ipl-logo

Waiting For The Barbarians

1285 Words6 Pages

Superiority and Separation portrayed in “Waiting for the Barbarians” Literature can help to communicate many complex ideas or themes. Through the use of literary concepts such as tone, language, and point of view the audience is able to take a glimpse into those complex ideas or themes. “Waiting for the Barbarians”, the short story and poem, depict themes such as superiority, power, and separation. The poem and story display the emotions surrounding the apartheid system that took place in South Africa. Lasting for about 50 years, the system of apartheid oppressed many non-white people. Through both the short story and poem, the audience is able to experience these emotions of oppression and take a glimpse into how people saw and treated the …show more content…

P. Cavafy’s poem, “Waiting for the Barbarians” also depicts these themes of superiority and separation among the whites and barbarians. The poem depicts how simple-minded the people believed the barbarians were. The emperor and senators are dressed nice and are carrying elegant canes and jewels. The explanation for this is, “Because the barbarians are coming today and things like that dazzle the barbarians” (21-22). Cavafy uses description to relate to the audience how people viewed the barbarians. He continues saying, “Why don’t our distinguished orators turn up as usual to make speeches, say what they have to say? Because the barbarians are coming today and they’re bored by rhetoric and public speaking” (23-26). This narrative shows the audience the separation between the people and the barbarians. The barbarians are viewed as uneducated and this allows the people to be superior to them. The barbarians are unintelligent to the senators and emperor, which is why the city is fine with using them as an excuse for their problems. The barbarians were a means to an end for the city. It says, “Now what’s going to happen to us without barbarians? Those people were a kind of solution” (34-35). The city did not care about the barbarians, they just wanted to use them. Cavafy uses description and narrative to show the separation evident between the barbarians and the city and the superiority the city believed they had over the

Show More
Related

Natasha Preston's The Cellar

444 Words | 2 Pages

The story shows, what it is like to feel powerless and for all freedom to

Read More

Margarita Engle's Literary Analysis

451 Words | 2 Pages

The poet slave describes the life of a boy as a slave. She puts the book into many little poems describing how he was kept like a pet and shows how people were treated back then. “Now my owner is ghostly inside her skeleton of powder but I, being only a poodle, can watch I am allowed to know these truths about shadow and light”(The Poet Slave of Cuba).This quote shows how broken he was at the time. It also shows how many were treated at this time to make the reader realize just how hard times were.this book impacted the history part of Cuban past times.

Read More

Analysis Of Aeneid And Sallust's Conspiracy Of Catiline

938 Words | 4 Pages

These mythical individuals show characteristics that are both valued and those that could be seen as inferior. In Sallust’s Conspiracy of Catiline, Catiline, the antagonist of his own story, is described as having some of these characteristics and how he displays them changes others perspective on him. With each of these characteristics that a Roman would have seen as positive were painted in a negative light because Sallust tells the audience instances where Catiline used these gifts in harmful ways. In contrast Aeneas, in Virgil’s Aeneid, is described and assigned what are thought of as the same Roman attributes, but these are held a positive approach compared to Sallust’s description of Catiline. The first example of this can be seen in the fifth section Sallust tells the audience of Catiline’s noble upbringing and is described as intelligent, ambitious, and as a brilliant solider.

Read More

Who Killed Homer Summary

1790 Words | 8 Pages

This book has given me a greater understanding on the Classics as a whole. The book touches on a plethora of classical topics in chapter 2, and often compares the western civilization to our west. The author also gave me better understanding of the time periods. I didn’t know slaves had better treatment than the free people in Persia at the time, or that war was an enormous role in Classics age. From the western civilization class I’ve took earlier this year, this books discuss the importance of money in a war, when Sparta beat Athens, or when Rome beat the Carthaginians because of the new money they received to build ships.

Read More

Change To Race In The Pacific Journal Of Adam Ewing

1301 Words | 6 Pages

Although civilization is based on subjectivity alone, Sloosha’s Crossin’ An’ Ev’rythin’ After demonstrates the superior notion ascribed to more “civilized” characters. The Kona enter the story as savages with their first action sequence including a violent, gory murder. The first characterization of the Kona creates an everlasting opinion. When the “painted savages” appear, riding in on “horses decked in studded leather armor” while “laughin’” and “yellin’ war cries” (240), they feel barbaric and uncivilized especially as “the chief licks Pa’s Blood off the steel” (241) after killing the father and brother of the protagonist, Zachary. Already, the reader views the Kona as the uncivilized enemy.

