Das Schloß - The Play (The Director's Cut)

As you may have noticed from my posts this week (and from my earlier reviews of Der Prozeß/The Trial and Die Verwandlung/The Metamorphosis), there's something about Kafka's work which makes writing a parody seem easier than actually reviewing the book.  His works are so obviously allegorical and divorced from reality that I find it hard to summarise the main ideas and interpret what I'm reading.  Nevertheless, I suppose I should explain myself a little, if I am to redeem myself after my little escapades...

*****
Das Schloß (The Castle), like Kafka's other novels, was a work which his executor, Max Brod, was supposed to destroy after the Czech writer's death.  Luckily (or unluckily, depending on how much you like it) Brod ignored the instructions and decided to publish it anyway.  Like Der Prozeß, it's a surreal tale, following a normal man as he attempts to make sense of an increasingly abnormal situation, although this time there is no actual resolution to the story.

The book begins on a snowy night as the Land-Surveyor K. enters a village and asks to stay at an inn.  He has come at the behest of someone at the 'castle', a shadowy, mysterious entity which few people have actually visited.  Not long after his arrival, K. is met by two assistants, Artur and Jeremias, who have been sent to him by the castle, and he also receives a message from an official.  From here though, his attempts to actually get into the castle go nowhere...

It's clear from the outset that the castle is a metaphor for something deep and meaningful.  It's equally clear that anyone who claims to know what it actually is has their pants on fire.  The whole point of Kafka's work is that it defies unravelling; there are several possible keys to the text, each as likely and as implausible as the next.  The best thing to do is just to give it a go and make up your own mind about what is actually going on...

Would I recommend Das Schloß?  Yes and no.  It's definitely not for anyone who has yet to pick up anything by Kafka.  The chapters can sometimes seem like an interminable monologue disguised as one side of a conversation, followed by... well, another interminable monologue disguised as one side of a conversation - Kafka characters do like a good chat.  At times, you can read page after page, or even chapter after chapter, without really thinking you're getting anywhere.  Also, the more desperate K. gets to actually enter the castle, the more unbelievable it all becomes - abandon a sense of proportion, all ye who enter herein!

However, if you're looking for challenging, thought-provoking writing (and are prepared to abandon the concept of any real plot), Das Schloß is well worth reading.  It's easy to see why it's one of those must-read books; it's also easy to see that it's not one I'll be rereading on a regular basis though ;)

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Before I wrap-up my work on Kafka's epic though, I thought I'd just help out a little with my posts this week.  I'm sure that most of you Germanophiles will have picked up on all the subtle allusions, but here's a quick key for those who missed some of the feeble jokes:

Act One:

- The Gary mentioned in the play is, of course, Gary of The Parrish Lantern fame, who invented the idea of the German Literature Month Tour Bus during my solo G-Lit month back in August (so basically, you have him to blame for all this!).

- The phone number for the Castle hotline (371883) is actually Kafka's date of birth.

- The recorded message (and the Innkeeper's later refusal to give K. Tony's room) refer to one of Kafka's most famous short stories Vor dem Gesetz (Before the Law) - well worth reading :)

- The last line of Act One, paraphrasing a quotation from The Wizard of Oz, namechecks Gottfried Keller's novella collection Die Leute von Seldwyla (The People of Seldwyla).

Act Two:

- Hohen-Cremmen is, of course, the home of Effi Briest's parents (Effi is also alluded to at the end of Act Three...).

- Barnabas, like the other characters mentioned (e.g. Frieda, the Innkeeper) is actually from Kafka's book.

- Buddenbrooks, a semi-autobiographical tale of the decline of a merchant family in Lübeck, is one of Thomas Mann's most popular works.

Act Three:

- Caroline and Lizzy, the shady people sharing a crafty dram with Gary, are, of course, the hosts of the whole German Literature Month (so you can blame them for all this too!).

- The phrase "add that to the file" refers to the masses of paperwork in the nightmare bureaucracy of the castle, where everything has to be written down.

*****

And that, thankfully, is that!  I hope you enjoyed the show, and don't forget to check out the real thing one day - if you can find your way to the castle, that is...

