The Scream was painted by Edvard Munch the famous expressionist painter, his works often conveyed a breakdown of traditional beliefs and questioned the humanity of humanity. This famous painting was his expression of anxiety and the pain and confusion of mere existence. Like much of his artwork The Scream displays feelings of hostility for “the masses” and a rebellion against social conformity. Most expressionist painting including The Scream are in response to the compliance of the bourgeois and the increasing mechanization and urbanization of society. This overarching theme of conformity, and how modern life can encourage isolation in Munch’s artwork and expressionism in general directly coincides with that of the famous novel The Metamorphosis. The Metamorphosis was written by Franz Kafka a German speaking Czech Jew. In his famous novel, Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning and finds his outward appearance has been transformed into that of a horrible, tremendous, hideous bug. The novel is a commentary on the fragile nature of human life and the strained relationships we have with family and friends. The two works of art although from completely different time periods reflect relatively the same theme- isolation, and the horrors of ordinary life. However, The Scream and The Metamorphosis share more than just a common theme, both artists use similar strategy to convey their message. For example, in The Scream Munch distorts reality when painting the background and even the screaming man’s face appears alien. He u...
