On Mazes and Labyrinths: From Ancient Times to the Present

Labyrinths date back over 4,000 years, appearing first in ancient Minoan Crete around 1900–1400 BCE, where the mythic Labyrinth of Knossos housed the Minotaur. Early labyrinthine designs also appeared in Egyptian tombs, Etruscan pottery, and later Greek coins. In the Roman era, mosaic labyrinths decorated villas and baths, purportedly symbolizing order and protection. During the Middle Ages, Christians incorporated stone or tile designs in cathedrals like Chartres (c. 1200 CE) representing a spiritual journey toward God. Over time, labyrinths evolved from mythic mazes to meditative symbols of pilgrimage, contemplation, and the human search for meaning.

The earliest literary reference to labyrinths is the original legend of Theseus and the Minotaur. The labyrinth was built by Daedalus for King Minos of Crete. Theseus must enter the labyrinth and slay the Minotaur, a beast with the head of a bull and body of a man. For an innovative twist on this tale read Theseus by Andre Gide, which can be found in his book Two Legends.

Miguel de Cervantes, in his timeless masterpiece Don Quixote, employs the labyrinth as a metaphor for the mind. The valiant yet deluded knight errant navigates through a maze of his own making, lost in the labyrinth of his fantasies and delusions—a metaphor that resonates with us even today. Cervantes writes, "When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?" (Note the connections between Don Quixote and Sinne Eeg's Windmills of Your Mind.)

Labyrinths are featured in many other literary works including Dante's Inferno, Jorge Luis Borges' The Garden of Forking Paths, Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose, and James Joyce's Ulysses.

My own interest in labyrinths (a.k.a. mazes) stretches back to my high school years. Here are a handful that I created sometime in the past. In attempting to "test" them before sharing I discovered that one, and maybe two, were unsolvable. Click to enlarge, or download and print. See how many of these you can find solutions for.

 

Related Links

Unraveling the Labyrinth: Literary Connections from Theseus to Borges

Jorge Luis Borges: An Introduction

Unraveling the Labyrinth: Literary Connections from Theseus to Borges

Luis Borges, one of the profoundly influenial literary giants of the 20th century, captivated readers with his philosophical depth, metaphysical explorations, erudition and innovative storytelling. Among the many recurring themes in his work, the labyrinth stands out, so much so that one of his seminal collections is aptly titled Labyrinths: Selected Stories & Other Writings.

The labyrinth, a symbol steeped in antiquity, has fascinated writers for centuries. In Greek mythology, Theseus embarks on a perilous journey through the labyrinth to slay the Minotaur, a creature that is part man and part bull. (For a fresh and entertaining retelling, consider André Gide's Two Legends: Oedipus and Theseus.)

Miguel de Cervantes, in his timeless masterpiece Don Quixote, employs the labyrinth as a metaphor for the mind. The valiant yet deluded knight errant navigates through a maze of his own making, lost in the labyrinth of his fantasies and delusions—a metaphor that resonates with us even today. Cervantes writes, "When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams—this may be madness. To seek treasure where there is only trash."

Our own lives often mirror labyrinths. We wander through the corridors of existence, seeking an elusive end, hoping each path we take leads to treasure rather than a dead end. This sentiment echoes Borges' view: "Life itself is a labyrinth, we are forever lost within it."

The advent of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s introduced a new kind of labyrinth. I recognized the similarity in my first encounter in 1994. We traverse from page to page, sometimes losing ourselves in the vast expanse of information, hoping to unearth treasures amidst the digital maze. The web, much like the mythical labyrinths of old, can be a place of discovery or a confounding tangle of endless paths.

In the words of Borges: "I thought of a labyrinth of labyrinths, of one sinuous spreading labyrinth that would encompass the past and the future and in some way involve the stars." This encapsulates the endless allure and mystery of labyrinths, both in literature and in life.

The labyrinth, whether in ancient myths, classic literature, or our modern digital age, remains a powerful symbol of our quest for understanding, our struggles, and our journey through the unknown.

