The Judgement

The plot revolves around Georg Bendemann a young merchant who writes a letter to his distant friend in Russia about his engagement. Georg shares the news with his father an elderly domineering figure. During their confrontation the father accuses Georg of betraying both his friend and his own filial duties. In a climactic and cryptic pronouncement the father sentences Georg to death by drowning. This abrupt and puzzling verdict leads Georg to unquestioningly obey reflecting Kafka's exploration of the psychological weight of guilt and the enigmatic power of authority figures. The Judgement is often interpreted as a reflection of Kafka's complex relationship with his own father and remains a profound study of human vulnerability and existential dread.