The Madness of Marginalization in Kafka’s The Metamorphosis

Abstract

There have been many analyses of The Metamorphosis, but not necessarily anything devoted to the notion of victim, of one’s social marginalization, as the author of his own madness. No text explores the notion of victim as author, as artist, of his own madness better than this one as the character tries to maneuver his way within a social complex that is constantly denying him the ability to function as he is. Given that state of creative oppression, it is apparent that sooner or later the character will succumb to the oppression either through madness or death or both and the essay explores the nature of oppression, madness, and the relationship to the creative process.