Thinking Activity :- Waiting For the Barbarians

Thinking Activity :- Waiting For the Barbarians 

We have expert Lecture on "Waiting For the Barbarians" by R. B. Zala Sir at Department Of English, MKBU. Dr. Dilip Barad sir organised expert Lecture. R. B. Zala Sir came from Saurashtra University. For two days 8&9 January 2020 sir came to teach us.

(1) About the Author
=>

John Maxwell Coetzee is a South African born novelist, essayist, linguist, translator and recipient of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature. He has also won the Booker Prize (twice), the CNA Prize (Thrice), the Jerusalem Prize, the Prix Femina etranger, The Irish Times International Fiction Prize, and holds a number of other awards and honorary doctprates. He is one of the most critically acclaimed decorated authors in the English language.

=> About Novel :-
 

     Waiting For the Barbarians is a novel by the South African born writer J. M. Coetzee. First published in 1980, it was chosen by Penguin for its series Great Books of the 20th century and won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize for fiction. American Composer Phillip Glass has also written an opera of the same name based on the book which premiered in September 2005 at Theater Erfurt, Germany. Coetzee took the title from the poem "Waiting For the Barbarians" by the Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy. Coetzee's novel has been deeply influenced by Italian writer Dino Buzzati's novel The Tartar Steppe.

(2) Plot Summary
=>The story is narrated by Magistrate. And another chracter is Colonel Joll, he came in the village because, he get information that Barbarians are came in the village, and they are came to attack on the village. He tries a lot to find Barbarians. And he tortures people and gives punishment. Magistrate does not like this. In this one blind girl came, her legs are broken. And then magistrate takes care of her. In this story Joll waits For Barbarians, but Barbarians never came. And that's why he doubles on native people, he tortures them. He uses his power in wrong way to control the people.

(3) Character study
=>  * The magistrate
The magistrate is an aging judge who thinks he is living a peaceful existence. But he slowly realizes his culpability in the mistreatment of others, namely the barbarians whose land the Empire colonizes.

* Colonel Joll
Colonel Joll is the violent, sadistic military leader who actively seeks out prisoners to torture, whether or not they are suspected of any crimes.

* The girl
The girl is an innocent nomad tortured by Joll during the campaign against the barbarians. She comes to live with the magistrate before eventually being returned to her people.

* Mandel
Mandel is put in charge of the magistrate's imprisonment and torture. He exploits his position of power and eventually abandons his post.

* The barbarians
The barbarians are natives thought to be plotting against the Empire. Fear of barbarian attacks fuels panic in the town, although the barbarians themselves are rarely seen.

* The barbarian boy
The barbarian boy is one of the first prisoners Joll questions. Although the boy is likely innocent, he confesses to knowing about an impending barbarian attack as a result of Joll's torture.

* The barbarian boy
The barbarian boy is one of the first prisoners Joll questions. Although the boy is likely innocent, he confesses to knowing about an impending barbarian attack as a result of Joll's torture.

* The guard
The guard helps the magistrate carry the body of one of the prisoners Colonel Joll tortures.

* Mai
Mai is the scullery cook with whom the magistrate starts a sexual relationship, although both parties are ashamed of their arrangement.

* The old man
The old man is brought in for questioning by Joll after being found by the granary after an attack. He dies as a result of torture during his questioning, and his death prompts the magistrate to begin investigating the Empire's tactics.

* The scullery maids
The scullery maids become the girl's friends while she is living with the magistrate. The magistrate imagines they gossip about him during their work. Before the girl came to stay with him, the magistrate sometimes slept with the young maids.

* The soldiers
There are various guards and soldiers under Mandel's command. They disrespect the townsfolk and steal from the shops, arrogant in their power. They know that the townsfolk need them for protection and that they can get away with anything as long as they stay to protect against the barbarians.

(4) Central Theme
=> Colonialism becomes central theme of Waiting for the barbarians. Because Power rules on people. Power has position, and that's why they attack on people. And people become the part of their violence. They are in marginalised position, that's why they have no right to raise their voice against power. And they try, then they get punishment. And they suffers physically.

(5) Marginal Themes
=> In this Novel power plays important role. Power rules on people. And people becomes puppet, because of power. That's why In the novel power tortures alot. And people suffers alot. People are innocent, but they does not get voice to speak because they are in marginalised position. That's why they struggles alot, physically and mentally,

(6) Comparison with other texts
=> some examples :-
The novel Foe, written by the South African author J. M. Coetzee is a rewriting of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.

* A Tempest and The Tempest
A Tempest is written by Amie Cesaire. It is adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest.

* Kosala, a debut novel of Nemade, was first published in September 1963. In this use of first-person narrative technique is there. This novel is Marathi novel. It is translated into English and name is "COCOON".

(7) With the use of first-person narrative technique, most striking unique feature of this novel
=> In the novel through the chracter of Megistrate, writers shows reality. When Joll came at that time he becomes power less. Because Joll works on his path. And he tortures and controls people. And Magistrate is narrator, but when Joll came at that time he becomes power less.

(8) Learning outcome
=> In this Novel Joll waiting for the Barbarians but Barbarians never came in the novel. Sometimes we are waiting for something, eagerly but when it came our Eagerness  is dies. Our joy converts into pain.