Barabbas (novel)
Encyclopedia
Barabbas is a 1950 novel by Pär Lagerkvist
. It tells a version of the life of Barabbas
, the man whom the Bible
relates was released instead of Jesus.
is crucified on Mount Golgotha. To the side of the crowd stands Barabbas. Being a violent man, a brigand
and a rebel, he cannot muster much respect for the resignation
of the man who died in his place. He is skeptical about the holiness of Jesus too. Yet, he is also fascinated by the sacrifice and he seeks out the different followers of Jesus trying to understand, but finds that their exalted views of Jesus do not match his down to earth observation of the man. More importantly, since Barabbas had not ever been the recipient of love (the cornerstone of the Christian faith
), he finds that he is unable to understand love and hence Barabbas is unable to understand the Christian faith. Barabbas says that he "Wants to believe," but for Barabbas, understanding is a prerequisite for belief, so he is unable.
After many trials and tribulations he ends up in Rome
where he mistakes the Great Fire of Rome
as the start of the new Kingdom of Heaven and enthusiastically helps spread the conflagration. Consequently, he is arrested and crucified along with other Christians as a martyr
for a faith he does not understand.
s with some wrong concepts of the faith as negative examples, to bring out the message about how to love Jesus
.
Pär Lagerkvist
Pär Fabian Lagerkvist was a Swedish author who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1951.Lagerkvist wrote poems, plays, novels, stories, and essays of considerable expressive power and influence from his early 20s to his late 70s...
. It tells a version of the life of Barabbas
Barabbas
Barabbas or Jesus Barabbas is a figure in the Christian narrative of the Passion of Jesus, in which he is the insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed at the Passover feast in Jerusalem.The penalty for Barabbas' crime was death by crucifixion, but according to the four canonical gospels and the...
, the man whom the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
relates was released instead of Jesus.
Plot
JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
is crucified on Mount Golgotha. To the side of the crowd stands Barabbas. Being a violent man, a brigand
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
and a rebel, he cannot muster much respect for the resignation
Nonviolence
Nonviolence has two meanings. It can refer, first, to a general philosophy of abstention from violence because of moral or religious principle It can refer to the behaviour of people using nonviolent action Nonviolence has two (closely related) meanings. (1) It can refer, first, to a general...
of the man who died in his place. He is skeptical about the holiness of Jesus too. Yet, he is also fascinated by the sacrifice and he seeks out the different followers of Jesus trying to understand, but finds that their exalted views of Jesus do not match his down to earth observation of the man. More importantly, since Barabbas had not ever been the recipient of love (the cornerstone of the Christian faith
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
), he finds that he is unable to understand love and hence Barabbas is unable to understand the Christian faith. Barabbas says that he "Wants to believe," but for Barabbas, understanding is a prerequisite for belief, so he is unable.
After many trials and tribulations he ends up in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
where he mistakes the Great Fire of Rome
Great Fire of Rome
The Great Fire of Rome was an urban fire that occurred beginning July 19, AD 64.-Background:According to Tacitus, the fire spread quickly and burned for six days. Only four of the fourteen districts of Rome escaped the fire; three districts were completely destroyed and the other seven suffered...
as the start of the new Kingdom of Heaven and enthusiastically helps spread the conflagration. Consequently, he is arrested and crucified along with other Christians as a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
for a faith he does not understand.
Main themes
During his life Pär Lagerkvist struggled with his lack of faith. In the novel Barabbas too is a man who does not understand Jesus and does not know how to love him. The novel presents many ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s with some wrong concepts of the faith as negative examples, to bring out the message about how to love Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
.
Film and theatrical adaptations
- The novel was turned into a film by Dino De LaurentiisDino De LaurentiisAgostino "Dino" De Laurentiis was an Italian film producer.-Early life:He was born at Torre Annunziata in the province of Naples, and grew up selling spaghetti produced by his father...
in 1961, starring Anthony QuinnAnthony QuinnAntonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
. - Made into a theatrical play in 1953