* * * 

For more on Borges, here is page of links to a half dozen blog posts under the heading Jorge Luis Borges: An Introduction

Imaginary Interviews: A Visit with Jorge Luis Borges, the Master of Magical Realism

Jorge Luis Borges was an Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in Spanish-language literature. I first encountered his work in an old issue of The Antioch Review. And I was blown away.

The influential Argentine writer was born with congenital glaucoma, which left him nearly blind in his right eye and severely impaired his vision in his left eye. This condition would have a profound impact on his life and work.

Borges began writing at a young age and published his first book of poems in 1923. He went on to write dozens of short stories, essays, and poems. He was also a translator who translated works from English, French, German, and other languages into Spanish. Being a scholar of literature and philosophy, his work is often influenced by these fields.

He famously excelled in a form of storytelling called Magical Realism. In this imaginary interview I hope to introduce more readers to one of my favorite writers and primary influences.

EN: Magical realism is a defining feature of your works, blending fantastical elements with reality. How did you come to embrace this literary style, and what do you believe it adds to your stories?

Jorge Luis Borges: I appreciate the question. Magical realism, for me, was a natural way to explore the blurred boundaries between reality and imagination. Growing up in a multicultural environment and being exposed to various myths, legends, and philosophies, I realized that the extraordinary can exist within the ordinary. This realization led me to embrace magical realism as a means of capturing the inexplicable beauty and complexity of existence.

Magical realism allows me to express the ineffable aspects of human experience that often elude rational explanation. By seamlessly integrating magical elements into everyday settings, I aim to create a sense of wonder and provoke contemplation. This style enables me to explore philosophical questions, challenge preconceived notions, and reflect on the mysteries of existence in a way that straightforward realism might not allow.

In my view, magical realism enriches my stories by infusing them with a sense of enchantment and inviting readers to question reality's limitations. It encourages us to perceive the world from different angles, to question the boundaries between what we consider real and what we deem fantastical. This fusion of the ordinary and the extraordinary underscores the idea that life itself is a tapestry of paradoxes and that reality can be much more than meets the eye. Through magical realism, I strive to celebrate the complexity of human experience and offer readers a lens through which they can appreciate the enigmatic beauty of the world.

EN: Many of your works draw from diverse cultures and traditions. How do you approach incorporating these elements into your stories, and what role do they play in creating a global literary tapestry?

JLB: Incorporating diverse cultures and traditions into my stories has always been a deliberate and enriching process. I believe that literature has the power to transcend borders and connect people by highlighting our shared human experiences and the multiplicity of perspectives that exist around the world.

When I explore different cultures and traditions, my approach is one of respect and curiosity. I approach these elements not as mere ornaments, but as windows into the profound variations of human thought, belief, and expression. I delve into myths, folklore, and histories to uncover universal themes that resonate across cultures, such as love, loss, identity, and the pursuit of meaning.

By incorporating these diverse elements, I aim to weave a global literary tapestry that reflects the richness and complexity of human existence. This tapestry serves to challenge narrow perspectives and promote understanding among people from different backgrounds. In doing so, I hope to remind readers that, despite our apparent differences, there are underlying threads that connect us all.

Ultimately, the incorporation of diverse cultures and traditions adds depth and universality to my stories. It offers readers the opportunity to explore the world through different lenses, fostering empathy and expanding their horizons. It is my hope that my work contributes to a broader understanding of the human experience, transcending cultural boundaries and fostering a sense of unity amidst our diverse tapestry of life.

EN: Your writing often explores the labyrinthine nature of human existence. Could you share how this theme reflects your personal philosophy and why it resonates so deeply with your readers?

JLB: The exploration of the labyrinthine nature of human existence has been a central theme in my writing, reflecting both my personal philosophy and my fascination with the intricate layers of reality. To me, life itself often feels like a labyrinth, a complex network of paths that lead to unexpected revelations, dead ends, and profound insights.

Our understanding of reality is often limited by our perspectives and perceptions. We navigate the labyrinth of existence, seeking knowledge, meaning, and connection, yet often finding ourselves confronted with mysteries and paradoxes that challenge our comprehension. Through my stories, I seek to capture the essence of this journey, the perpetual search for understanding in a world that seems both ordered and chaotic.

