La metamorfosis: Clásicos de la literatura

Por Franz Kafka

Este ebook presenta "La metamorfosis", con un índice dinámico y detallado. Se trata de un relato de Franz Kafka, publicado en 1916 y que narra la historia de Gregor Samsa, un comerciante de telas que vive con su familia a la que él mantiene con su sueldo, quien un día amanece convertido en un enorme insecto (aparentemente un escarabajo). Una interpretación reconocida se refiere a la identidad desdoblada de Kafka, quien por un lado siente nostalgia por la identidad judía de sus abuelos y por otro siente que no logra hacer pie en el mundo "gentil" de Praga al que pertenece su padre.
Franz Kafka (1883 - 1924) fue un escritor de origen judío nacido en Bohemia que escribió en alemán. Su obra está considerada como una de las más influyentes de la literatura universal y está llena de temas y arquetipos sobre la alienación, la brutalidad física y psicológica, los conflictos entre padres e hijos, personajes en aventuras terroríficas, laberintos de burocracia, y transformaciones místicas.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: e-artnow
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 24 jul 2015
• ISBN: 9788026834700

Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was a primarily German-speaking Bohemian author, known for his impressive fusion of realism and fantasy in his work. Despite his commendable writing abilities, Kafka worked as a lawyer for most of his life and wrote in his free time. Though most of Kafka’s literary acclaim was gained postmortem, he earned a respected legacy and now is regarded as a major literary figure of the 20th century.

Vista previa del libro

III

I

Cuando Gregor Samsa se despertó una mañana después de un sueño intranquilo, se encontró sobre su cama convertido en un monstruoso insecto". Estaba tumbado sobre su espalda dura, y en forma de caparazón y, al levantar un poco la cabeza, veía un vientre abombado, parduzco, dividido por partes duras en forma de arco, sobre cuya protuberancia apenas podía mantenerse el cobertor, a punto ya de resbalar al suelo.

Sus muchas patas, ridículamente pequeñas en comparación con el resto de su tamaño, le vibraban desamparadas ante los ojos. «¿Qué me ha ocurrido?», pensó. No era un sueño. Su habitación, una auténtica habitación humana, si bien algo pequeña, permanecía tranquila entre las cuatro paredes harto conocidas.

Por encima de la mesa, sobre la que se encontraba extendido un muestrario de paños desempaquetados – Samsa era viajante de comercio –, estaba colgado aquel cuadro, que hacía poco había recortado de una revista y había colocado en un bonito marco dorado. Representaba a una dama ataviada con un sombrero y una boa" de piel, que estaba allí, sentada muy erguida y levantaba hacia el observador un pesado manguito de piel, en el cual había desaparecido su antebrazo.

La mirada de Gregor se dirigió después hacia la ventana, y el tiempo lluvioso se oían caer gotas de lluvia sobre la chapa del alfeizar de la ventana – le ponía muy melancólico.

«¿Qué pasaría – pensó – si durmiese un poco más y olvidase todas las chifladuras?» Pero esto era algo absolutamente imposible, porque estaba acostumbrado a dormir del lado derecho, pero en su estado actual no podía ponerse de ese lado.

Aunque se lanzase con mucha fuerza hacia el lado derecho, una y otra vez se volvía a balancear sobre la espalda.

Lo intentó cien veces, cerraba los ojos para no tener que ver las patas que pataleaban, y sólo cejaba en su empeño cuando comenzaba a notar en el costado un dolor leve y sordo que antes nunca había sentido. «iDios mío!», pensó.

«iQué profesión tan dura he elegido! Un día sí y otro también de viaje. Los esfuerzos profesionales son mucho mayores que en el mismo almacén de la ciudad, y además se me ha endosado este ajetreo de viajar, el estar al tanto de los empalmes de tren, la comida mala y a deshora, una relación humana constantemente cambiante, nunca duradera, que jamás llega a ser cordial.

¡Que se vaya todo al diablo!» Sintió sobre el vientre un leve picor, con la espalda se desli zó lentamente más cerca de la cabecera de la cama para poder levantar mejor la cabeza; se encontró con que la parte que le picaba estaba totalmente cubierta por unos pequeños puntos blancos, que no sabía a qué se debían, y quiso palpar esa parte con una pata, pero inmediatamente la retiró, porque el roce le producía escalofríos. Se deslizó de nuevo a su posición inicial.