Das Schloß - The Play (Act Three of Three)

A few hours have passed.  The short winter day is drawing to a close, and the sky is getting darker by the minute.  The Innkeeper is behind the bar, drying glasses and studiously not looking in Tony’s direction.  A barmaid is also behind the bar, using a rather dirty-looking cloth to wipe down the long, wooden surface. Tony is still sitting at the table nursing his beer, staring at the glass, concentrating on the dark remnants inside.  Suddenly, he looks up and, gesturing in the direction of the bar, tries to catch the barmaid’s eye…

Tony: Hello? Could I get another please?

 [The barmaid looks up, nods, and starts to fill another tankard with beer.  A few moments later, she walks over to the table and puts the tankard firmly down.  After picking up the finished drink, she goes to walk away.]

Sorry, could I ask you something, erm…?

Barmaid: Frieda, my name’s Frieda.

Tony: Frieda… could I ask you something about the castle, Frieda?

[Frieda sits down opposite Tony, her manner noticeably less hostile than before.  Tony pauses, smiles, and then continues speaking.]

I was wondering if you had…  if you had ever been up there…

Frieda: [Surprised] To the Castle?  What, of course not! [Giggles]  Why would I have been to the Castle? [She leans forward, and her face becomes more serious.]  I do know a man though, an official called Kramm… have you heard of him?

Tony: No…

Frieda: Well, he’s supposed to be very influential, knows a lot of people… [She pauses, looking Tony up and down.] Of course, he’s a lot older than you… [She smiles coquettishly across the table.]

Tony: [Nervously playing with his wedding ring] Actually, I think I should call my wife…

[The smile disappears from Frieda’s face.  She stands up and storms off in the direction of the kitchen.  A door is heard to slam in the distance.  From behind the bar, there’s a mutter from the Innkeeper.   The only audible words are “add” and “file”.  Tony starts to get up, as if to walk over to the telephone again, when a noise from behind stops him.  He turns around.  The door opens, and the darkness of late evening is framed within its outline .  A man’s figure emerges from the darkness and enters the inn.]

Man: [Looks around] Hello?  Could someone help me please?

[Frieda looks around, and her eyes light up when she sees the handsome face and strong build of the newcomer.  She rushes from behind the bar and addresses the stranger.]

Frieda: Welcome to the inn!  Are you looking for a place to stay?  Dinner?  Drinks?  Or… [She plays with her hair and sends an unambiguous look towards the man.]

Man: [Taking a step backwards] Erm, well, actually… I’m here on business as a Land-Surveyor, at the Castle, I believe, and I was looking for a place to stay tonight.  Do you have any rooms?

[The Innkeeper, who has been drying the glasses up to this point, looks up and speaks.]

Innkeeper: Sorry, no rooms.

[Tony looks up in surprise.]

Tony: But you offered me a room?  I won’t be needing it, so why don’t you let Mr…

Man: K.

Tony: [Sceptically to the man] K.?  [The man nods.] Really? [The man nods again.  Tony turns back to the Innkeeper.]  Why don’t you let Mr. K. have my room?

Innkeeper: No, can’t do that.  That room’s just for you.  And I’m adding that to your file…

Tony: [Jumping up and shouting] Will you stop saying that?!!

Frieda: [To K.] You can share my room…

[The Innkeeper’s face darkens, and he begins to walk around from behind the bar.  Frieda takes a step towards K., and K. takes two big strides back.  Tony takes K.’s arm, and guides him towards the door.]

Tony: Come on, let’s go.  You can’t even get into the castle anyway, so we may as well get out of this village while we can. [Points at the coach]  We’ve still got a seat on the bus if you want to join us…

K.:  Have you got toilets on board?

Tony: Toilets, coffee-making facilities, wide-screen television, extensive library, very comfy seats…

K.: Sounds good. [K. and Tony walk across the road to the coach.  Gary, Lizzy and Caroline, loitering on the pavement across the road, slip guiltily back onto the bus, Gary slipping what looks suspiciously like an empty whisky bottle into his coat pocket.  He says something to the driver, and the engine roars into life.]  So, where are we going anyway?  Anywhere special?

Tony:  Not really.  I’ve got a friend up north, and I thought I’d pay her a visit.

K.: [Hopefully] A friend… Pretty, is she?

Tony: [Thumping K. on the shoulder] Yes… and she’s married.  Anyway, Effi’s not like that…

[The two men get onto the coach.  There’s a loud cheer, and, moments later, the bus drives off down the road.  Very soon, it has disappeared into the darkness and the falling snow.

