Shape-Shifters and Scapegoats: The Surreal Psychology of 'The Judgment' (2/2)

Wherein we explore how the father's supernatural transformations in 'The Judgment' reflect deeper psychological truths about authority, identity, and the fluid boundaries between self and other.

In my previous exploration of ‘The Judgment,’ I traced Kafka’s evolution from theatrical sketch (‘The Urban World’¹) to psychological complexity (‘The Judgement’²). The latter is possibly one of his most famous works and has been interpreted in numerous ways. Even so, I will now attempt to present my own reading, although, like the proverbial monkey at the typewriter, I may unintentionally reflect interpretations that have already been suggested elsewhere.

So, let’s venture deeper into the story’s strangest and most compelling moment: the father’s supernatural transformation from bedridden invalid to towering judge. This shift occurs so suddenly, so violently, that it seems to crack the story’s realist veneer (cf. the dream-like ‘Description of a Struggle’), allowing something more primordial to seep through.

Consider the scene’s setup: Georg Bendemann, having just written to his friend in Russia, enters his father’s darkened room. The atmosphere is bleak, almost sepulchral. The father si…