Learning the Language of Franz Kafka: Inside Mark Harman’s Translation

On March 26 in the Barker Center, admirers of Franz Kafka and enthusiasts of literary translation gathered for a roundtable discussion with award-winning translator Mark Harman. A distinguished figure in Kafka studies, Harman has played a pivotal role in preserving the author’s work, having published acclaimed translations of “Amerika: The Missing Person” and “The Castle.”

At the event, Harman introduced his latest translation, “Selected Stories by Franz Kafka,” which features an in-depth biographical introduction exploring Kafka’s life alongside some of his most renowned writings. For those familiar with Kafka’s writing, the challenges of translation are easy to imagine; the writer’s works are notoriously complex, often dealing with themes of the absurd and the surreal. Yet, Harman continues to translate Kafka's works, making them accessible to broader audiences.

The event, “Re-translating Kafka: Examples, Second Thoughts, and Reflections,” was part of a larger series of seminars on translation hosted by the Mahindra Humanities Center, contributing to an ongoing dialogue on the art and challenges of literary translation. Veronika Tuckerová, a senior preceptor in Slavic Languages and Literatures at Harvard, played a key role in the event, having proposed the idea to her department. With the recent publication of Harman’s latest translation and the centenary of Kafka’s death last year, the timing was especially fitting.

Harman opened the discussion by referencing Friedrich Schleiermacher’s distinction between two translation strategies: foreignization and domestication.

Quoting Schleiermacher, Harman explained that the foreignization method “leaves the author in peace” by bringing the reader closer to the original text, while the domestication method “leaves the reader in peace.” By distinguishing between these two approaches, Harman offered the audience a unique glimpse into how translators grapple with the balance between fidelity to the original and accessibility for modern readers.

However, Harman diverges from this rigid framework, positioning himself as something of a rule-breaker. With conviction, he suggested that a nuanced balance between the two can lead to a more authentic and resonant translation.

“I believe that it is possible, and perhaps even necessary, for translators to combine those two approaches,” Harman said.

About halfway through the event, Harman engaged the audience in a hands-on translation exercise, giving everyone a glimpse into the intricacies of literary translation. He presented four versions of Kafka’s poem “Wunsch, Indianer zu werden” in the original German text alongside three of his own English translations. This exercise allowed the audience to examine how even the subtlest word choices can dramatically alter the tone, rhythm, and meaning of a passage.

For audience member and Mather House Resident Dean Luke Leafgren, this exercise was particularly enlightening.

“One of the things I appreciate the most was how Mark showed not just the translated version of one of his stories, but how he kept working on that translation even after it was published, finding ways he thought he could make it better,” Leafgren said. “Harman talked about how translation is a never-ending process — a pursuit for perfection. That can never be achieved, but can always be sought.”

Tuckerová echoed this sentiment, stating how the exercise and the talk provided an insightful look into Harman’s process.

“He gave us this in-depth look on the possibility to really observe how Harmans’ mind works,” Tuckerová said.

Speaking with Harman himself gave a further glimpse into his translation of Kafka’s works, and how he conceptualizes the author’s voice in each one.

“Usually, [Kafka’s] novels are told through the consciousness of the main figure, and you have that throughout the novel,” said Harman in an interview with The Crimson after the event. “Whereas in these stories, he kind of invents a new style for each one.”

Harman elaborated on the complexity of this inquisitive process for a translator: as something that merges both direct comprehension and literary value.

“It’s kind of achieving a closeness to the original, sometimes very close, sometimes you have to depart from the literal meaning because you’re trying to get the voice, you’re trying to a style that you that you find that I find, appropriate to that particular story,” said Harman

For Harman, translation is not merely a mechanical process of matching words — it is an effort to breathe life into the characters, while staying true to Kafka’s vision in the original text.

—Staff writer LeMonie K. Hutt can be reached at lemonie.hutt@thecrimson.com.