Using the labyrinth as a metaphor for the enigma of existence, I hope to provoke introspection and contemplation in my readers, inviting them to ponder the myriad paths we traverse in our quest for knowledge and meaning.

This theme resonates with readers because of its universal relevance. The labyrinth is not confined to any one culture, era, or belief system—it's a concept that transcends boundaries and speaks to our shared experiences as humans.

EN: Do you see the mind itself as a labyrinth?

Photo by Maksym Kaharlytskyi on Unsplash

JLB: Indeed, the mind is a labyrinth, a vast and intricate terrain that holds within it the echoes of countless thoughts, memories, and perceptions. Just as the physical world is filled with paths, twists, and turns, so too is the landscape of our consciousness. The mind is a realm of discovery and contemplation, a place where ideas intersect and diverge, forming intricate patterns of thought.

Like the labyrinth of existence that I often explore in my writing, the mind presents us with challenges and mysteries. It invites us to navigate the corridors of memory, to seek understanding in the maze of our emotions, and to venture into the depths of our imagination. Just as the traveler within a labyrinth confronts uncertainty and the unknown, so too does the thinker grapple with the complexities of their own mental landscape.

Yet, within the labyrinth of the mind, there is also the potential for revelation and insight. Just as explorers of physical labyrinths may discover hidden truths, those who journey through the labyrinth of their thoughts can unearth profound understandings of themselves and the world around them. The mind's labyrinth is a place of creativity, where the paths we tread can lead to new ideas, connections, and revelations.

The idea of the mind as a labyrinth resonates deeply with me because it mirrors the themes I've explored in my writing—our quest for knowledge, the tension between order and chaos, and the simultaneous beauty and complexity of existence. By recognizing the mind as a labyrinth, we embrace the endless potential for exploration and discovery within ourselves. This concept continues to inspire and influence my work, as I strive to capture the essence of both the inner and outer labyrinths that shape our understanding of reality.

EN: Your influence on literature extends far beyond your native Argentina. In fact, I consider a number of my own stories to be inspired by your work, especially those in my book Unremembered Histories. How does it feel to have your ideas and techniques shape the work of writers from various cultures?

JLB: To witness my ideas and techniques resonating with writers from diverse cultures is a profound and humbling experience. Literature, as an art form, transcends borders and languages, uniting minds through the exploration of universal themes and human experiences. Knowing that my work has contributed to this global dialogue is a testament to the power of storytelling and the interconnectedness of human thought.

EN: One last question. As a writer who's navigated blindness, how has this condition influenced your creative process and your perception of imagination and reality?

JLB: Navigating blindness has been a profound and transformative aspect of my creative journey. While it initially presented challenges, it ultimately reshaped my perceptions in ways I could never have anticipated.

Blindness, in a sense, became a metaphorical labyrinth within which I had to navigate. As my visual world diminished, my reliance on imagination and memory grew stronger. The boundaries between the external and internal worlds began to blur, and I realized that perception is not confined to the physical senses alone. This realization profoundly impacted my writing, as I sought to convey the intricate interplay between what is seen and what is imagined.

In this new realm of limited sight, I discovered a heightened awareness of language itself. Words became my palette, allowing me to paint vibrant landscapes of thought and emotion. Imagination became my guide, enabling me to explore realms beyond the confines of the visible world. The act of storytelling became a way to bridge the gap between the tangible and the intangible, between the known and the unknowable.

Blindness compelled me to reexamine the nature of reality. I came to understand that reality is a subjective construct, shaped by individual perceptions and interpretations. This insight allowed me to embrace the idea that reality is malleable, that it can be reshaped and reimagined through the creative act. I found that the limitations of sight were not limitations of vision—they were invitations to delve deeper into the recesses of the mind.

Blindness, paradoxically, illuminated the vastness of the inner world, inspiring me to navigate the labyrinth of imagination with renewed vigor and a profound sense of wonder.

Related Links

The concept for this interview was first explored in my imaginary interview with John S. Hall, the Blind Poet of Ritchie County.

Here are some other Borges links.