Read More

Lycia War Driven Roman Empire Summary

1615 Words | 7 Pages

The Lycian people were affected when Romans came and occupied them; it altered their cities and culture, via a slave trading center, their ability to defend themselves, their government, and their beliefs. Lycia became a large center for slave trading (Harris, 1980, pg. 127).

Read More

Feminism In Louise Halfe's Body Politics

459 Words | 2 Pages

This becomes evident in a lack of information about the type of society, and the reader therefore lacks a complete understanding of how the women are oppressed. As a whole, this poem sets forth the idea that female gender is fluid, and asks its readers to questions what it means to be a woman in a male dominant

Read More

History Lesson Poem Analysis

792 Words | 4 Pages

Poetry Analysis Once the poem “History Lesson” was written numerous poetry foundations celebrated it for many reasons. “History Lesson” not only makes an impact on literature today it has also impacted people also. This poem inspires people and moves them to the point to where they can find a personal connection to the poem itself and to the writer. Not only does it hold emotional value for those who were victimized and those whose family were victimized by the laws of segregation, but the poem is also celebrated for its complexity. The poem uses many techniques to appeal to the reader.

Read More

June Jordan Poem About My Rights Analysis

1028 Words | 5 Pages

The poem was written in a time where black people and women were dehumanized where those in power abused the power to gain more and those without power were continuously affected by it. Reading the poem and had an impact on me with the dictation of lexis, however all of these feelings were heightened when I listened to the oral performance. The poem starts of in the present tense “Even tonight and I need to take a walk” (Jordan 1) which gives a setting to the scene, in the opening few lines Jordan uses the repetition of “I” and “my” which made the poem for me more personal, the use of repetition in the opening part of the poem produced a deeper connection to the poem, repetition of the words placed emphasis and clarity of the words which came after “my body posture my gender identity my age…” (Jordan

Read More

Literary Analysis Of Maya Angelou's 'Still I Rise'

715 Words | 3 Pages

This poem teaches readers that all humans have strength within them that can help to overcome any obstacles. “Out of the huts of history 's shame…/ I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide…/ Into a daybreak that 's wondrously clear…/I rise…” (29-43) generate a glorious ending and reflection of being the hope and the dream of slaves as reflected in the freedom and opportunity of the present day. The message drives a point that no matter what, the protagonist will be triumphant.

Read More

Plato's Cave Allegory

785 Words | 4 Pages

I am regularly amazed by the power and profound impact a film can have one’s life. As we watch movies at different intervals of our lives, the movies can also be special markers of what defines our own human experience. When I first saw this film some seventeen years ago during its initial release, I was in my mid-twenties. I was in awe of the experience.

Read More

For The Barbarians

427 Words | 2 Pages

He called this an “obscure chapter in the history of the world”(Coetzee). The Magistrate questions his own role in the empire as well as to why the people of the empire conduct themselves in such a manner. Knowing full well that the barbarians are no threat to the empire, the Colonel continues to degrade them because

Read More

The Changeling By Judith Ortiz Cofer Summary

794 Words | 4 Pages

It’s detailed like a memory and provides the audience of just one incidence the narrator was able to recollect. The poem’s main focus is to take a little look into the disparity between traditional feminine

Read More

Bush Doctrine Vs Us Foreign Policy

826 Words | 4 Pages

United States presidents often make foreign policy decisions in an attempt to deal with international problems. These decisions have had an impact on both the United States and on other regions. Doctrines are highly debatable, whether they are for a good cause or bad. The purpose of a doctrine is a framework and superstructure than sustains and guides the way we live and act and even interpret the world around us. The Truman and Bush Doctrine were both for the best interest of the people that have made a life-altering impact on America to this day.

Read More

Examples Of Oppression In The Yellow Wallpaper

584 Words | 3 Pages

The narrator feels oppressed by her relationship with her husband, her house, and the wallpaper. One example given in the story about the protagonist being oppressed by John is how he decides to treat her depression. First he puts her in a room where the conditions are not well for her to stay.

Read More

More about Waiting For The Barbarians

Related Topics

Open Document