"A Hunger Artist" as a Mirror of Modern Society: An Analysis in the Context of Byung-Chul Han’s Social Concepts

Miray Enez Bayar

Article Details

"A Hunger Artist" as a Mirror of Modern Society: An Analysis in the Context of Byung-Chul Han’s Social Concepts

Authors:

Miray Enez Bayar

Publisher:

Akdeniz University

Main Topics:

Alman Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü | 21. Yüzyıl Felsefesi | Edebiyat Sosyolojisi

Journal:

Akdeniz İnsani Bilimler Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.89-109

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Deutsch (kurzfassung)

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351944

pISSN:

2146-4812

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Franz Kafkas Ein Hungerkünstler is a profound narrative that explores the existential and social conflicts of the modern individual. Despite numerous literary analyses, a systematic study that examines the work in the context of Byung-Chul Hans societal concepts is still lacking. This study employs Hans concepts of the Palliative Society, Burnout Society, and Transparency Society as a theoretical framework to analyze the isolation, self-sacrifice, and existential crisis of the hunger artist. Ein Hungerkünstler was selected for this study due to its allegorical depth, which allows for a critical reflection on the dynamics of modern societies. Previous research has primarily emphasized the societal rejection and inner turmoil of the hunger artist. However, through Hans concepts, a new perspective is introduced that examines the paradoxes of modern societiessuch as the suppression of pain, performance pressure, and visibility constraints. Methodologically, this study combines a qualitative content analysis with a hermeneutic interpretation. The findings reveal that Kafkas hunger artist can be read as an allegory for the tensions between individuality and societal conformity. The Palliative Society suppresses pain, the Burnout Society exhausts individuals through relentless performance pressure, and the Transparency Society reduces the individual to mere visibility. This study illustrates how Kafkas narrative, when examined through Hans societal concepts, provides new insights into the challenges of modern life and encourages critical reflection.

 Franz Kafkas Ein Hungerkünstler is a profound narrative that explores the existential and social conflicts of the modern individual. Despite numerous literary analyses, a systematic study that examines the work in the context of Byung-Chul Hans societal concepts is still lacking. This study employs Hans concepts of the Palliative Society, Burnout Society, and Transparency Society as a theoretical framework to analyze the isolation, self-sacrifice, and existential crisis of the hunger artist. Ein Hungerkünstler was selected for this study due to its allegorical depth, which allows for a critical reflection on the dynamics of modern societies. Previous research has primarily emphasized the societal rejection and inner turmoil of the hunger artist. However, through Hans concepts, a new perspective is introduced that examines the paradoxes of modern societiessuch as the suppression of pain, performance pressure, and visibility constraints. Methodologically, this study combines a qualitative content analysis with a hermeneutic interpretation. The findings reveal that Kafkas hunger artist can be read as an allegory for the tensions between individuality and societal conformity. The Palliative Society suppresses pain, the Burnout Society exhausts individuals through relentless performance pressure, and the Transparency Society reduces the individual to mere visibility. This study illustrates how Kafkas narrative, when examined through Hans societal concepts, provides new insights into the challenges of modern life and encourages critical reflection.

 Franz Kafkas Ein Hungerkünstler is a profound narrative that explores the existential and social conflicts of the modern individual. Despite numerous literary analyses, a systematic study that examines the work in the context of Byung-Chul Hans societal concepts is still lacking. This study employs Hans concepts of the Palliative Society, Burnout Society, and Transparency Society as a theoretical framework to analyze the isolation, self-sacrifice, and existential crisis of the hunger artist. Ein Hungerkünstler was selected for this study due to its allegorical depth, which allows for a critical reflection on the dynamics of modern societies. Previous research has primarily emphasized the societal rejection and inner turmoil of the hunger artist. However, through Hans concepts, a new perspective is introduced that examines the paradoxes of modern societiessuch as the suppression of pain, performance pressure, and visibility constraints. Methodologically, this study combines a qualitative content analysis with a hermeneutic interpretation. The findings reveal that Kafkas hunger artist can be read as an allegory for the tensions between individuality and societal conformity. The Palliative Society suppresses pain, the Burnout Society exhausts individuals through relentless performance pressure, and the Transparency Society reduces the individual to mere visibility. This study illustrates how Kafkas narrative, when examined through Hans societal concepts, provides new insights into the challenges of modern life and encourages critical reflection.