Jorge Luis Borges: An Introduction

Tribute to Borges' Garden of Forking Paths

The Mind of Borges 

A Yellow Rose

Ten minutes with Greg Hickey, Author and Forensics Professional

Author Greg Hickey.

One day I received two emails from two authors asking if I'd be interested in reading their books. As it turns out, Greg Hickey's The Friar's Lantern is a book about choices, an interactive story, and my first decision was to choose this one, in part because Hickey is a Borges fan and the genre is a literal garden of forking paths. (I happened to be halfway through two other books at the time, but put his in the fast lane once I got immerse. I will return to that other author's work soon.)

The interactive story genre has a new dimension. With hyperlinking, an eBook can take readers anywhere. You don't have to find Page 133 if you choose to run and Page 79 if you choose to stay. The hyperlinks take you there. Needless to say, the book was a fun read and in return I asked Mr. Hickey to share a little about himself and his writing.

EN: When did you first take an interest in writing stories?

Greg Hickey: In seventh grade, I wrote a short story for English class about the passengers of a shipwrecked cruise liner forced to coexist on a deserted island. It was a kind of grown-up Lord of the Flies. I had a lot of fun writing it, and it received some positive feedback from my teacher and classmates. So I decided I would spend the following summer expanding the story into a full novel.

I didn’t get very far. I had good intentions, but as a junior high student, I soon realized I wanted to be outside playing with my friends, not typing away on the old Apple computer in our basement. But that experience kindled my passion for telling stories.

EN: Briefly share how you came to be a serious writer?

GH: I took a creative writing class as a senior in high school, which further fueled my passion for writing. During that class, I started the practice of keeping a writing journal to record any story ideas that came to me. I continued to use that journal through college and beyond.

In college, I took a course called Dostoevsky and Popular Culture, in which we read several of Dostoevsky’s works and then watched their film adaptations. Our final assignment was to write a film treatment for The Brothers Karamazov. When the semester ended, I continued to work on my film idea outside of class. I wrote a complete screenplay based on my treatment and later modified the script into a wholly original story titled Vita.

But I would say I really became a serious writer in the year after I graduated from college. I had played baseball in college and accepted a position as a player and coach for a team in Sundsvall, Sweden after I graduated. My responsibilities there were limited to about three practices and three games per week, so I had a lot of free time. During that summer, I wrote most of the first draft of my debut novel Our Dried Voices, based on an idea I had recorded in my writing journal three years before that.

EN: You’ve now written how many books? Do you have a full-time job and write on the side, or have you been able to make it as a career writer?

GH: I have published two novels (Our Dried Voices and The Friar’s Lantern) and one novella (The Theory of Anything). And I’m putting the finishing touches on a third novel titled Parabellum.

I have a full-time day job as a forensic scientist with the Illinois State Police. I work in the firearms section of a laboratory in Chicago, where I analyze guns, bullets and cartridge cases from crimes. I write during my lunch breaks, in the evenings and on the weekends.

EN: Are your books self-published or do you have an agent and a publisher? How did those decisions come about?

GH: Our Dried Voices and The Friar’s Lantern were traditionally published by two different small presses. The Theory of Anything was self-published and Parabellum will be self-published as well.

When I was starting out as a writer, I assumed the best way to reach as many readers as possible was through traditional publishing. That may be true if you’re Stephen King or you place a title with one of the big publishing houses. But that was what I believed was the best approach, and I spent months sending query letters to publishers and agents. When I got rejected, I revised Our Dried Voices and sent out more queries. It was a great thrill to get that first acceptance letter!

After having two novels traditionally published, I found that most of my sales came through my own outreach efforts. It’s great to have the stamp of legitimacy that comes from being traditionally published, and I appreciated having someone in my corner when it came to producing and selling my work. But while I know the publishers worked to promote my books, I also realized publishers will always be splitting their efforts among all the titles they offer. In contrast, I know my stories better than anyone and am dedicated solely to my work and no one else’s.

The Theory of Anything was a test case for me, to see if I could self-publish a short novel and have it look professional. I feel good about the way that book turned out, and I’m excited to do it on a larger scale with Parabellum. I’m still going through the steps I would for a traditionally published novel—hiring an editor, a cover designer, etc.—but I’ll be in control of everything and won’t have to accept a percentage of the profits from a publisher.

