Lyrical interpretation of Borges’ Asterion: Intertextuality and appropriation of minotaur myth

Abstract

When Borges let us know the humanity of the murderer who lived in his Casa de Asterión, our initial sorrow became soon in tragic identity. The works we analyse here show us how poets of nowadays are well conscious of this fact and share the same fear as us. Perhaps this is the reason why in their poetry they prefer to focus on the last monster’s thoughts before his death. In this way, they not only pay their tribute to Borges but also remind us how we, modern men, will beg for our death too.