«Esto de levantarse pronto», pensó, «le hace a uno desvariar. El hombre tiene que dormir. Otros viajantes viven como pachás". Si yo, por ejemplo, a lo largo de la mañana vuelvo a la pensión para pasar a limpio los pedidos que he conseguido, estos señores todavía están sentados tomando el desayuno.

Eso podría intentar yo con mi jefe, en ese momento iría a parar a la calle. Quién sabe, por lo demás, si no sería lo mejor para mí. Si no tuviera que dominarme por mis padres, ya me habría despedido hace tiempo, me habría presentado ante el jefe y le habría dicho mi opinión con toda mi alma. ¡Se habría caído de la mesa! Sí que es una extraña costumbre la de sentarse sobre la mesa y, desde esa altura, hablar hacia abajo con el empleado que, además, por culpa de la sordera del jefe, tiene que acercarse mucho.

Bueno, la esperanza todavía no está perdida del todo; si alguna vez tengo el dinero suficiente para pagar las deudas que mis padres tienen con él – puedo tardar todavía entre cinco y seis años – lo hago con toda seguridad. Entonces habrá llegado el gran momento, ahora, por lo pronto, tengo que levantarme porque el tren sale a las cinco», y miró hacia el despertador que hacía tictac sobre el armario. «¡Dios del cielo!», pensó.

Eran las seis y media y las manecillas seguían tranquilamente hacia delante, ya había pasado incluso la media, eran ya casi las menos cuarto. ¿Es que no habría sonado el despertador?» Desde la cama se veía que estaba correctamente puesto a las cuatro, seguro que también había sonado. Sí, pero… Será posible seguir durmiendo tan tranquilo con ese ruido que hacía temblar los muebles? Bueno, tampoco había dormido tranquilo, pero quizá tanto más profundamente. ¿Qué iba a hacer ahora? El siguiente tren salía a las siete, para cogerlo tendría que haberse dado una prisa loca, el muestrario todavía no estaba empaquetado, y él mismo no se encontraba especialmente espabilado y ágil; e incluso si consiguiese coger el tren, no se podía evitar una reprimenda del jefe, porque el mozo de los recados habría esperado en el tren de las cinco y ya hacía tiempo que habría dado parte de su descuido. Era un esclavo del jefe, sin agallas ni juicio. ¿Qué pasaría si dijese que estaba enfermo? Pero esto sería sumamente desagradable y sospechoso, porque Gregor no había estado enfermo ni una sola vez durante los cinco años de servicio. Seguramente aparecería el jefe con el médico del seguro, haría reproches a sus padres por tener un hijo tan vago y se salvaría de todas las objeciones remitiéndose al médico del seguro, para el que sólo existen hombres totalmente sanos, pero con aversión al trabajo. ¿Y es que en este caso no tendría un poco de razón? Gregor, a excepción de una modorra realmente superflua des pués del largo sueño, se encontraba bastante bien e incluso tenía mucha hambre. ¡Mientras reflexionaba sobre todo esto con gran rapidez, sin poderse decidir a abandonar la cama – en este mismo instante el despertador daba las siete menos cuarto –, llamaron cautelosamente a la puerta que estaba a la cabecera de su cama. Gregor – dijeron (era la madre) –, son las siete menos

Comentarios para La metamorfosis

[britt84 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

A very realistic story about a completely unrealistic event. I love how Kafka describes an absurd occurrence like it's a very natural thing and nothing to be surprised at, and how he gives a completely realistic account of the consequences and behaviour of the people involved.

[revslick_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

perfect read for late at night creepy and a great allegory for those in 12-step recovery (AA, NA, Alanon, etc.).

[cdeuker · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Better than I remembered. Gregor transformed from a miserable drone working for an unappreciative family and an unappreciative employer into a miserable bug who is forced to hide in his room from his family. This family, little by little, transforms themselves into actual living creatures. All get jobs, all "come out" of their shells (bad pun), all improve. Only Gregor declines and dies, never once feeling any resentment toward those who transformed him from a person into a bug by their parasitic dependence. Fantastic story, incredible matter-of-fact narration.

[krizia_lazaro_3 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

At first, I can't bear reading this book. It was about a person who turned into a bug. It was disgusting. I hate bugs. But towards the middle and end part you begin to feel sympathy for Gregor. Who wants to be a bug? It was something he did not choose. i just felt bad for him and how his family treated him. It actually made me cry in the end. This one classic book everyone should read.