EN: Your book The Friar’s Lantern is intriguing on several levels. It’s an interactive story in which the reader decides where the story will go by making choices along the way in a series of forking paths. What prompted you to try this kind of story telling?

GH: I distinctly remember having the idea to write an interactive novel for a grown-up audience almost fifteen years ago, when I was in college. Up to that point, my experience with interactive fiction had been limited to the original choose-your-own-adventure books and related titles, which were written for younger readers. Bringing the genre to an adult audience wasn’t a new idea—I since discovered that other authors have written grown-up stories in this genre—but it was new for me, and I hung onto it until I could decide what I wanted that book to be about.

At the time I had that idea, I was reading a book of short stories by Jorge Luis Borges. For those who aren’t familiar with Borges’s work, he wrote stories that used science fiction, fantasy and magical realism to explore creative ideas to their full potential. His stories were often mazelike in the way they plunged deeper and deeper into an idea, if not mazelike in structure (the story collection I was reading was actually called Labyrinths). So I’m guessing the idea of a labyrinthine exploration of an idea also inspired me to tackle this interactive, multiple storyline structure.

Over time, I decided it would be a nice synergy to make a novel in which the reader has to make choices focus on that act of choosing. I began to draw on various examples of choice—in philosophy, science, law, artificial intelligence—and incorporate them into what I wanted the story to become.

EN: I assume that hyperlinks or hypertext is what made this possible. Can you explain what you did to build this document?

GH: Yes, the ebook format is a helpful tool for reading an interactive novel because the reader can use hyperlinks to get to the appropriate page instead of having to flip through physical pages. My publisher created the hyperlinks for the ebook, so I didn’t have any influence on the actual construction of that format.

However, the challenge of navigating through an interactive novel became very apparent when I was drafting the manuscript. I knew the page numbers would change as I revised my drafts and as the novel went to print or was formatted for ebook. So instead of page numbers for each choice, I labeled each new scene with a unique three-letter code. That approach made it easier for me to find my way when I was revising the novel, and it was simple to replace those codes with the appropriate page numbers when the book was ready to publish.

EN: Stylistically there’s an Earle Stanley Gardner starkness in the way your story is told. Was this creator of Perry Mason mysteries an influence?

GH: Thank you very much! That’s high praise.

I actually haven’t read any Erle Stanley Gardner novels, but I’m aware of his renown and influence. But as a forensic scientist, I do work in criminal investigation and I am occasionally called to testify in court about my findings. So even though The Friar’s Lantern isn’t entirely a crime novel or courtroom drama, it does draw on my experiences in those fields.

EN: Who have been your biggest influences as a writer?

GH: I try to write entertaining stories for smart readers. So I’ve always gravitated towards authors who combine an engaging plot and compelling characters with the exploration of a bigger idea. I mentioned the importance of that high school creative writing class. The summer before that school year, I was assigned to read Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead for a course called “Ethics in Literature.” I think the combination of those two events built upon the passion for writing I had discovered in junior high school.

During that school year, I was reading and discussing a book with an engaging story and an overt philosophical agenda while also learning the craft of writing stories. Plus, one of the messages in The Fountainhead is that people should be free to pursue the work that makes them happy. All of those events inspired me to continue writing as long as I enjoyed it and made me see that there was a place for the kind of stories I wanted to tell.

Other influences include writers like George Orwell, Albert Camus, David Foster Wallace—authors who use their fiction to explore deeper questions about who we are, the world around us and how we should live. I’m not sure they’re stylistic influences, but they inspired me to create the kind of stories I have written so far.

EN: You were a professional baseball player? What position and what countries or teams?

GH: Yes, I was paid to play baseball, although I never made enough money that it could have become a serious career. I mostly played shortstop through high school. In college (Pomona College, a small Division III school in southern California), I moved around the infield and also played some catcher.

