公元1000年起，歐洲一直維持著特定的社會形構與生活邏輯。從生育習慣或情愛關係，到公私之分，從物質生活或空間移動，到社會權力的集中趨勢，大多反映出這種社會形構與生活邏輯。只是，遲至19世紀中末，這看似人類生活的基本處境最終面臨前所未有的挑戰。歐洲土地上，人口總數大幅翻升，時至1900年前後，約有四億的人口，生活、群聚、移動於各個角落。這不僅打破了過往千年的紀錄，也鬆動原有人們賴以為生的社會結構與生活規範。當我們走進一步，較為細緻地窺看其中伴生的其他變革，更會驚覺地發現，人口總數的突增不過是個表面現象，隱藏於其下的或才是關鍵所在。以生育習慣為例，19世紀前，一個婦女總會生下七個左右的子女，先不管高嬰兒死亡率所造成的悲劇，高額生育帶給婦女沈重負擔。成年後，女性獲得婚配機會，且也順利完成婚姻大事，在此之後她們便面對著持續生育所帶來的諸多風險。個人生命即使幸運地未曾因難產而終結，身體機能最終也將因之受損。然時至1900年，情況有了不同的面貌。許多女性不再依著父母，締結婚姻，浪漫愛情成了可追尋的人生選項。即使結婚，她們也不再高額生育；即使生育，與子女共同經營親密關係也成了許多女性自主且專職的領域。從生育解放出來的婦女，即便尚未獲得政治與社會參與權利，也會依著勞動或家庭等脈絡，施展出她們能夠發揮的生命能量與社會動能。相較於此，人口總數的激增也掩蓋了另種轉變，亦即人口的大幅度移動與大規模集結。1830年代起，順隨著火車與蒸汽船的發展，也順隨著國民教育的推廣，對歐洲大多數人們，他們的生活將不再限縮在特定地域，能接觸到的人群與能夠參與的活動也超越以往。旅遊、移動，甚至到各地參訪與群聚，已不再是少數人的特權。或許正是在這種變革中，”現代”或”現代性”一詞有了不同以往的內含。
漫長的19世紀，常被視為現代性浮現的歷史時段。對於現代性是如何浮現於歐洲大陸，迄今有著看似意見一致的定論：首先，現代性指陳出一種線性進步的歷史軌跡，其最終目的既是帶來諸多變革，也使得人們能生活在光明、文明、進步且富有人權的世界。其次，從社會結構轉變著眼，現代性之所以浮現在歐洲，與民主運動、資本主義、現代民族國家或現代戰爭脫不了干係。最後，由現代性的擴散軌跡來說，現代性由於以下趨勢，得以擴散出歐洲，進入世界各個角落：國際貿易與生產鏈的擴張、帝國主義的擴張、民主/民族運動...等因素。姑且不論上述定見是否有十足證據，予以支持，至少從今日的端點往回審視所謂的現代性及其形成過程，我們確實有著不一樣的關懷與重探角度。甚至能說，看似定見的現代性觀察有時如同人口激增等現象一樣，著實掩蔽、隱藏了其他細節。更簡略的說，一些生存在19世紀末至20世紀初的知識人在當時便可能由另一個角度，通過其他的歷史/社會生活的細節，剔透出超乎定見的現代性觀察。
對比起上述，Kafka(1882-1924)及其相應的文化運動（現代主義運動），乃展現出另一種特殊的現代性體驗與現代性觀察（從日常生活，從瑣碎的事務，探索現代性對人性所造成的諸種變形的效果）。本課程嘗試藉由導讀Kafka的若干經典作品，重新估量現代性所帶來的諸多變革。作品導讀總是脫離不了三個問題：首先，短暫但謎樣的創作生涯中，Kafka的作品究竟展現何種對現代性的觀察。其次，Kafka如何藉由小說這種極富現代色彩的文類，進行創作。最後，Kafka如同當時許多前鋒派的文學家與藝術工作者一樣，皆覺察到文字只是一種媒介，文字創作也僅是一種勞動過程。身處於20世紀初的世界，文字勞動既遭遇到職業化的威脅（亦即，寫作是為了賺錢，維持生計），也面臨其他媒介所挑戰（攝影或電影等媒介是關鍵），所以說如何重新摸索出文字書寫與文字閱讀的可能樣態，成了當時文學創作者的迫切任務。也因此，Kafka如何在狀似光怪陸離的小說敘事中，展現出文字書寫與文字閱讀的極限，便成為引導本課程的第三個問題。
就實際課程安排而言，課程所揀選的讀本乃包含Kafka作品中常為人提及的經典著作，同時也將針對兩本篇幅較長的小說，進行較細緻的導讀。此外，各週除了導讀特定作品，也將簡介有關的背景知識，簡介範圍可分成三個區塊：一是，Kafka生平以及其所生存的歐洲世界；其次，小說文類的歷史轉變，以及小說創作/閱讀的基本技巧；最後，Kafka與現代主義思潮的關係，以及何謂現代主義。總的來說，透過對特定作品的導讀，輔以相關議題或現象的簡介，我們不僅能掌握Kafka在特定作品中所呈現的小說世界，也能更清楚地理解到，Kafka的作品作為現代主義思潮的一部分，究竟是如何觀察、分析當時社會生活。某個程度上，有了不同的切入角度與相應的背景知識，當我們重新閱讀Kafka的特定作品時，或許能夠窺見另一種關於現代性的爭議與想像。Since 1000 AD, Europe has maintained a specific social structure and life logic. From fertility habits or love relations to the division between public and private, from material life or space movement, to the concentration trend of social power, most of which reflect this social structure and life logic. However, from the end of the 19th century, this seemingly basic situation of human life finally faced unprecedented challenges. The total population in Europe has increased significantly. By around 1900, there was about 400 million people, living, gathering and moving in all corners. This not only breaks the records of the past thousand years, but also facilitates the social structure and living standards that original people think of as a living. As we take a step further, to look at other changes that accompany it in detail, we will be more surprised to find that the sudden increase in the total population is just a superficial phenomenon, and what is hidden under it may be the key. Taking the fertility habit as an example, before the 19th century, a woman would give birth to about seven children. Regardless of the tragedy caused by the high mortality rate, a high-number childbirth was brought to the woman Shen Chong's burden. After adulthood, women get marriage opportunities and successfully complete the marriage events. After that, they face the numerous risks brought by continuous childbirth. Even if a person's life is fortunately not ended due to difficulties, the body's function will eventually be damaged. However, by 1900, the situation had a different look. Many women no longer rely on their parents and marry each other, and romantic love has become a life choice that can be pursued. Even if they get married, they no longer have high children; even if they have children, working with their children to work closely with their children has become an independent and professional territory for many women. Women who have been liberated from childbirth, even if they have not yet obtained political and social participation rights, will use the life energy and social energy they can develop according to their forces such as movement or family. Compared with this, the surge in total population also conceals a different transformation, that is, the large-scale movement of the population and the large-scale integration. Since the 1830s, with the development of trains and steamships and the promotion of national education, most people in Europe will no longer be limited to specific regions, and the people they can access and activities they can participate in have surpassed the past. Traveling, moving, and even visiting and gathering in various places are no longer the privilege of a few people. Perhaps it is in this change that the words "modern" or "modernity" have a different meaning.
