Waiting for the Barbarians Lesson Plan

Why does the magistrate take an interest in the nomadic woman?

This simple question does not have a straightforward answer, as it is not even clear to the magistrate why he is interested in the woman. When he brings her to his room, he says, "This is not what you think it is," hoping to assuage her concerns about his intentions. But immediately he questions himself and asks, "Can I really be about to excuse myself?" He does recognize, however, that it has something to do with his "bleating conscience." Thus, it seems likely that this woman is a symbol for all those who have been harmed by the empire and the magistrate is using her to work through his own inner struggles....