Jorge Luis Borges Allusions and References

Background on Borges Born August 24, 1899 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Born August 24, 1899 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 1906: Translation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Happy Prince” appears in a local newspaper. 1906: Translation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Happy Prince” appears in a local newspaper : The Borges family moves to Switzerland, where Borges taught himself German, French, and Latin : The Borges family moves to Switzerland, where Borges taught himself German, French, and Latin.

Early Writing After the end of World War I Borges spent three years in Spain where he became a member of the avant-garde Ultraist movement. After the end of World War I Borges spent three years in Spain where he became a member of the avant-garde Ultraist movement. 1921: Fervor de Buenos Aires, a book of poems is published 1921: Fervor de Buenos Aires, a book of poems is published –Co-founded the journals Prisma ( ) and Proa ( ) –Regular contributor to Sur (1931)

1933: Borges is appointed editor of the literary supplement of the newspaper Critica 1933: Borges is appointed editor of the literary supplement of the newspaper Critica –Published pieces that were a cross between non- fictional essays and fictional short stories. Used fictional techniques to tell essentially true stories and literary forgeries (things that claimed to be translations of passages from famous, but seldom read works) Used fictional techniques to tell essentially true stories and literary forgeries (things that claimed to be translations of passages from famous, but seldom read works)

Borges and Politics “Dictatorships foster oppression, dictatorships foster servitude, dictatorships foster cruelty; more abominable is the fact that they foster idiocy.”

The Relationship Between Fact and Fiction The Garden of Forking Paths El jardin de senderos que se bifurcan Published in 1941 Published in 1941 Included eight stories Included eight stories –El Sur Loosely autobiographical Loosely autobiographical Relationship between fact and fiction Relationship between fact and fiction

Themes and Symbols Time Time Reality vs. Dreams Reality vs. Dreams –labyrinths –The game of chess Philosophy Philosophy Religion Religion

Time “Time is the substance from which I am made. Time is a river; it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.” --essay: “A New Refutation of Time” essay: “A New Refutation of Time” 1946

Symbols “Through the years, a man peoples a space with images of provinces, kingdoms, mountains, bays, ships, islands, fishes, rooms, tools, stars, horses and people. Shortly before his death, he discovers that the patient labyrinth of lines traces the image of his own face.”

Reality “Reality is not always probable or likely” “Every novel is a plane inserted into the realm of reality.” -- Borges in his essay “Partial Magic in the Quixotic” -- Borges in his essay “Partial Magic in the Quixotic”

Further Resources Borges, Jorge Luis. Selected Poems. Ed. Elliot Weinberger. New York: Penguin, Borges, Jorge Luis. Selected Non-Fictions. Ed. Alexander Coleman. New York: Penguin, Borges, Jorge Luis. Collected Fictions. Trans. Andrew Hurley. New York: Penguin, Williamson, Edwin. Borges: A Life. New York: Penguin, 2004.