The Disk by Jorge Luis Borges – Summary, Analysis, Theme, Characters, and Word Meanings

About the Author: Jorge Luis Borges

Jorge Luis Borges was an acclaimed Argentinian short story writer, poet, essayist, and translator. A master of metaphysical fiction, Borges is widely recognized for his innovative narrative style and philosophical depth. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century.

About the Story: The Disk

Publication History

“The Disk” (originally El Disco in Spanish) was first published in El Libro de Arena in 1975. It was later translated into English by Paul Blackburn and included in The Book of Sand in 1977.

Genre and Form

The Disk is a fictional short story with elements of fantasy and symbolism. The plot revolves around a mystical object, “The Disk of Odin,” which is said to have only one side.

Setting

The story is set in ancient England, primarily in a deep forest where the protagonist, a woodcutter, lives in isolation.

Main Characters

  • The Woodcutter – The narrator and protagonist, who lives a lonely life in the forest.

  • Isern – A mysterious visitor who claims to be a king descended from Odin and the possessor of a magical disk.

Plot Summary

At the beginning, the story introduces a woodcutter who lives alone in a hut deep in the forest. After his brother’s death, he continues to cut trees, aging in isolation. One day, a stranger named Isern arrives at his hut, seeking shelter. The next day, Isern reveals that he is a king in exile and claims to carry the Disk of Odin—an impossible object with only one side.

Though the woodcutter sees nothing in Isern’s palm, he feels a glittering, cold sensation when he touches it. Greedy for the power it symbolizes, the woodcutter offers gold in exchange for the disk, but Isern refuses. When Isern turns to leave, the woodcutter kills him with an axe. Although he believes he saw the disk glitter in the air, he never finds it again despite searching for years.

the disk

Theme and Message

The central theme of “The Disk” is the corrupting power of greed and moral degradation. The woodcutter’s desire for power leads him to commit murder, illustrating how ambition and obsession can lead to self-destruction.

Narrative Technique

The story is told from a first-person point of view. Although it reads like a personal narrative, the narrator appears to have omniscient knowledge, adding depth and mystery to the storytelling.

Moral Lesson

The Disk offers a moral insight into human nature. It teaches that unchecked greed can blind a person to reason and morality. The woodcutter’s lust for something unreal—an object with only one side—drives him to kill. In the end, he loses not only the object but also his peace of mind and human values.

Word Meanings and Vocabulary

  • Stretches – extends

  • Vow – promise

  • Chop – cut

  • Fish – to find something using hands

  • Treasure – assets

  • Venture – explore

  • Threadbare – worn-out, thin

  • Frailty – physical weakness

  • Staff – stick

  • Pallet – bed of straw

  • Testified – proved

  • Secgens – a tribe from Saxon regions (possibly fictional)

  • Norse – relating to Norway

  • Fateful – decisive or significant

Detailed Summary of “The Disk” by Borges

In this symbolic short story, the narrator, a solitary woodcutter, lives in a forest in ancient England. Though he hears the forest touches the sea, he has never seen it. After his brother’s death, he continues cutting trees alone and ages quietly in his hut.

One day, a tall, scarred stranger appears, seeking shelter. The man wears a threadbare cloak and introduces himself the next morning as Isern, a king descended from Odin. He claims to be an exiled king and possesses the Disk of Odin, a unique object with only one side. He says he will always be a king as long as he has the disk.

Although the woodcutter sees nothing, he feels a chill and sees a sparkle in Isern’s palm. Tempted by power, the woodcutter lies, offering Isern gold in exchange. When Isern refuses and turns away, the woodcutter murders him with an axe, hoping to seize the disk.

The woodcutter thinks he sees the disk glitter in the air and marks the spot, but no matter how long he searches, he never finds the disk again.

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