The Title
The title, Das Schloß, may be translated as "the castle" or "the lock". It is also similar to Der Schluß (close or end). The castle is locked and closed to K and the townspeople; neither can gain access. The name of Klamm is similar to "klempnern" in German, which means "to clamp, bolt or rivet" and may hold a double meaning; for Klamm is the lock that locks away the secrets of the Castle and the salvation of K. Directly translated, "klamm" is an adjective that denotes a combination of moisture and chill and can be used in reference both to weather and clothing, which inscribes a sense of unease into the main character's name.
Read more about this topic: The Castle (novel)
Famous quotes containing the word title:
“Now that the steam engine rules the world, a title is an absurdity, still I am all dressed up in this title. It will crush me if I do not support it. The title attracts attention to myself.”
—Stendhal [Marie Henri Beyle] (1783–1842)
“Et in Arcadia ego.
[I too am in Arcadia.]”
—Anonymous, Anonymous.
Tomb inscription, appearing in classical paintings by Guercino and Poussin, among others. The words probably mean that even the most ideal earthly lives are mortal. Arcadia, a mountainous region in the central Peloponnese, Greece, was the rustic abode of Pan, depicted in literature and art as a land of innocence and ease, and was the title of Sir Philip Sidney’s pastoral romance (1590)