# Barbarians — Culture and Anarchy character guide

> Barbarians in Culture and Anarchy by Matthew Arnold.

**Role:** minor

**Also known as:** the Barbarians, Barbarian

**First appearance:** 0002-culture-and-anarchy

## Who they are

A social class representing the aristocracy, defined by external refinement.

## In the story

### [Culture and Anarchy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/culture_and_anarchy_se/chapters/culture-and-anarchy)

The aristocratic class, characterized by a love of external graces but a lack of intellectual depth.

### [Doing as One Likes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/culture_and_anarchy_se/chapters/ii-doing-as-one-likes)

Implied as the aristocratic class, contrasted with the rough and the populace.

### [Barbarians, Philistines, Populace](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/culture_and_anarchy_se/chapters/iii-barbarians-philistines-populace)

Described as the aristocratic class, with a defect of pusillanimous unaptness for resistance.

### [Chapter II: Doing as One Likes and the Real Estate Intestacy Bill](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/culture_and_anarchy_se/chapters/ii)

The Barbarians are the landholding class whose feudal habits and succession rules are critiqued.

### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/culture_and_anarchy_se/chapters/conclusion)

Depicted as one of the old ruling classes, whose ordinary self is expressed in the State and who shrink from treating the State as too serious.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/culture_and_anarchy_se/characters/barbarians
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/culture_and_anarchy_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/culture_and_anarchy_se/characters