An interesting piece on Franz Kafka by John Banville, on “Kafka’s other trial”. (I get a thrill when I see Elias Canetti’s name, a strange phenomenon. But thanks, Mr. Banville, for that.)
I like this part:
“Miss FB of Berlin” was, of course, Felice Bauer, with whom Kafka was to carry on a tormented entanglement – it is the only word – for the next five years, proposing marriage, breaking off the engagement, proposing again, again backing out. Throughout those five years they met on no more than a handful of occasions, and for the rest communicated, if that is the word, by letter. Only Kafka’s side of the correspondence survives, so that Felice’s tremendous silence sounds in our ears as both enigmatic and, somehow, tragic. It was not until 20 August that Kafka describes the encounter to his diary. The entry merits quotation:
Miss FB. When I arrived at Brod’s on 13 August, she was sitting at the table. I was not at all curious about who she was, but rather took her for granted at once. Bony, empty face that wore its emptiness openly. Bare throat. A blouse thrown on. Looked very domestic in her dress although, as it turned out, she by no means was. (I alienate myself from her a little by inspecting her so closely . . .) Almost broken nose. Blonde, somewhat straight, unattractive hair, strong chin. As I was taking my seat I looked at her closely for the first time, by the time I was seated I already had an unshakeable opinion.
Love at first sight, then, Kafka-style.
Sheila:
My most recent exposure to Franz Kafka was in R. Sikoryak’s *Masterpiece Comics,* wherein he presents “The Metamorphosis” as a *Peanuts*-styled sequence called “Good Ol’ Gregor Brown.” It’s remarkably true to the original — Lucy is Gregor’s sister, Snoopy stands in for the charwoman and Linus is the boss — and very funny, and it led me to Nabokov’s lecture notes on Kafka. I like Nabokov’s theory that Gregor Samsa had wings of which he was ignorant. “Dung-beetle waking up from uneasy dreams/take these broken wings and learn to fly…”
Great Love, Flaubert Style: Frederic Moreau’s final meeting in *Sentimental Education* with Madame Arnoux, wherein he confesses:
“La vue de votre pied me trouble.”
The sight of your foot troubles me.
Wonder no more why Isaac Davis in “Manhattan” lists that novel as a reason for living, just as Flaubert is worth reading if only for the critical acumen to recognize that Emile Zola’s *Nana* is “a Colossus with dirty feet, but a Colossus all the same” and that “whatever else happens, we shall continue to be stupid.”
Vive Dussardier!
oh my word. i’ve never thought about it that way, but u’re absolutely right. i also get a thrill when i see Elias Canetti’s name! Loved his auto da fe and all his shorter thoughts/memoirs too. But your observation about his name is just uncanny.
Gene – wow, that is totally uncanny. It’s so specific! I just know that whenever Canetti is quoted – about anything – it is going to be so so interesting. Have you read Crowds and Power?