Is the Metamorphosis a Tragedy?
By: Janna • Essay • 548 Words • December 3, 2009 • 1,417 Views
Essay title: Is the Metamorphosis a Tragedy?
In the past the definition of the tragedy was restricted to be defined as depicting the downfall of a noble hero or heroine due to some combination of hubris, fate, and the will of the gods, however a modern tragedy is different, it changes the execution of a tragedy from hubris to his outside surroundings, and the will of god to the affect of people that affect the life of the character. Both Arthur Miller and Franz Kafka depict tragedy not in the classic definition but the modern definition. The modern tragedy is depicted perfectly by Franz Kafka in the Metamorphosis.
The tragedy in the Metamorphosis is the degradation of Gregor from a human being to a bug to his eventual death. The tragedy was brought on by Gregor’s family and also by the relationships that Gregor had with his job and also his lack of a sex life. Gregor’s life before he was transformed into a bug was monotonous. He would wake up every morning early go to work, to which he was never late for, to support his ungrateful parents. He has no friends that we know of and his life is almost meaningless like a bug and he is therefore transformed into a giant bug. When he is late to work due to his transformation his boss comes to his house because he thinks he is stealing. He is degraded as a human being he is not being appreciated at all.
After he is transformed into a bug he is still not accepted by anyone. He starts slowly losing his humanity. First his sister who brings him food as a bug finally sees him. She runs off scared. She was his one last connection to humanity as a bug and now it became lost, soon after his furniture was being taken by his mother and sister. This at first was thought to be better for Gregor because he would now have more room, but he realizes he is now losing