Ambivalence in Coetzees Waiting for the Barbarians

In Waiting for the Barbarians, the line that divides the so called ‘civilized’ from the ‘barbarians’ is shown as deeply ambivalent. Illustrate this with examples and discuss the larger implications of this portrayal. J.M. Coetzee unravels the complexities behind the concepts of ‘civilised’ versus ‘barbaric’ in his book Waiting for the Barbarians. These concepts are reflective of the larger ideas of â€Å"Self† and â€Å"Other†, and are shown to be problematic in its definition. In the novel, the ever present fear of the barbarians proves to have been misdirected, misunderstood and misinterpreted as a whole. This essay looks at the physical versus mental disparity in defining the â€Å"civilised† and the â€Å"barbarians†, how these concepts are but†¦show more content†¦Secondly, in behaving in a manner that respects humanity. While many assume that those who possess the former characteristic would also possess the latter, we see that this is not true. For instance, though the people in the Empire have elaborate systems of governance and wear new inventions like sunglasses, they torture innocent captives in secrecy and tell lies to cov er up their misdeeds. They are perpetually hiding from the light, doing things in darkness, affirming the myth that â€Å"the barbarians come out at night† (122). They show no respect for the prevailing laws, once again blurring the lines between â€Å"civilised† and â€Å"barbarians† because â€Å"the criminals and the civil guard are the same people† (123). Their disregard for justice and lack of respect for humanity reveals their true barbarism within. Contrastingly, while the barbarians are nomadic, live off the earth and use primitive methods of weaponry etc, they help their ‘captives’ in the desert, â€Å"while they are following us they are also leading us†, and are just even in their manipulation of the enemy, â€Å"taking the silver for the horse he did not take†, but letting the Magistrate go on his way peacefully. They know about the intricate interdependency between man and the