When I was a junior in college, I studied abroad at the University of Cape Town (South Africa). There, I met a baseball player on a local team and joined that team until the semester ended. After college, I took a job as a player/coach for a team in Sweden, as I mentioned earlier. When their season ended in the fall, I went back to Cape Town for the Southern Hemisphere summer and played a full season there. While abroad, I played mostly third base and shortstop.

EN: Very cool. You and I not only connect on Borges and the other authors you mentioned, but I also got JV and varsity letters playing shortstop. I too, dreamed of playing baseball when I grew up at one time. Where can people find more of your books?  

GH: Readers can download sample chapters of Our Dried Voices, The Friar’s Lantern and Parabellum on my website greghickeywrites.com. There, they can also get a free download of The Theory of Anything, which is a prequel to The Friar’s Lantern.

Our Dried Voices and The Friar’s Lantern are also available for purchase in ebook and paperback on Amazon:
• Our Dried Voices
• The Friar’s Lantern

Related Links
My first online Labyrinth, inspired by Borges, an experiment hyperlinks. (Entrance is at the bottom of the page.
Seven Really Cool Internet Finds Related to Borges

Tribute to Borges' Garden of Forking Paths

This weekend I came across the coolest Reddit page. It showed a photo of a labyrinth dedicated to Jorge Luis Borges,  author of a story called "The Garden of Forking Paths."

Naturally, any time I see something like this I want to share it.

The Garden of Forking Paths appeared in one of his early volumes of short stories titled Ficciones. (Fictions) As I peruse the table of contents here my heart stirs with wonder at the quantity of incredible stories his imagination produced. If you're a fan of this remarkable Argentine author you'll be similarly stirred by titles like The Lottery in Babylon, The Circular Ruins, The Library at Babel and Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius.

* * * *
I'd planned to share this Borges-themed labyrinth yesterday when I unexpectedly received an article from a New York friend that included some Borges anecdotes which deserved to be shared here. The title of the article was A Visit to the Klippersonian. It's about a globetrotting photographer named Stuart Klipper who collects things, both tangible and experiential. He's not only an interesting story himself, but he has a lifetime of interesting stories to tell as well.

At one point his story intersects with Borges. Their meeting feels as spooky and unexpected as a Borges tale that feels more fate than luck. The net result is Klepper having an opportunity to host a visit by the world-renowned Borges to Minneapolis, where on the a non-forking path along Minnehaha Falls there is a stature of Longfellow. They similarly visited the Walker Museum, making memories there as well.

And if all that is not enough, Klipper shares a few Dylan anecdotes that you've probably never heard before, for those who never tire of hearing another Dylan detail.

Photo by Victor Garcia on Unsplash

Here is a link to The Garden of Forking Paths so that you may grasp why Borges has such a following.

In my youth I was fascinated with mazes and labyrinths, hence it was especially delightful and mentally stimulating to discover Borges. I've many times noted Borges has been one of my chief influences when it comes to writing fiction. In 2011 I assembled a half dozen in my first volume of short stories titled Unremembered Histories, my own attempt at Magical Realism.

The title of the book takes its name from my Unremembered History of the World, which in its own way treats the concept of time like a series of forking paths. You can read that one on Medium without purchasing anything. Feedback always welcome.

In closing, here is a very short piece by Borges, which like all his short pithy pieces is both pointed and properly rewarding: Inferno, I, 32

Have a great week.

Related Link
The Mind of Borges

Klippersonian link courtesy LL

Seven Really Cool Internet Finds Related To Borges

Jorge Luis Borges has to be one of the most astonishing writers in world literature. I would say modern literature except that he is the embodiment of all, which he consumed with passion. Considering that he never produced a novel, this Argentine short story writer, poet and essayist has had the most profound influence on writers from all points north, south, east and west. I know no one who is familiar with Borges who is not likewise impressed.

By way of introduction, here are some links to various websites or pages related to Borges...

Labyrinths are a recurring theme in Borges. This web page contains summaries of each of the stories in his collection titled Labyrinths.

One of his most famous stories is titled The Garden of Forking Paths. It, too, is a labyrinthian tale which no doubt became the seed that produced this very cool, experimental game design titled Branching Narrative From Borges to the Hypertext.

