A comparative study of the theme of physical alienation in the works “Nose” and “Metamorphosis”

this study employs a comparative literature approach, utilizing AntConc 4.3.1, to conduct a contrastive analysis of the theme of physical alienation in Gogol’s The Nose and Kafka’s The Metamorphosis. Through close reading and quantitative research, drawing on Foucault’s theory of disciplinary power, the study explores the differences between the two works across three dimensions: the vehicle of alienation, disciplinary power, and literary expression. The findings reveal that the two texts select distinct symbolic carriers of alienation – the nose and the beetle, respectively. In terms of disciplinary power, The Nose exposes how disciplinary mechanisms manipulate identity, while The Metamorphosis demonstrates the domination of disciplinary power over life itself. Regarding literary expression, Gogol employs satire and humor to deconstruct social hypocrisy, whereas Kafka adopts a detached and subdued narrative, presenting the absurd as an inescapable reality of existence. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the two authors’ distinctive creative styles and how narratives of physical alienation serve as metaphors for the existential predicament of modern individuals.

physical alienation, Gogol, The Nose, Kafka, The Metamorphosis, disciplinary power