Back in the inn, Frieda is sitting in the middle of the floor, howling and tearing her hair out.  The Innkeeper is standing behind the bar again, polishing some glasses.  Suddenly, the phone rings.  The Innkeeper puts down a glass, walks over to the phone and picks up the receiver.]

Innkeeper: Hello? [Undecipherable sounds from the other end of the line]  That’s right, two visitors, not one.  And a bus. [More sounds] Understood.  Can you add that to the file?

*****
Still confused?  Click through for a little enlightenment ;) 

Das Schloß - The Play (Act Two of Three)

A few minutes have passed since the previous action.  Tony is now seated at one of the round tables in front of the bar, along with the Innkeeper.  The Innkeeper’s Wife brings over a tray with two beers on it and puts them down in front of the two men.  Tony’s beer is brought down with a crash, sending a small puddle of beer flying towards his fur coat.  The Innkeeper’s Wife sneers at Tony, then turns on her heel and stomps back to the bar.  Tony begins to speak…

Tony: So what you’re saying is that I’m actually inside Kafka’s book?

Innkeeper: [Drinks, then brings his tankard crashing down onto the table] No!  Why do you keep talking about a book?  You are in the Village, the Village which belongs to the Castle, and there is no way to get into the Castle without connections, without working your way into a higher position.  If you start off as a barman, perhaps, if you are dutiful, in a few years, there will be the possibility of moving on to something more substantial…

Tony: [Interrupting] And then I can go to the castle?

Innkeeper: [Sighs] No.  Then you may have access to someone who might know someone who occasionally has access to a person who works in a capacity loosely connected with the Castle… [Pauses] …if you’re lucky.

Tony: Hmm.  [Pauses, then speaks] I was planning to be in Hohen-Cremmen on Saturday...

[There is silence.  Both men devote themselves to their tankards, Tony thinking of how to turn the conversation, the Innkeeper wondering how he can end it.  Suddenly, the door crashes open, and, framed against the streetlights and the swirling snow, a young man appears, still in the doorframe for a brief moment, before moving into the inn.]

Innkeeper: [Standing up] There you are, my friend, the answer to your prayers! [Points to the newcomer]  This is Barnabas, and he is a messenger from the Castle! [Addresses Barnabas]  Do you have a message for our foreign friend?

Barnabas: [Shifts nervously from foot to foot] I do have a message to deliver… [He steps forward and hands Tony a small piece of paper.  Tony opens it and reads it aloud as the Innkeeper tries to peer over his shoulder.]

Tony: [Reads the note] “ Tony, the people on the bus are getting a bit restless – some of them aren’t too keen on Kafka anyway and want to move on to the Thomas Mann trail.  How are those tickets looking?  Gary.” [Tony and the Innkeeper look at Barnabas, who is trying to look innocent and failing dismally.]

Barnabas: [Sheepishly] I never said it was a message from the Castle now, did I?

[Tony scribbles something on the back of the note and then hands it back to Barnabas.]

Tony: Here you are, take this back to the bus for me, will you?

[Barnabas nods, pockets the message, and leaves the inn.]

Innkeeper: [Curious] What did you say?

Tony: [Sitting down at the table again] Oh, I just told Gary to stick the German TV adaptation of Buddenbrooks on the DVD player – should keep the Mann fans quiet for a good few hours.

[The Innkeeper sits back down, and Tony leans across the table to ask him a question.]

So, tell me, what do you think of the castle?

Innkeeper: [Nervously] The Castle?  What I think of it?  Me?  What do you mean?  The Castle is just the Castle, everpresent, everchanging, untouchable… [He leans back, gazing at the wall behind Tony’s head, lost in thought.] …the Castle is a part of the Village, and we, in turn are a part of the Castle…

Tony: Well, yes, but what I’m trying to get at here is the idea behind the castle, what it represents, the metaphor behind the reality if you will. [The Innkeeper nods cautiously.] I mean, look, there are a lot of possibilities, the bureaucracy, that’s one, the castle could be representative of our inability to penetrate the thick red tape surrounding us and preventing us from enjoying our daily lives.  Or, or… [Waves his arms in the air as if clutching for words] …it could all be a religious metaphor, the castle as heaven and all the people down below in the village looking for the best way to get to the castle, confused as to the best way in, distracted by all the earthly, that is to say, village diversions… [The Innkeeper nods again.] …it has to be that, right?  What do you think?