In 2009 when I wrote about Borges someone sent me a Borgesian-style piece which I enjoyed very much, and shared it here.

I've been collecting his books for a very long time. His last, which he claims was his best, is called The Book of Sand. When I discovered it in the library I purchased it and completed my collection. More or less. You'll enjoy reading this Wikipedia introduction to The Book of Sand.

The penultimate story in this book, of course, is this one that gives the volume its name.

But the most interesting to me is this hypertext version of the story.

All the stories here, however, yield rewards.

* * * *

And then, there's The Library of Babel, a strange story about a library that contains all the knowledge in the universe in a somewhat fantastic manner. When conceived as a story more than 60 years ago he had no way of knowing that computer technology would enable an obsessed devotee of the story to replicate, albeit in a virtual space, this unusual library so that others may explore its contents.
The website explains itself thus: The Library of Babel is a place for scholars to do research, for artists and writers to seek inspiration, for anyone with curiosity or a sense of humor to reflect on the weirdness of existence - in short, it’s just like any other library.

Not really.

Check it out: The Library of Babel.

* * * *
His stories produce collisions of ideas, sequences of philosophical shenanigans simultaneously consequential and inconsequential, absurd and fully enthralling, frothy and breathtaking, a whirlwind, a fable, a grand deception refracting light, blazing with half-crazy jangling, jarring and jaw-dropping mesmerizing. Borges the magician inspires, igniting readers' hearts and minds. Writers who study his moves are moved. "How did he do this?" 

For what it's worth, if not yet familiar with his stories I am happy here to have helped you begin the acquaintance.

German Connections, Labyrinths and Muscular Prose

Every once in a while certain words seem to become trendy. You don't notice them at all and then suddenly they begin to appear everywhere. About 25 years ago it seemed like the phrase hunker down was being used everywhere, from camping to politics. The word of the day right now seems to be muscular. Last weekend I noticed the word in an essay about Walt Whitman's poetry. Nearly every day this week I heard something be referenced as muscular. "The U.S. needs to make a muscular response to the situation in Iraq," was on the news this morning.

If you hear someone use the word muscular today, let me know how it was used.

On this day in 1877, German artist Kurt Schwitters was born. Next Thursday Germany will face off with the U.S. in the World Cup. My story "Two Acts That Changed the World" is about a German scientist during WW2 who discovers the solution to the atomic bomb but feels compelled to thwart Hitler while conveying the solution to American scientists pursuing the same objective. The story, which originally appeared on my website in the mid-nineties, is the lead story in my first volume of stories Unremembered Histories.

I began building my first website in 1994-95 as a way to learn about the World Wide Web and also as a means for sharing some of my creating work, similar motives for the development of this blog. I usually learn new skills by reading books, buying a few for my personal library, and then applying through doing. One of the books I purchased was titled How to Learn HTML in Two Weeks. I am not a great programmer, but the rudimentary HTML that I learned at that time has gotten me out of many a jam, including here on Blogger.

When Adobe Pagemill was introduced in the mid-nineties, they were in such a rush to get it to market that they forgot to include certain important information inthe User Guide. The day I got it, I went online to a PageMill user group to find out this crucial information. The author of the instructions was in the group! She said that they would add that info immediately.

My website included articles, art and short stories, plus a Labyrinth which I created as a tribute to Jorge Luis Borges, the Argentine short story writer perpetually fascinated by labyrinths. I am certain he would have loved the labyrinthine hyper-linked connectedness of the web, pages with links to other pages with links to other pages, much like a house with infinite rooms. Don't see a room to your liking? You simply create a new room, fill it with objects and hyperlink it to the rest of this cyber-construct, an amazing, ever-expanding virtual universe.

This weekend, more than 8,000 marathoners will be in town for Grandma's Marathon. If you like crowds and activity, there will be plenty here in the Northland. For what it's worth, John Bushey of Highway 61 Revisited will be all set up at Valencia's on London Road, playing Dylan music for the runners as they pass the half way point, reminding all those out-of-towners that one of Rock's great singer-songwriters was born here up on the hillside. Valencia's is across the street from the Duluth Armory where young Robert Zimmerman at age 17 had come to hear Buddy Holly and the Crickets and when Buddy Holly looked at him "he felt a spark tingle to his bones."

