Artifact in the eye of the Spectacle

There is an overarching belief in the spirit of the civilized man as the pinnacle of life, a belief not shared by the tragic Texan writer Robert E. Howard. An avid athlete and lover of masculine physical activities, Howard frequently exalted the savage man of the wild as the ultimate heroic figure, untouched by the corrupting influence of the urban environment and a more able adventurer because of the strengthening effect of a hostile wilderness. This bestial figure was best exemplified by the character of Conan of Cimmeria, but Conan was not the only wild man to have adventures in the pages of Howard’s fictional worlds. Howard’s idea of the barbarian is in direct contrast to the cultured man of the city, but do the attributes he holds dear have significance in the modern era or are they an anachronism of a testosterone fantasy world?


The barbarian is a larger-than-life figure in Howard’s writing, with savage appetites and almost superhuman physical abilities fostered in him by a life shaped by tempest winds and ravenous beasts, towering peaks and shadowy jungles. He does not know much about the world of men but he does know the world of the claw, the sword and the thundering din of battle. His natural cunning was a match for the most erudite among the city dwellers of the Hyperborean world and was central to his ability to cut through the machinations of the villains that harbored ill will towards him. Most importantly though, he was able to function within the realm of society by sheer force of will, a power only supported by his physicality, but not dependent on it. His simple code of conduct led him to scoff at the weak and ignoble values held by the urban man, allowing him to stand in judgment of their decadent lifestyles and dishonorable way of life.


Considering the “civilized” environment in which most people reside, it could be enlightening to examine the pros and cons of such a value system. Does the barbarian know the peace of mind that the man of the city cannot seem to find? He lives a simple life with intense passion and hearty appetites and seems to enjoy himself in fairly inexpensive pursuits such as whoring, hunting and fighting. His disdain for complicated thought and accommodation to social norms allows him the freedom to act as he sees fit, not compromising his beliefs for anyone.
By examining Robert E Howard’s writing, one can get a sense of his opinion of the barbarian as a more able being, striding through the lives of weak-hearted city dwellers with impunity, sating his lusts where he finds them and squeezing enjoyment out of life at his own accord.