the Officer

E439661

The Officer is a zealous and authoritarian figure in Franz Kafka’s "In the Penal Colony," devoted to an elaborate execution machine and the harsh justice system it represents.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf fictional character
literary character
admires the old commandant
affiliation the penal colony
appearsIn In the Penal Colony NERFINISHED
appearsInGenre absurdist fiction
existential literature
attitudeTowardCondemned convinced of their guilt
indifferent
believesIn guilt without trial
harsh retributive justice
the infallibility of the old commandant
causeOfDeath self-imposed execution
characterTrait authoritarian
devoted to tradition
fanatical
unquestioning obedience to authority
zealous
conflictsWith the new commandant’s policies
creator Franz Kafka NERFINISHED
devotedTo the execution machine
diesIn In the Penal Colony NERFINISHED
dislikes the new commandant
enforces the penal colony’s execution procedures
explains the legal system of the colony
the workings of the execution machine
explainsTo the Explorer
firstPublicationContext In the Penal Colony (1919) NERFINISHED
gender male
goal to preserve the old execution system
languageOfWork German
literaryPeriod early 20th-century modernism
mannerOfDeath execution by the machine
nationality unspecified
notableAction places himself in the execution machine
refuses to abandon the old system
occupation military officer
opposes reforms to the penal system
relationshipWith the old commandant
responsibleFor carrying out executions
operating the execution machine
roleInWork supporting character
seeksSupportFrom the Explorer NERFINISHED
supports the old commandant’s system of justice
symbolizes authoritarian justice
bureaucratic cruelty
unquestioned obedience to tradition
uses the execution machine
viewOfJustice punishment without defense or trial

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

In the Penal Colony mainCharacter the Officer