Meantime, life goes on all around you. Embrace it.

The Poet Declares His Renown

I discovered Borges in the 1971 Fall/Winter issue of Antioch Review. There were six short pieces, each no more than half a page, which were so dense with meaning and profound that one could not help but take notice.

"A Yellow Rose" was the first to capture my fascination. It later appeared in his book Dreamtigers, as does the sixth piece, "Everything and Nothing."

After you read these, try "The Circular Ruins," which is found in his collection Labyrinths.

The Poet Declares His Renown

The circle of the sky metes out my glory, 
The libraries of the East contend for my poems, 
Emirs seek me out to fill my mouth with gold, 
Angels already know by heart my latest ghazal. 
My working tools are humiliation and an aguish; 
Would to God I'd been stillborn.



Special greetings to all my blog followers in Russia.

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A Pair of Mazes for You

The notion of labyrinths traces back to ancient mythology, but recurs throughout history. In essence, a labyrinth is a maze, a puzzle, a complicated route that leads to, or conceals, something.

Many writers have made reference to labyrinths in their work. Jorge Luis Borges was fascinated by the idea of labyrinths, which appear repeatedly in his short stories. Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose was inspired by Borges in this fascination.

From ancient and medieval times to the present, labyrinths have had their appeal, as real structures to be built or as an idea. The mind itself is said to be a labyrinth. Numerous characters in literature, from Cervantes' Don Quixote onward, have become lost in the labyrinthine worlds of their imaginations.

One of Andre Gide's most fascinating works is his story Theseus, about the Athenian hero who navigated the labyrinth in Crete to slay the half-man, half-bull Minotaur aided by Ariadne's thread. It is an entertaining read, with unexpected twists, and comes with my highest recommendation.

Of course my first encounter with the Internet was somewhat akin to the notion of a labyrinth. If one considers each page a room, from which one must exit to enter another room, you can imagine the whole world wide web as a labyrinthine universe. You can lose yourself in it forever.

Based on this concept I created a small html-labyrinth when I built my personal website seventeen years ago. The Entrance is at the bottom of the page.

A question for you: If the Internet is a Labyrinth, then where is the Minotaur?

Finally, here below is a Maze that I drew this weekend as we sat around drawing together as a family. I must have spent hundreds of hours drawing mazes like this in my youth. It’s not as much fun though if you can’t get others to play the game… so take a minute to download this image and print it. Begin at the word START and see if you can reach the Red Dot at the END. Enjoy!

Download JPEG of maze, then Print.

EdNote: Except for the last paragraph and some minor editing along the way, this blog entry is a re-post of my blog entry of January 8, 2008. The maze is new.

Labyrinths

One of the great writers of the 20th century (as measured by profound influence on other writers as well as sheer brilliance in his handling of the written word) was Argentine-born Jorge Luis Borges. One of the recurring themes in his work is that of labyrinths, so much so that one of his books is titled, Labyrinths, Selected Stories & Other Writings.

The labyrinth is an ancient theme in literature. In Greek mythology Theseus took upon himself the task of entering a labyrinth to slay the minotaur, a half man / half bull creature. {aside: for an orginal and entertaining retelling, look for Andre Gide's Two Legends: Oedipus and Theseus.}

Miguel Cervantes, in Don Quixote, makes reference to the labyrinth, using it as a metaphor for the mind. This hero and gallant knight errant is explained away as a madman lost in the labyrinth of his delusions, a metaphor that is with us to this day.

Our own lives can be labyrinths as well. We seek an end that we know not what, and travel down corridors with the hope that they lead to treasures and not dead ends.

For what it's worth, when the world wide web first emerged in the early nineties, it seemed to me to itself be a labyrinth. We travel from page to page, getting lost in the web, hoping to find treasures, not sure where the next link will lead.

At that time I created a deliberate labyrinth on my website, to more or less share this idea or way of seeing. If you have a few minutes, I invite you to take a tour of my labyrinth. The entrance can be found at the bottom of this page here: http://www.enewman.biz/edpage-1.html