The court

In the novel The Trial by Franz Kafka, the court symbolizes the power of the state. Its influence exhausts the main character, Joseph K. throughout the course of the novel. The depiction of shows the criticism that Kafka expressed toward the state and provides clues for an interpretation from a contemporary point of view. In this case, the court would point to the function of modern bureaucratic structures. 

Opacity and omniscience

K.'s arrest is to be understood in the literal sense; he is completely taken over by the court which what makes him hyper-focused on the court, instead of on his own guilt. The figures present at the arrest (bailiffs, spectators, bank employees) serve the purpose of shaking K.’s self-assurance as an individual. These characters reflect the omniscient, all-encompassing power of the court. The arrest starts a process of obsession in K. and dissolves the boundaries of all his spheres of life. Therefore, it can be assumed that K. has incurred a general guilt. However, the arrest also starts the consistent process of repression in K., who is never aware of any guilt.

The court remains opaque and anonymous throughout the plot. K. never receives an answer to the question "And the point of this large organization, gentlemen?" (First hearing, 83%). Between K.'s statements at the beginning "Who are you?" (Arrest, 0%) and the question when the executioners pick him up at the end, "So you’re the ones who’ve come for me?" (End, 25%), it is neither clear by what legitimacy the court is judging K., nor what identity the court has at all. 

The essence of the court is always hidden. Nevertheless, K. becomes more and more obsessed about the court and tries to understand it. Although at the beginning he does not recognize the power of the court and asks the guards about their l...