An emperor has sent a message to the messenger from his deathbed. In this message the messenger is ordered to kneel by the emperor’s bed as the emperor whispers words referring to a task of an important journey into his ear. The messenger is described as losing his strength quickly in his journey which seems to be within in courts and palaces. If he is to break open the outer gates the “imperial capital” or the center of the world will be before him, something that he cannot conquer. Kafka describes the messenger as setting out on his journey full of confidence and “indefatigable”. His ego and over self-confidence is what wears him down. The messenger is described as he is losing his strength: “still he is only making his way through the chambers of the innermost palace; never will he get to the end of them; and if he succeeded in that nothing would be gained.” The messenger’s mission is described as if it is impossible for him to finish due to his cocky attitude and that he can only dream of defeating this mission. I believe Kafka is trying to say that if you go through life with an attitude that exudes that you are better than everyone you are not going to get very far. If the messenger had a more humble attitude or asked for help in his mission he may have been able to accomplish it.
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