The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim" | |
| Author | Jorge Luis Borges |
|---|---|
| Original title | "El acercamiento a Almotásim" |
| Translator | Anthony Bonner |
| Country |  Argentina |
| Language | Spanish |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy, short story |
| Published in | Historia de la Eternidad (1936) Ficciones (1944) |
| Media type | |
| Publication date | 1936 |
| Published in English | 1962 |
The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim (original Spanish title: El acercamiento a Almotásim) is a fantasy short story by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. It first appeared in 1936 in the book A History of Eternity (Historia de la eternidad), and then was included in Ficciones, as an addition to part one (El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan).
[edit] Plot summary
The story is a review of an imaginary work, The Conversation with the Man Called Al-Mu'tasim, which is the second (and inferior) edition of a book called The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim, by an Indian lawyer named Mir Bahadur Ali.
The book that Borges "reviews" is essentially a detective story about a law student in Bombay. After unexpectedly committing a murder during a riot, he becomes an outcast among the lower classes of India. Through his dealings with people he infers the existence of a "perfect man", whom he calls Al-Mu'tasim. He believes Al-Mu'tasim has indirectly influenced other people for the better, through a number of intermediaries. The student becomes obsessed with finding and meeting Al-Mu'tasim.
A long footnote at the end of the review summarises The Conference of the Birds (1177), by Farid ud-Din Attar, which is related in theme.
Al-Mu'tasim means "he who goes in quest of aid."
