The Judgement, I was disappointed to discover, I had already read in another translation as The Sentence, although this translation feels more modern and fluid.

I was told by an acquaintance who happens to be "a Kafka scholar" that they consider these two stories - The Penal Colony and The Judgement (or The Sentence) to be the epitome of Kafka's writing, the most representative of his literary essence.

Of course, so dream-like as they are, but while The Sentence is very easy to interpret, The Penal Colony is such a fertile ground for exploration. What came most immediately to mind was Adam Phillips' comment in Equals of "the sadist being the masochist in unconscious fantasy, and vice versa," (although there is more to be made of the story than that, for me it loomed the largest apparent message). ( )

Metamorphosis is good. ( )

why is kafka revered? he's so boring, so structured. ( )

The novella is standard Kafka although not quite as depressing as some, but definitely as absurd. The condemnation of a man to execution without benefit of trial or defense is the kind of thing that is taken matter-of-factly in Kafka's world. And the delight shown in describing the execution device by the executioner is downright chilling. ( )

In true Kafka style, this is a compelling work subject to many different interpretations. Is it an allegory about the demise of religious belief, or a totalitarian government, etc? Your guess is as good as mine. A fascinating and grisly short story about a 19th century penal colony and various persons response to a horrific execution device. ( )