The Kraken by Jorge Luis Borges

Name: The Kraken
Author: Jorge Luis Borges

This work is a short story that explores the concept of the sea monster and its relationship to human imagination. The narrative follows a sailor who encounters the Kraken, a massive sea creature said to dwell off the coasts of Norway and Greenland. As he describes his encounter, it becomes clear that the sailor's perception of reality is influenced by myth and legend.

By Jorge Luis Borges · First published 1957 · Genre: Mythology, Natural History, Poetry · 280 words

First lines

The Kraken is a Scandinavian version of the zaratan and of the sea dragon, or sea snake of the Arabs.

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The Kraken is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, dated 1957 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Jorge Luis Borges
Date: 1957 CE
Language: English
Genres: Mythology, Natural History, Poetry, Fantasy, Literary Criticism
Length: 280 words
Structure: 1 section, 19 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

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Work identity for The Kraken by Jorge Luis Borges
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Similar titles

Genres

Mythology — The text explores the mythological creature Kraken, drawing from Scandinavian and Arab folklore.
Natural History — The work references a historical text on natural history, discussing the Kraken in a pseudo-scientific context.
Poetry — The inclusion of Tennyson's poem situates the text within a poetic framework, emphasizing literary exploration.
Fantasy — The fantastical elements of a giant sea creature and floating islands contribute to a fantasy genre classification.