[cecrow · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

My understanding of the grand metaphor at play here is Kafka's feelings of alienation in his being absorbed by the creative act of writing. Thanks to this use of metaphor rather than a literal telling, this story could represent anyone's abruptly becoming their family's black sheep (or 'monstrous vermin', rather) for any reason - a new religious or philosophical conviction, a homosexual who comes out of the closet, or any other event that causes a sudden rift between oneself and one's family, to the extent the people you love and live with feel like they scarcely know you anymore. The stages are there: their initial reaction of horror and the shutting down of communication, grudgingly giving way to the family's sense of duty to acknowledge even its strangest family member, and then ... I'd imagine there's a few different paths after that. Maybe they can reconcile and accept, or maybe not.From Gregor's perspective there's the problem of his no longer being able to communicate with his family in return. He can no longer explain his wants or desires in any language they will understand because he has become entirely alien to them, and so he discovers his own ebbing of empathy for their perspective as well, like a memory in the act of being forgotten. This might be a good classic for adolescents, who so often feel isolated or misunderstood by their family (assuming it's properly introduced.) I read it while ill, an event that tends to skew one's priorities and values and so gave me my own way of relating - the sick invalid who temporarily lacks the same cares as his family around him, shut up in his room and not to be disturbed. Some parts were darkly humorous, but I can't say I found it comforting.

[lisamaria_c · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This is a hard book to nail down. That despite the fact that the basic (infamous) premise is revealed in the first sentence. It was about all I knew about Kafka or The Metamorphosis when I started the book--that the "hero" wakes up as a cockroach: As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his domelike brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly stay in place and was about to slide off completely. His numerous legs, which were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk, waved helplessly before his eyes.I'd read this work published in 1915 was a seminal work of the early 20th century. I'd read it was important to the Existentialist movement, surreal and absurdest and despairing. So what surprised me about this short novella--it's only about 22 thousand words--is how funny it is. I just found this all pretty hilarious. Is that bad, and wrong? It has been described as horror--but I mean, just the way Kafka describes poor Gregor trying to get around on his little legs--or trying to squeak out explanations to his supervisor or his family... I found nothing very heavy in this--or anything all that philosophical--at least not in any ponderous or pedantic way. It felt more light humor than anything--and really, an engaging introduction for me to this writer who'd I'd definitely read again.

[joybee_1 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Not the kind of story I usually read, but it kept my interest. I found this story to be funny in places, and a little sad.Gregor Samsa "woke up one morning from unsettling dreams" and "found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin". This is how the story starts, with its climax. The rest of the story goes on to tell about Gregor's new life as a bug, and how he and his family react.I am glad I read this story.

[mamzel_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Gregor Samsa lives with his parents and younger sister and lives a perfectly normal life until one morning when he wakes up and finds he is now a human-sized roach. The story is an examination of how a family might react to such an event and how one might feel if this happened to him. I loved trying to imagine life as a roach.

[edgeworth_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

When Gregor Samsa woke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous insect.This is one of the most famous opening lines in literature, and the general concept of The Metamorphosis, which hovers on the borderline of being a short story or a novella, is one of literature’s most famous and fascinating stories. No explanation is given for Gregor Samsa’s terrible fate; he and his family must simply endure it. Almost the entire novella takes place within the Samsa family’s apartment, and over a mere 61 pages Kafka develops an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia, alienation and sheer misery at the unjustness of the world.This is a book many students are forced to read in high school, probably because of its short length, like The Great Gatsby, with no consideration for the fact that high school students probably aren’t yet equipped to appreciate the themes it explores (again like The Great Gatsby). There are dozens if not hundreds of scholarly interpretations as to what The Metamorphosis is allegorising; mental illness and depression are popular ideas. If I had to throw my hat into the ring I’d suggest it’s about the struggles of adulthood, the sometimes crushing sense of responsibility, the loss of innocence; much is made of the fact that Gregor, in his early twenties, has been working as a salesman to support his recently impoverished family, and following his transformation his inability to work and provide for them leaves him with a terrible sense of guilt. On the very morning of the metamorphosis the head clerk arrives from his office, demanding to know why he has not turned up for work, and it’s almost a scene of black comedy as Gregor attempts to leave the bed and open the door, to reassure his superior that he is fit and able and enthusiastic. The fact that he has turned into a monster is of secondary concern to his job security.This particular edition has a couple of Kafka’s other short stories at the back, presumably because the publisher wanted to pad the length out. None of them struck me as particularly memorable. The Metamorphosis, on the other hand, deserves its status as a literary classic – an enduring symbol of alienation in human society.