The long 19th century is often regarded as a historical period in which modernity emerges. There is a seemingly consistent conclusion on how modernity emerges in the European mainland: First, modernity refers to the historical plot of linear progress, whose ultimate goal is to bring about multiple changes, and to enable people to live in a bright, civilized, progressive and human-powered world. Secondly, from the perspective of social structure, the reason why modernity is now in Europe is that it cannot be separated from democratic movement, capitalism, modern national countries or modern wars. Finally, from the perspective of modernity's expansion and dispersion, modernity was able to spread out of Europe and enter all corners of the world due to the following trends: the expansion of international trade and production links, the expansion of imperialism, democratic/national movement, etc. Let’s not talk about whether the above decision is fully proof and support it. At least from today’s point of view back to the so-called modernity and its formation process, we do have different perspectives on the relevant and re-exploratory perspectives. It can even be said that seemingly concealed modern observations sometimes appear to be like phenomena such as population surges, actually concealing and hiding other details. To put it more briefly, some intellectuals who lived from the late 19th to early 20th centuries may have at that time, through other historical/social life details, and through other historical/social life details, they can reveal unpredictable modern observations.
Compared with the above, Kafka (1882-1924) and its corresponding cultural movement (modernistic theory movement) show another special kind of modern sexual experience and modern sexual observation (from daily life, from fragmented affairs, to explore the various changes caused by modernity on human nature). This course attempts to re-estimate the many changes brought about by modernity by reading several classic works by Kafka. The work guide always cannot escape three problems: First, in the short but mischievous creative career, what kind of observation of modernity does Kafka's works show. Secondly, how Kafka creates a novel with such a very modern text. Finally, Kafka, like many forefather literary scholars and artists at that time, realized that text was just a medium, and writing creation was just a process. In the early 20th century world, writing movements were not only threatened by professionalism (that is, writing was to make money and maintain a lifestyle), but also faced challenges from other media (media such as photography or film are the key), so how to re-exploration of possible aspects of writing and reading became an urgent task for literary creators at that time. Therefore, how Kafka shows the limits of writing and reading in novels that are like a strange world has become the third problem that guides this course.
In terms of actual course arrangement, the course selected books include classic works often mentioned in Kafka's works, and will also provide detailed guidance on two longer novels. In addition, in addition to reading specific works each week, it also introduces relevant background knowledge, and the scope of introduction can be divided into three areas: one is Kafka's life and the European world in which he lives; secondly, the historical changes in novel texts, and the basic skills of novel creation/reading; finally, Kafka's relationship with modern theories, and what modern theories are. In general, through the introduction of specific works and introduction to relevant topics or phenomena, we can not only grasp the novel world presented by Kafka in specific works, but also understand more clearly how Kafka's works, as part of modern theoretical thoughts, observe and analyze social life at that time. To some extent, with different angles of entry and corresponding background knowledge, when we re-read Kafka's specific works, we may be able to see another kind of dispute and imagination about modernity.
Kafka, Franz.(1996). 卡夫卡全集。石家莊：河北教育出版社。
Kafka, Franz. (1996). Complete works of Kafka. Shijiazhuang: Hebei Education Press.
| 評分項目 Grading Method | 配分比例 Grading percentage | 說明 Description |
|---|---|---|
| 課程參與課程參與 Course Participation |
20 | 出席與上課之討論情況，將視為評分之指標。 |
| 小組報告小組報告 Group Report |
20 | 針對課程指定讀本，以討論小組為單位，進行文本導讀，原則上，報告時間為20分鐘左右。每組原則上由四位至五位課程參與者組成，於第一次上課時，進行分組。 |
| 個人書面報告個人書面報告 Personal letter report |
60 | 修課之學生至少繳交四次的critical memo，每份critical memo以2500字為限，分數占比為學期總成績的15%，此項評分以個人為單位。 |
