The Burden of History: Revenge and Reconciliation in Post Apartheid South Africa. Case Study: J. M. Coetzee’s Disgrace

Abstract

This dissertation displays the burden of history haunting post- apartheid South Africa. This nation saw great challenges in the long pursuit of bringing this unjust rule for an end. The study is tended in this research to explore the themes of revenge and reconciliation through many incidents as the one of Lurie who seduces one of his students Melanie . He refuses to apologize and moves to live with his daughter Lucy who in turn gets raped and decides to marry the one assumed to organize the attack. The study consists of four chapters. The first one is devoted for historical and social background about S.A. before, during and after apartheid focusing on its burden , then a personal background that sheds light on J.M. Coetzee’s life and works. The second chapter explores Africaans and English South African literature. Besides, it displays themes and styles of post-apartheid South African literature. The third chapter investigates the extent to which revenge is reflected in Disgrace. The fourth chapter examines the possibility of reconciliation in Disgrace. The methodology is a descriptive, thematic and analytical study of J.M Coetzee’s novel Disgrace. That is to describe the scenes and events of the novel and look for the themes being discussed in it without forgetting to analyze those themes, dialogues, plot and characters’ attitudes and actions.Cette étude résume le lourd fardeau de l'héritage historique qui a sapé l'Afrique du Sud dans la longue lutte de la scène pour l'élimination de l'apartheid et de construire un pays stable attend avec impatience un avenir prospère. Et ont combiné cette recherche étude objective descriptive et analytique nouvelle honte écrivain John Maxwell Coetzee affiche dans laquelle la vengeance et la possibilité de la réconciliation dans l'histoire d'un professeur d'université David Lurie, qui a dit de sa position sur le dos du viol d'une écolière et il a déménagé pour vivre avec la fille de Lucy est violée par un gang. Sa fille n'a pas osé mentionner le cas de viol quand il a signalé à la plainte de la police avec l'insistance de son père et décide de garder l'enfant et de ne pas opposer son veto après le mariage crime a décidé Peters