[pepperwings · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Such a weird story. It's completely unclear, he's changed into another creature and he's still absorbed in his day to day.

[christopherturner_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Like all great books there's something for everyone - in that I mean the many layers that exist can be pentrated (or not) depending upon your entry point, perspective or state of mind at the time of reading the novel. A bad dream, a schizophrenic nightmare you cant wake up from, the viscereal reaction of the community to a misunderstood or feared disease or the simply the sense that most people suck. The fact that the "the great one's" are thought to have found inspiration in this novel should tell you everything.

[arkrayder · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This was a dark little fable. The genius of the author is to totally leave it to the reader as to whether Gregor has become a vile animal or is suffering mentally and as a consequence is shunned by his family. The tale has its funny moments, but its overall a dark story.

[aliceanna-1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Having not read this since college, I found it much more meaningful this time around. Whatever Kafka's intent, I found the tale to be symbolic of the family dynamic when a once integral part of the family becomes helpless or worthless through illness, dishonor, etc. The death of Gregor restored life to the family.

[michaeladams1979 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

A truly strange story. I actually found it more sad than anything else, people stuck in impossible situations just trying to find some sense of normalcy again, forever out-of-reach. I read it a bit as a metaphor for having an chronically ill or disabled member of the family, someone who suddenly is not the active, capable breadwinner they once were, presenting a double-burden to the family which had built its lifestyle around their contributions. A really thought-provoking weird tragedy.

[mariasavva_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

A man wakes up one day to find he has been changed into a large insect/beetle. The story follows his efforts to deal with this, and his family's reaction to the change. But it's not just a story about a man turning into a beetle, it's a clever way of writing about how a family would deal with the main breadwinner in the house becoming unable to work, and also on a wider scope, the way a family (and the world at large) reacts to someone who is disabled, or terminally ill. It could also be an analogy for how a family treats a member of the family who is now old and needs to be cared for. The man who is now a beetle, is forced to live in his room, shut away from the world, for fear that he will frighten anyone who enters the house. The man who once provided for the family, and thought of them above himself, has now become a burden on them, as they are now short of money, and have to find employment. The once able and hard-working man, transformed into a beetle, is now rejected, and his family blame him for their financial situation and the fact that they cannot move to a smaller house, because they need to have a room to keep him in.The descriptive quality of the writing is excellent, and although it is a sad and gruesome tale, it is also very funny in parts; I couldn't help laughing out loud a couple of times.The main thing that struck me, was that even though this story is nearly 100 years old, it is still totally relevant to today's world (and I'm not sure that's something we should be proud of).

[joeteo1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

We all undergo transformations throughout our lives which changes our perspective, our behavior and the way we see others. It can also radically change the ways in which our friends, family and acquaintances see us. This Kafka novella takes this premise to the extreme, and asks what would happen if one were to transform into the most hideous thing possible- a giant repulsive bug. One could substitute almost anything for the bug analogy and the story would seem just as relevant. This is a remarkable experiment in creative fiction that has not aged one bit.

[daveinseattle · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Project Gutenberg ebook

[benuathanasia · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

A perennial favorite. Frustrating, sad, and fascinating. It begs to be dissected and analyzed, while at the same time, it just needs to be accepted as is.

[sparklegirl_1 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Pretty crazy book. Guy turns into giant cockroach, nearly tears his family apart, grosses out readers across the world.

[sparrowlicious · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

"Die Verwandlung" ist wohl eines der meistinterpretierten Bücher im deutschsprachigen, als auch im englischsprachigen Schulwesen. Hier entführt uns Kafka in eine Geschichte, in der der Handelsreisende Gregor Samsa, der alleine für seine Familie sorgen muss, sich plötzlich in einen Riesenkäfer verwandelt, sodass die Familie auf sich selbst gestellt ist. Von allen Interpretationen gefällt mir immer noch die am besten, dass sich Gregors "Inneres" nach "außen" gekehrt habe. Kafka hat gerne lange Sätze geschrieben, sodass es für ungeübte Leser am Anfang schwierig erscheint, der Geschichte zu folgen. Man kann über "Die Verwandlung" denken, was man möchte, aber diese Geschichte lässt einem aufgrund ihrer Surrealität äußerst viel Raum für Interpretationen und das allein zeugt von einer gewissen Qualität.

