The Labyrinth: Symbol of Fear, Rebirth and Liberation

A labyrinth is an ancient circular diagram found in cultures around the world. Since antiquity, stories of labyrinths have caught the Western imagination. In its classical form, this diagram consists of a single circular path with no possibility of going astray. In contrast, the modern labyrinth (more properly called a maze) is a system of misleading paths with a multitude of choices, some of which turn out to be dead ends. Taking both a playful and reflective approach, Jaskolski traces the fascination with this ancient motif and shows, through stories from ancient myths and medieval tales to the labyrinthine fiction of Umberto Eco, that the labyrinth is a living symbol of our times.