Ryan's 3rd 500

More than just revealing K.’s characteristics, the women of The Trial also depict the status of women in this society and the role they play, more specifically a low status in society as well as a degrading role. Only two women that K. meets in the novel have somewhat respected occupations in society: Ms. Grubach, the landlord, and one of the officials K. meets in the court offices. Other than those two, none of the women have respected occupations or considerable influence in their situation. Moreover, Kafka depicts the low esteem that women are held in since they are easily taken advantage of in the novel. For example, the washerwoman’s home doubles as a court office and it is because it doubles as a court office that she can keep her apartment, furthermore, the washerwoman is basically a sex slave to the court officials as they can stop by whenever and take her. That particular situation the washerwoman is in upsets K., because he thinks she belongs to him, which not only shows K.’s character but shows how women were considered property to a certain extent. Moreover, K. is romantically involved with most of the women he knows or meets, who shows that the men of the novel only interact with women if something sexual is soon to follow. For example, one of the reason K. returns to Huld’s office is in hopes to form a connection with Leni, whom he finds desirable. Despite, their low status and degrading functions, the women of the novel do have a certain sphere of influence both in society and over K. himself. K. is preoccupied enough by the women in the novel to seemingly forget about his trial at some points. For example, after he is first arrested, K. drops his predicament and sets out to meet with Ms. Bürstner and apologize, implying that he does not want to be held in low esteem by her, demonstrating the influence she has over him. Kafka also implies that the women in the novel are aware of the status of their gender and are opportunistic. For example, when Leni and K. first meet each other, Leni takes K. to a private room and throws herself onto K.; Leni is aware that K. is a well-respected man with an admirable profession. Leni then asks if K. is single, to which K. shows a picture of woman, yet Leni does not flinch at this information and is keen to have K. to herself. Kafka is depicting the women of the trial as having low status in society, yet being both ambitious and aggressive.