 Franz Kafkanın Açlık Sanatçısı modern bireyin varoluşsal ve toplumsal çatışmalarını ele alan derinlikli bir anlatıdır. Eser üzerine yapılan birçok edebi analize rağmen, Byung-Chul Hanın toplum kavramları bağlamında sistematik bir inceleme bugüne kadar eksik kalmıştır. Bu çalışma, açlık sanatçısının izolasyon, özveri ve varoluşsal krizini analiz etmek için Hanın palyatif toplum, yorgunluk toplumu ve şeffaflık toplumu kavramlarını teorik çerçeve olarak kullanmaktadır. Açlık Sanatçısı, bu çalışma kapsamında alegorik derinliğiyle modern toplumların dinamikleri üzerine eleştirel bir düşünme sunması nedeniyle seçilmiştir. Literatür, önceki çalışmaların özellikle açlık sanatçısının toplumsal reddedilişi ve içsel çatışmasına odaklandığını göstermektedir. Ancak Hanın kavramları, modern toplumların merkezi unsurlarını  acının bastırılması, performans baskısı ve görünürlük zorunluluğu gibi  sistematik olarak analiz eden yeni bir yaklaşım sunmaktadır. Bu çalışma, yöntemsel olarak nitel bir içerik analizi ile hermeneutik yorumu birleştirmektedir. Sonuçlar, Kafkanın açlık sanatçısının bireysellik ve toplumsal uyum arasındaki gerilimlerin bir alegorisi olarak okunabileceğini ortaya koymaktadır. Palyatif toplum acıyı bastırır, yorgunluk toplumu bireyi performans baskısıyla tüketir ve şeffaflık toplumu bireyi yalnızca görünürlüğe indirger. Bu çalışma, Hanın toplum kavramları aracılığıyla Kafkanın anlatısının modern yaşamın zorluklarına dair yeni bakış açıları sunduğunu ve eleştirel düşünmeye teşvik ettiğini göstermektedir.

Article Details

"A Hunger Artist" as a Mirror of Modern Society: An Analysis in the Context of Byung-Chul Han’s Social Concepts

Authors:

Miray Enez Bayar

Publisher:

Akdeniz University

Main Topics:

Alman Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü | 21. Yüzyıl Felsefesi | Edebiyat Sosyolojisi

Journal:

Akdeniz İnsani Bilimler Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.89-109

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Deutsch (kurzfassung)

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351944

pISSN:

2146-4812

Franz Kafka

A Hunger Artist

Byung-Chul Han

palliative society

burnout society

transparency societyFranz Kafka

Açlık Sanatçısı

Byung-Chul Han

palyatif toplum

yorgunluk toplumu

şeffaflık toplumu

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Miray Enez Bayar

Publisher: Akdeniz University

Main Topics: Alman Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü | 21. Yüzyıl Felsefesi | Edebiyat Sosyolojisi

Journal: Akdeniz İnsani Bilimler Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.89-109

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2025

Document Language: Deutsch (kurzfassung)

Document ID (Org No.): 2001351944

pISSN: 2146-4812

Issues

Authors:

Miray Enez Bayar

Publisher:

Akdeniz University

Main Topics:

Alman Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü | 21. Yüzyıl Felsefesi | Edebiyat Sosyolojisi

Journal:

Akdeniz İnsani Bilimler Dergisi Vol.15 Issue 1, pp.89-109

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Deutsch (kurzfassung)

Document ID (Org No.):

2001351944

pISSN:

2146-4812