The Labyrinth as Symbol: a Structural Analysis of the Last Labyrinth as a Metaphor for Human Consciousness
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This paper analyses the labyrinth motif in Arun Joshi’s The Last Labyrinth (1981), interpreting it as a symbolic representation of human consciousness and the fragmented psyche of the protagonist, Som Bhaskar. The study talks about how little critical attention has been paid to the labyrinth as a structural metaphor. It says that the labyrinth represents Som's psychological imprisonment in his unfulfilled desires and existential doubts. Employing a cross-disciplinary approach, this analysis posits that Joshi’s labyrinth mirrors Samsara, symbolising the cyclical nature of desire and suffering. This reading underscores Joshi’s distinctive engagement with the labyrinth as both a narrative structure and a profound metaphor for the complexities of human consciousness and desire.
Author: Rashmi Singh
Language: English
Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4408677456