[kristelh_15 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

read this twice, once in college and again in 2009. It is a creepy book but that is not the point. The point is that it examines identity and alienation. It is a classic of existential literature.

[davidgnp · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I was inspired to read Kafka by listening to and unexpectedly enjoying 'Kafka the Musical' on BBC Radio 4. I downloaded the David Wyllie translation of 'The Metamorphosis' onto my Kindle for free from Project Gutenberg, and I'm very glad I did. The situation - man wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant beetle - must have seemed even more bizarre one hundred years ago than in these strange times; but from this unlikely premise, and in the space of a modest novella, Kafka provides a wealth of satirical comedy and pathos. The selfless and ultimately tragic hero Gregor Samsa leaves an indelible impression on the reader. The great sadness of the story lies in the fact that his family seem more concerned with the indelible stains left by his spoor on the bedroom wall. If, like me, you are late in coming to this great story I recommend you put it at the top of your to-read pile.

[henrimoreaux · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Metamorphosis is an intriguing book, in a way it seems to be about Kafka's life, like George Samsa, he was unable to run away from the room he was trapped within, that room being circumstances & depression. Yet at the same time, the book is also about isolation and society. It takes place in an undated time and an unspecified place with the vast majority of the story taking place in the Samsa apartment. It's well worth reading.

[atomheart_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

the family of Gregor provide a morbid, yet griping view of the human souls' capacity for compassion.

[ashishg_50 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I came across this book by accident, having learned that it was considered classic, and having missed it during my schooling days, and on whim finding it free on Project Gutenberg, and realizing that it's small story worth reading in few sittings.Opening premise in first line sends a shock wave. It's strange, mildly amusing, and not yet clear where the story will go. However, story is captivating from get-go. For once, this classic lives up to its such designation. For another, despite my surprise at myself, I wasn't bothered about reason of this metamorphosis nor did absence of that took anything away from the story. Usually, ridiculous hypothetical premise of story which is not resolved till end is buzz-kill for me, but Kafka's work transcends that feeling, perhaps by not pretending to be anywhere close to science fiction and by tugging heart at right places. It is science fiction in its premise, but it is not, otherwise.Of course, somethings in story bother you. I am amazed that rest of world wasn't throbbing Samsas' house to see the transformation, and that they could keep it as mildly horrifying novelty, despite their maid, Gregor's senior clerk, and their tenants having observed themselves. How could neighbors, police, scientists, and crowd be kept at abeyance from such rare happenstance? Another convenient coincidence was Gregor's end, brought out without much premonition.What's most amazing is that while story isn't really fast paced, it just seems to keep you on hook. Story from perspective of vermin, of course, helps a lot. Challenges of adjusting to new life, phases of grief displayed by family in handling him, poignancy of whole situation tugs your heart and brought tear drops in my eyes near the end. I am tempted to be angry at his family, but I cannot be seeing what they did under such extraordinary circumstances. I cannot be unsympathetic to Gregor though, for he is such a gentle soul, struggling himself yet always keeping his virtues and noble character to guide his actions.It's simple story, with multiple interpretations, all likely wrong, but which will keep you haunting long after you have read it.

[ihalo_2 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

“This was my first time reading Franz Kafka’s ‘The Metamorphosis’. My particular course of study did not encompass works of a philosophical nature, so this is new to me. For those of you that have not read The Metamorphosis, I don’t want to get into too much detail, as I think it would spoil the impact that the book would have on you from the get go. Further to that, try not to Google it or read too much about it prior to picking it up- I promise you, the result will definitely be thought provoking, at the very least. In fact, I read that Kafka insisted that the main subject matter not be printed on the cover of the book- so as not to spoil the effect.After I finished reading it I wasn’t really sure what I thought about it but after having a couple of days to ponder it- I’ve decided that I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed Kafka’s writing style; it was very simplistic and straight forward. Another aspect of the story that I liked was that the climax was at the beginning of the novel and the story develops from there. The protagonist’s reaction to ‘the metamorphosis’ itself was interesting to me, in the sense that there was no apparent alarm there and ‘the metamorphosis’ was seen in the most pragmatic terms, all things considering. I think ‘Metamorphosis’ was Kafka’s view of human nature, how we tend to deny or bury unpleasantness and excuse our bad behaviour, especially with the support of others within our group or circle that happen to be guilty of the same bad behaviour and how society will come to terms, and even to accept injustices done to others. I think also, it could be symbolic of Kafka’s own family experience? It’s a quick little novella that would take you no time at all to read

[benjamin.duffy · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I’ve spent the last couple of years catching up on famous pieces of literature that, for whatever reason, I never got around to before, especially those that are ubiquitous cultural touchstones. A lifetime of making casual references to Sherlock Holmes, Jekyll and Hyde, The Last of the Mohicans, and so forth, without actually having read the works in question, always left me feeling like a bit of a poser each time I caught myself doing so. And for some reason, that guilty feeling was never stronger than when I would refer to something as "Kafka-esque," knowing I had never read any Kafka. It made me feel like such a huge poser that I actually crossed over into being a poseur, which, as everyone knows, is far worse.

