Project Umbrella Translation
ABOUT FRANZ KAFKA'S "THE METAMORPHOSIS"
I both profoundly love and hate this frightful tale.
It's a deathly inscribing that concerns a brother and sister.
The tale begins with the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, awakening one morning to find himself turned into a giant and unsightly poisonous insect.
While initially baffled by his suddenly morphed condition, his family attempts to protect him, but before long they can no longer comprehend the shapeshifted insect and decide to abandon him.
Once even his devoted sister, Greta, finally abandons him, his fate is also sealed and her brother Gregor eventually dies, quietly and alone.
I won't forsake my brother like Greta.
I will share the same fate as my blood-bound brother.
I won't turn into an unseemly poisonous insect like Gregor.
I will be reborn in a form worthy of the Creator.
I both profoundly love and hate this frightful tale.
It's a deathly inscribing that concerns a brother and sister.
The tale begins with the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, awakening one morning to find himself turned into a giant and unsightly poisonous insect.
While initially baffled by his suddenly morphed condition, his family attempts to protect him, but before long they can no longer comprehend the shapeshifted insect and decide to abandon him.
Once even his devoted sister, Greta, finally abandons him, his fate is also sealed and her brother Gregor eventually dies, quietly and alone.
I won't forsake my brother like Greta.
I will share the same fate as my blood-bound brother.
I won't turn into an unseemly poisonous insect like Gregor.
I will be reborn in a form worthy of the Creator.
Official Japanese Transcript
フランツ・カフカの『変身』について
私は、この醜悪な物語を深く愛し憎んでいる。
これは、兄妹にまつわる死の刻印だ。
物語は、主人公グレーゴル・ザムザが、ある朝、目覚めると巨大で醜い毒虫に変身していたことからはじまる。
家族は、突如姿を変えた彼に戸惑いつつもはじめは守ろうとするのだが、毒虫に変身した彼を理解することは出来ず、やがて見捨てられていく。
ついに献身的であった妹・グレーテにすらも見捨てられた時、その命運は尽き、やがて兄・グレーゴルは独り静かに死を迎える。
私は、グレーテのように、兄弟を見捨てはしない。
血を分けた兄弟と命運を共にする。
私は、グレーゴルのように醜い毒虫に変身はしない。
創造主にふさわしい姿へと生まれ変わる。
私は、この醜悪な物語を深く愛し憎んでいる。
これは、兄妹にまつわる死の刻印だ。
物語は、主人公グレーゴル・ザムザが、ある朝、目覚めると巨大で醜い毒虫に変身していたことからはじまる。
家族は、突如姿を変えた彼に戸惑いつつもはじめは守ろうとするのだが、毒虫に変身した彼を理解することは出来ず、やがて見捨てられていく。
ついに献身的であった妹・グレーテにすらも見捨てられた時、その命運は尽き、やがて兄・グレーゴルは独り静かに死を迎える。
私は、グレーテのように、兄弟を見捨てはしない。
血を分けた兄弟と命運を共にする。
私は、グレーゴルのように醜い毒虫に変身はしない。
創造主にふさわしい姿へと生まれ変わる。
Official English Transcript
"Due to errors or changes in localization, the following may contain inconsistencies with the official Japanese text."
THOUGHTS ON KAFKA
I have a love/hate relationship with this story. Perhaps I can relate to it more closely than I'd like to admit.
One morning Gregor awakens to find himself transformed into a hideous insect-like creature. His family is bewildered at first, but they do try to take care of him. Eventually he becomes too much of a burden to them. Nothing more than an ugly monster, a nuisance to the family. When Gregor learns of this, he retreats to a solitary death.
Up until his transformation Gregor had been supporting the family. Now that he was no longer useful he was a burden to them. They were relieved when he died.
I, too, have been bred to serve a purpose. Once that purpose accomplished, I too would have been cast aside.
But I refuse to shrivel up and die in solitude.
I refuse to let myself become a hideous monster.
You must have felt the same way too, Albert.
THOUGHTS ON KAFKA
I have a love/hate relationship with this story. Perhaps I can relate to it more closely than I'd like to admit.
One morning Gregor awakens to find himself transformed into a hideous insect-like creature. His family is bewildered at first, but they do try to take care of him. Eventually he becomes too much of a burden to them. Nothing more than an ugly monster, a nuisance to the family. When Gregor learns of this, he retreats to a solitary death.
Up until his transformation Gregor had been supporting the family. Now that he was no longer useful he was a burden to them. They were relieved when he died.
I, too, have been bred to serve a purpose. Once that purpose accomplished, I too would have been cast aside.
But I refuse to shrivel up and die in solitude.
I refuse to let myself become a hideous monster.
You must have felt the same way too, Albert.