[The Innkeeper leans forward slowly, and Tony leans towards him, eager to hear his thoughts.]

Innkeeper: [Slowly] Do you know what I think the Castle is? [Tony waits expectantly.]  A big stone building – with bloody thick walls.  [Tony’s head thuds into the table, splashing into a puddle of beer.  The Innkeeper pats him on the shoulder and stands up to go.]  I’ll add that to your file…

*****
To see how the story ends, click through to Part Three...

Das Schloß - The Play (Act One of Three)

A large coach pulls up in a quiet street in a small village somewhere in Central Europe.  Through the gently falling snow, the words “German Literature Month Tour Bus” can be seen on the side facing us.  A door opens, a man steps out, struggling to get into a large fur coat, and walks towards the only building in the street with lights on, “The Bridge Inn”.  He crosses the street and opens the door…

Tony:  [Turns to face the bus and shouts] Tell the driver to keep the engine running Gary, I’ll just ask someone for directions.  [He walks into the inn and sees the Innkeeper]  Ah, good morning!

[The Innkeeper looks at him blankly] Good afternoon?

Innkeeper: Hurry in, hurry in.  We have been expecting you, your room is ready, please, take a seat, warm yourself by the fire, you must be tired after your long journey, and cold, very cold, after all, it is winter, and the winters here in the village are extremely bitter, something a stranger like yourself will have to get used to if you are to adapt quickly to our small community.

Tony: [Confused]  Erm, well, I actually just wanted to ask for directions to the castle, you know, the one that’s used in Kafka’s book – a few of us are on a bit of a literary tour.  Do you know it?

[The Innkeeper’s wife, sitting behind the bar, breaks out in laughter.  The Inkeeper grins wryly and, turning to his wife, raises an eyebrow.]

Innkeeper: Do we know the castle? Hah! [Turns back to Tony]  Of course we know the Castle, everyone knows the Castle, the Castle is why we are here, the Castle is, if this is not too much of an exaggeration, the only reason for our, for my, for your existence. [He looks expectantly at Tony]

Tony: [Nervously] OK, so… could you give me some directions up there?  You see, we’re a bit lost…

[The Innkeeper visibly flinches, and his wife stops laughing, gets up and runs out of a door at the back of the inn.]

Innkeeper: You want to go to the Castle?  You think you can just decide to go to the Castle?  You honestly believe, you naïve young man, that you can just make your own way up to the Castle, ignoring the secretaries and assistants and just wander in, unannounced, simply stroll into the Castle?  Do you?  Do you really?

Tony: [A little cowed] Well, no.

[The Inkeeper is relieved]

We’re planning to buy entrance tickets, of course…

[The Innkeeper slaps his hands over his face, and presently a sound of sobbing can be heard.  After standing around awkwardly for a minute or two, Tony starts to look around the inn, and, almost immediately, a telephone catches his eye.  He wanders over, having forgotten the innkeeper – who is now banging his head, slowly, but firmly, against the wall -, and reads a sticker attached to the wall above the phone.  It reads: “Castle Hotline – 371883.  Twenty-four hour connection to your lords and masters all year round (except Christmas Day and Shrove Tuesday)”.  Tony picks up the receiver and dials the number.]

Automated Menu: [A woman’s voice speaks] Thank you for calling the Castle Hotline.  This call will be recorded for quality assurance and legal purposes.  If you are not happy with this, well, tough luck.  So that we can best answer your call, please choose from one of the following options.  If you are looking for a job as a messenger, press 1; if you have a complaint about one of our friendly officials, press 2; if you would like to know our opening hours, press 3; for directions to the Castle, press 4…

[Tony presses 4]

There are many roads to the castle.  These roads are ever-changing and sometimes impassable, and each is accessible only to the person it was created for… [Tony sighs] …to return to the main menu, press the ‘star’ key… [Tony presses the ‘star’ key, immediately followed by 3.]

Our opening hours are infrequent, inconstant, whimsical and unknowable for the common man.  Thank you for calling the Castle Hotline – a transcript of this call has been added to your file.

[There is a click, and the line goes dead.  Tony bangs the receiver against the phone (once, hard) and then replaces it.]

Tony: [To himself] Toto, I've a feeling we’re not in Seldwyla any more…

*****
If you'd like to know how the story continues, click through to Part Two...