The Zaratan by Jorge Luis Borges
This work is a short story that explores the concept of time and its relationship to human perception. It follows a protagonist who discovers a mysterious island where time appears to be distorted, with events unfolding in reverse order. The narrative delves into the nature of reality, causality, and the human experience of time.
By Jorge Luis Borges · First published 1957 · Genre: Mythology, Fantasy, Folklore · 756 words
First lines
There is one story that has ranged the whole of geography and all epochs the tale of mariners who land on an unknown island which then sinks into the sea and drowns them because it is a living creature. This invention is found in the first voyage of Sindbad and in Canto VI, Stanza 37, of Orlando Furioso (Ch'ella sia una isoletta ci credemo ‘We believed it [the whale] to be a small island'); in the Irish legend of St Brendan and in the Greek bestiary of Alexandria; in the Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus (Rome, 1555) by the Swedish ecclesiastic Olaus Magnus and in this passage from the opening of Paradise Lost, in which Satan, ‘stretched out huge in length', is compared to a whale (203-8):
What this Textopian page supports
The Zaratan is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, dated 1957 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Jorge Luis Borges
- Date: 1957 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mythology, Fantasy, Folklore, Adventure, Allegory
- Length: 756 words
- Structure: 1 section, 17 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Zaratan by Jorge Luis Borges
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- The Eight Forked Serpent by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Carbuncle by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Mandrake by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Monster Acheron by Jorge Luis Borges
- Burak by Jorge Luis Borges
- The Chamber Of Statues by Jorge Luis Borges
Genres
- Mythology — The narrative is deeply rooted in mythological tales and legends from various cultures, such as the story of Sindbad and the Irish legend of St Brendan.
- Fantasy — The concept of a living island that deceives sailors is fantastical and beyond the realm of reality, fitting the fantasy genre.
- Folklore — The story draws from traditional folklore, including tales from the Greek bestiary and the Anglo-Saxon bestiary.
- Adventure — The plot involves mariners and their perilous encounters with the deceptive island, typical of adventure narratives.
Tags
Philosophical Fiction · Metaphysical Novel · Speculative Fiction · Mythopoeic · Symbolist · Dreamlike Narrative · Non-Linear Storytelling · Existential Themes · Cosmological Speculation · Time Travel · Alternate Realities · Paradoxical Plot