Das Schloß

Schloß, Das, an unfinished novel written by Franz Kafka in 1922 and published by Max Brod in 1926. Brod prepared a dramatization in 1953.

K. comes in winter as surveyor into a mountain village dominated by a castle. He seeks to establish himself in the village and to enter into relations with the castle. But the village regards him with suspicion, and all efforts to make contact with the castle fail. His attempts at human relationships (e.g. liaison with Frieda, whom he believes to be the mistress of Klamm, an official of the castle) also miscarry. The castle remains intangible, possibly even unoccupied. Though the story has no conclusion, it seems certain that K. will never obtain entry to the castle. The surrealist, dream-like narrative, with abundant crass realistic detail and a compelling prose style, is a negative parable of human life and human aspiration, though in matters of detail interpretations diverge.