Walter H Sokel, in his Critical essay, “Education for tragedy” (1964) reveals the great paradoxical tragedy of the individual in Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”. Through the essay, Sokel speaks of the competing tendencies of the beast and man within Gregor, and, indeed, within us all, of the sadly self-destructive ability of humans to be both parasite and sacrifice at once. , In order to hammer home his point of the tragic, surreal situation that Gregor Samsa become entangled in, of his wish to both be helpless victim and aggressor at once Referencing the hitherto mentioned work itself, kafka’s life, and with general philosophy and reasoning. This critical essay is obviously intended for those who have read the book, as it delves into deeper matters than a “walk-in” reader would probably appreciate.

“gregor’s death is not only a sacrifice, but also his deepest fulfillment, which, in tragic irony, falls to his lot” Walter H Sokel, Education in tragedy (Page 183, paragraph 3). This Qout stand out as one of great importance in that it represents the ambivalent hubristic tone of the whole essay, and its take on the book.