Waiting for the Barbarians

Historical Context and Significance

Published in 1980, John Maxwell Coetzee's novel «Waiting for the Barbarians» is a significant work in literature that explores themes of colonialism, power, and morality. The book serves as an allegory criticizing imperialist policies and the cruelty that often accompanies them. The story follows a magistrate who begins to question the legitimacy of his government's actions towards the so-called barbarians. The novel has had a substantial impact on cultural perceptions and reflections on issues of justice, humanism, and ethics in the context of oppression and violence. It also helped solidify Coetzee's reputation as one of the leading contemporary writers and a Nobel Prize laureate in Literature.