Description

The plot timing of the Novel is birth and initial spread of Christianity and its’ related socio religious climate.The hero is a desert pirate named Barabbas. The story begins with the crucifixion of Jesus in Golgotha, in the place of this man , who by stoke of luck was left free by the Roman soldiers.He was ordered free by the soldiers and Jesus became the victim .He himself was surprised to be released.He was the witness to the crucifixion of the frail body , his last words,his crimation, whom they called their master.He was the witness to the darkness in the noon.He heard of his resurrection after death, that there will be no hunger of the poor , no desease and no patients .The world will see a new order . During his journey after escape from crucifixion, he goes through many incidents and hears folktales about the man he saw being crucified.He believes some and disbelieved others. It was the time when faith and belief didnt fully reconciled themselves.Barabbas faced conflicting and disturbing social and religious concepts that led to conflicts in himself. Sometimes he was impressed by the folktales about their Lord and his preachings and at other times he felt them rubbish and impossible.His questions on the masters preachings , his conflicting thought in the underground Abbey, his settings fire to houses in a frenzy mood , his denial of belief in Christ in front of officials are all confusing and contradictory.Even his last words”I offer my soul to you” , doesn’t make it clear , whether it was his spiritual uprising or was just irrelevant utterance of a dying Jew.
Lagervist has unveiled his great intellect in reconciling between faith and reality that guides reader’s imagination to agreeing to uncompromising end.
The simple style, lucid expression, compact and precise use of words makes “Barabbas” pleasurable reading and accredits Lagervist ‘s literary work with an immortal value, to be termed as classical.