The South (short story)

The South ( el sur ) is a story by the Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, published first in 1953 in the daily newspaper La Nación, and finally in 1956 in the second edition of the narrative bands " fictions " ( Ficciones ).

Content

The librarian Juan Dahlmann German and Argentine roots. But He is especially proud of his maternal ancestors Argentine. Among the various heirlooms that were left to him from his ancestors, one including a farm that Dahlmann but never visited.

In February 1939 Dahlmann arises a copy of The Arabian Nights. Eager to examine the book as soon as possible, he runs up the stairs to his apartment and pushes itself to a head on a freshly painted window sash. It runs as a blood poisoning and eventually has to be admitted to a hospital, where he thinks he is close to death.

After a few days Dahlmann is dismissed. He decides to visit his farm to recuperate. Once on the land, he goes first to a restaurant, where he began to read the "Tales from Tausenduneiner night ". Dahlmann sitting opposite three drunken peasants. They throw him with bread crumbs. Dahlmann ignored this at first. But the drunks do not give up and throw it again. Finally Dahlmann opposes the troublemakers. As one of the farm workers draws his knife, throws an old Gaucho Dahlmann to a dagger. Despite the attempts at appeasement of the restaurant owner and knowing that he who has never fought with a knife, has no chance Dahlmann leaves the premises in order to duel.

Interpretation

The work is, as usual for Borges, very surreal. One reason for this is the focalization, which changes several times. Borges plays with the very unusual method that alternately uses all three types of targeting and thus triggering an uneasiness in the reader. In addition, the narrative situation of the unreliable narrator provides additional confusion. The narrative is skillfully problematic designed by the author, so that the story may have no clear resolution. Accordingly, there are also several attempts to interpret this story. This is one that the protagonist Dahlmann had died of blood poisoning already in the hospital, and that any further course of action abspiele only in the afterlife. Another turn, claims that Dahlmann located just delirious and the duel representing a symbol for the struggle for life and death against his illness.

Film

In 1990, Carlos Saura, the narrative as a template for a 55 - minute film of the Spanish TV series Los Cuentos de Borges.

Comments

• "The South " inspired the Chilean writer Roberto Bolaño to the story " The Unbearable Gaucho " (El gaucho insufrible ).

• Borges called "The South " several times as one of his best stories.

• The manuscript of the novel " The South " was auctioned in 2002 for 193,750 euros. That was then the highest price that was achieved Borges manuscript.

Swell

Jorge Luis Borges: "The South ", trans. Fictions, Frankfurt am Main 1992, p 154-161.