Waiting for the barbarians

Waiting for the barbarians - J.M. Coetzee

We can say that major theme of Waiting for the barbarians is imperialism. The empire sees nomadic people as their enemies without any reason and torture them very brutally.

Protagonist unnamed magistrate of the frontier is a good natured man who wanted to live peacefully. But empire's new police the third bureau believe that barbains are planning to attach on frontier regions. Colonel Joll is appointed to investigate this matter. His ways of interrogating people are so cruel. He catches sins fishers and nomads and torture them and kills also. When they released one blind barbarian girl remain in village and start begging. She was not able to walk or see because of torturing. Magistrate feels sympathy for her and take her into his room. He starts to feel sexual desire and decided to return her to her own people.

Magistrate with two soldiers starts journey toward desert. They face difficulties but finally reach there. Magistrate falls in love with barbarian girl and propose her to come back with him. The girl chooses to stay with nomads.

When magistrate returns, a man from third bureau officer Mandle was appointed on his place. Magistrate is imprisoned for charges of treason and tortured. Joll catches some more nomads and tortures them in public. When magistrate demands to stop he also tortured in public.

Joll go to fight with barbarians with soldiers Magistrate begins to beg. He learns that barbarians are coming to attack. People start to leave the town. Mandale also leaves. Magistrate returns to his room. Joll returns in carriage. One of the soldiers tells that they starved in desert and they never faced barbarians. Magistrate remains with a few townspeople and three soldiers in the end of the novel.

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