So I finally sat down to read Kafka’s most famous work, the short novel Metamorphosis, and it’s everything I had ever meant to express by invoking the man's name: absurd, dark, grotesque, and humorous only in the blackest possible sense of the word.

I was, of course, already familiar with the very famous first line of the book, translated in my edition as, "One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin." I think I had imagined, before reading, that the book would jump from that absurd beginning immediately in some other direction, but it doesn’t. It’s a good 10% of the way into the book (I read it on the Kindle; no page numbers) before Brundle-fly - sorry, Gregor-roach - even manages to flip over and get out of his bed, and it sets the tone for the rest of the book: unflinching, matter-of-fact in its depiction of surreal things, and compulsively readable at the same time that it’s psychologically uncomfortable and viscerally repelling.

I won’t spoil the ending for anyone reading this who is as big a poseur as I was, but I will say this: if Dan Savage woke from troubled dreams one morning to find himself transformed in his bed into Franz Kafka, he’d have started a viral video campaign called "It Gets Worse."

[bonniemarjorie · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

My rating: 4.5 of 5 starsSource: BBC Radio 4 Extra'I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.'Imagine you go to bed one night with nothing out of the ordinary occurring only to wake up to find you have transformed into a monstrous insect overnight. Your family can no longer communicate with you, they no longer can even stand to look at you. You've become repulsive and abhorrent for seemingly no apparent reason. What do you do?Everyone has heard of The Metamorphosis, Kafka's literary masterpiece, a book that is obviously more than meets the eye. The story possessed a dream-like quality where nothing is ever considered appropriately, as Gregor accepted his transformation into insect form a lot more readily than one might normally. Many have attempted to form their own interpretations of the story but I personally can't see it being anything other than a metaphor. While there are bound to be several different opinions on this, this is what I came up with:Up until that life altering morning Gregor led an uneventful life where he worked constantly to support his family and in turn they steadily grew unproductive the more they began to depend on him. Gregor travels so often for work that communication between him and his family begins to cease and most importantly his family stops being appreciative of all he does for them and instead begins to simply expect it. That fateful morning he woke and began to contemplate his job and how terrible he finds it and if he didn't have his parents to worry about he would have "given in my notice a long time ago, I'd have gone up to the boss and told him just what I think, tell him everything I would, let him know just what I feel." The more and more he dwells on this the more he realizes what he does for them, what they don't do and how his work ethic in order to support his family has in turn alienated them from him. By becoming the sole breadwinner of the family he transformed himself into an outsider, the transformation only becoming a physical interpretation when he realizes that himself.I've never read Kafka before having always found myself intimidated by his works. When I discovered that the BBC Radio had produced a recording of this being read by Benedict Cumberbatch I jumped on the opportunity and I am so glad I did. I had listened to a clip of the audiobook that was released by Blackstone Audio and narrated by Ralph Cosham... that audiobook sat on my phone for so long I forgot about it because it sounded dreadfully dull. Benedict Cumberbatch truly brought this story to life and made this a real treat for me.

[indrit-76 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This has to one of the most unique stories ever written and is testament to Kafka's genius in conjuring up such powerful nightmarish, weird, absurd and enigmatic, but ultimately deeply moving and human in few pages.

[ricardob-1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Metamorphosis is a novella written by Franz Kafka. It's a tragic parable about a man who wakes up as an insect and the subsequent exclusion from society and eventually, his family.
This is so wonderfully written and paced and the message, so strong in its dark tones, is very balanced with the narrative, making it a pleasure to read.
In trying to find a similar work, I can think only of Orwell's "Animal Farm", with its strong message also perfectly intertwined with it's narrative. The difference is I find Kafka's writing style more alluring, more poignant.

I opened it, planning to read only a bit of the beginning and ended up reading all of it without getting up from the chair.
I suspect I'll be reading this many more times.