around Kafka's time; the other is his bent toward Freudian tradition of psychoanalysis in connection to sexual tension. These two themes weave a complex fabric that represents many a facet of social and psychological dilemma portrayed in the short life account of the doctor. These themes also give birth to other sub-themes in the story. For instance, it seems plausible to agree with Lorenz that in the character of the doctor, Kafka has portrayed a blend of "divergent models" that represent manhood, sexual desire, humanity, and helplessness to make one straight choice and so the doctor is lost facing the psychological dilemma. Another theme is the transition that the (presumably) Jew doctor is facing between his stereotypical outlook and the demands of the flesh. Thus, in the form of the aggressive groom we find the brutal side of the doctor; in Rosa, his maid, we can see the sexual side of the doctor's mind; the sick young man might represent the "Gentile stereotype of the Jew" and when the doctor lies besides the patient, this heightens the uncommented portrayal of tension between conscious and unconscious minds within the doctor."Sample of Sources Used:
- Lorenz, Dagmar, C. G. "Kafka and Gender". The Cambridge companion to Kafka. Ed. Julian Preece. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. 170-210.
- Marson, Eric, and Leopld, Keith. "Kafka, Freud, and 'Ein Landarzt'". The German Quarterly: 146-160. December 31 2009 < http://www.dreamaesthetic.com/landarzt.pdf>.
- Potter, Parker, B., Jr. "Ordeal by Trial: Judicial References to the Nightmare World of Franz Kafka". Pierce Law Review, 3 (2) 2005: 195-330.
Cite this Analytical Essay:
APA Format
A Reaction to Franz Kafka's "A Country Doctor" (2012, January 22)
Retrieved December 09, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/a-reaction-to-franz-kafka-a-country-doctor-150027/
MLA Format
"A Reaction to Franz Kafka's "A Country Doctor"" 22 January 2012.
Web. 09 December. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/a-reaction-to-franz-kafka-a-country-doctor-150027/>