In Praise of Darkness

As the title suggests, the darkness is both a symbol in “In Praise of Darkness” and the phenomenon that this ode is paying homage to. Darkness represents going blind. Borges isn’t completely blind yet, and he describes his liminal state as living “among vague, luminous shapes / that are not darkness yet” (Lines 5-6). The darkness has not completely overtaken his vision, so he can still make out the general forms of things, and he can perceive light. However, the darkness in his vision is growing. He says, “This penumbra is slow and does not pain me” (Line 17). The darkness is not encroaching at a rapid pace. Rather, it is moving slowly and painlessly. The specific diction of penumbra refers to something that is partially illuminated. It is an astronomical term that describes eclipses. An eclipse is a day without night and a night without day; it is liminal or transient. Borges is interested in the blending together of different times. Borges’s positive reaction to the results of being blind makes this poem into an ode: Rather than bemoaning his condition, he indirectly evokes the tradition of the wise poet or bard by depicting his lost vision as giving him access to new understanding of himself and the world.