First Sorrow
Encyclopedia
"First Sorrow" is a short story by Franz Kafka
probably written between the fall of 1921 and the spring of 1922. It appeared in Kurt Wolff Verlag
's art periodical Genius, III no. 2 (dated 1921, actually published in 1922) and in the Christmas 1923 supplement to the "Prager Presse". The story was also included in the collection A Hunger Artist
(Ein Hungerkünstler) published by Verlag Die Schmiede soon after Kafka's death.
One day, as the group travelled to another destination, the trapeze artist captures his manager's attention with a barely inaudible voice that is about to ask a question. The manager is immediately all attention and the artist asks the manager that in the future he would prefer to have a second trapeze. The manager agrees with the idea but it is not one that would have been otherwise refused. At this moment, however, the trapeze artist bursts into tears and says "Only the one bar in my hand--how can I go on living!" (448). The manager than assures him that he will get his second trapeze and the artist returns to his place atop the luggage and sleeps. But for the manager, he now worries about the future of the artist as he has, for the first time, begun to question the nature of the art that is his profession: "Once such ideas began to torment him, would they ever quite leave him alone? Would they not threaten his very existence? And indeed the manager believed he could see, during the apparently peaceful sleep which had succeeded the fit furrows of care engraving themselves upon the trapeze artist's smooth, childlike forehead" (ibid).
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a culturally influential German-language author of short stories and novels. Contemporary critics and academics, including Vladimir Nabokov, regard Kafka as one of the best writers of the 20th century...
probably written between the fall of 1921 and the spring of 1922. It appeared in Kurt Wolff Verlag
Kurt Wolff
Kurt Wolff was a German publisher, editor, writer and journalist.Wolff was born in Bonn, Rhenish Prussia. Together with Ernst Rowohlt he began to work in publishing in Leipzig in 1908. He was the first to promote and publish the authors Franz Kafka and Franz Werfel...
's art periodical Genius, III no. 2 (dated 1921, actually published in 1922) and in the Christmas 1923 supplement to the "Prager Presse". The story was also included in the collection A Hunger Artist
A Hunger Artist (collection)
A Hunger Artist is the collection of short stories by Franz Kafka published in Germany in 1924, the last collection that Kafka himself prepared for the publication...
(Ein Hungerkünstler) published by Verlag Die Schmiede soon after Kafka's death.
Plot outline
The story concerns a trapeze artist who wants to remain on his trapeze at all times, and never come down to the ground. He is faced with difficulties when the circus he belongs to must travel from place to place. The trapeze artist is said to be dedicated solely to perfecting his art. The theatrical group and the manager do not object to this as they proceed to accommodate his every demand, which Kafka will note is never refused. As such, when the artist does travel, he is said to get his own accommodations: for in-town show,he is taken to performances in a race cars so as to not prolong his sufferings, or, if traveling by train, a whole compartment is reserved and he travels atop the luggage. Upon arrival, the artist takes place, hanging aloft the trapeze. Even during the performances of the theatrical group, he remained in public view but remained perfectly still.One day, as the group travelled to another destination, the trapeze artist captures his manager's attention with a barely inaudible voice that is about to ask a question. The manager is immediately all attention and the artist asks the manager that in the future he would prefer to have a second trapeze. The manager agrees with the idea but it is not one that would have been otherwise refused. At this moment, however, the trapeze artist bursts into tears and says "Only the one bar in my hand--how can I go on living!" (448). The manager than assures him that he will get his second trapeze and the artist returns to his place atop the luggage and sleeps. But for the manager, he now worries about the future of the artist as he has, for the first time, begun to question the nature of the art that is his profession: "Once such ideas began to torment him, would they ever quite leave him alone? Would they not threaten his very existence? And indeed the manager believed he could see, during the apparently peaceful sleep which had succeeded the fit furrows of care engraving themselves upon the trapeze artist's smooth, childlike forehead" (ibid).
Publication history (in English)
- 1937; as "First Grief", translated by Lilian F. Turner, "Life and LettersLife and LettersLife and Letters was an English literary journal published between June 1928 and April 1935.The magazine was edited from first publication by Desmond MacCarthy after he lost interest in the New Statesman. It had financial backing from Lord Esher...
", Summer 1937, pp. 57-59. - 1948; translated by Willa and Edwin MuirEdwin MuirEdwin Muir was an Orcadian poet, novelist and translator born on a farm in Deerness on the Orkney Islands. He was remembered for his deeply felt and vivid poetry in plain language with few stylistic preoccupations....
, in The Penal ColonyThe Penal Colony: Stories and Short PiecesThe Penal Colony: Stories and Short Pieces is a collection of short stories and recollections by Franz Kafka, with additional writings by Max Brod. First published in 1948 by Schocken Books, this volume includes all the works Kafka intended for publication, and published during his lifetime...
, New York, Schocken Books, 320 p.