Gender representation in J.M.

Coetzees Disgrace
J.M. Coetzees Disgrace (1999) is a contemporary novel set in post-apartheid South Africa,
narrated by David Lurie, a middle-aged academic. The novel follows Davids trajectory
from a well-respected English professor to man living in self-imposed exile as a result of an
incident with one of his female students. Only when David and his daughter, Lucy, are
subjected to a brutal attack does David begin to consider the magnitude of his past
actions. How J.M Coetzees represents gender, through the interaction of characters and
the often incognisant observations of the male protagonist will be explored. [100 words]
Boehmer, Elleke. Not Saying Sorry, Not Speaking Pain: Gender Implications in
Disgrace. Interventions 4.3 (2002) : 342-351. Web. 22 Aug 2016.
Boehmer connects the abuse of women in Disgrace with South Africas confronting racially
segregated past, as neither can be adequately atoned for. The female characters are left
with no recourse but a far more painful process of enduring (343), much like the black
South Africans during the apartheid. Boehmer challenges Davids decision to accept the
violence of the countrys past as a testament to his daughters fate. However, Davids
comprehension of male to female violence is limited by his egoism. There is a risk in
referencing South African commentators due to the possibility of cultural bias. [96 words
(not including citation)]
DeShong, Halimah A.F. Policing femininity, affirming masculinity: relationship
violence, control and spatial limitation. Journal of Gender Studies 24.1 (2015) : 85103. Web. 24 Aug 2016.
DeShongs research article focuses on violence in heterosexual (long-term or marital)
relationships, which is not covered in Disgrace. However, the signifiers of male dominance
are. Thus supporting Disgraces representation of males as controllers of women.
DeShongss investigation concedes that various clauses such as class, race, sexual
orientation and age (86) directly contribute to an individuals perception of gender. This
theory would support the contrasting demonstration of power between Davids entitled
attitude towards women and the intruders excessive violence, ultimately casting them both
as unconscious products of their environments. [89 words (not including citation)]
Pettersson, Linda. A Gender Perspective on the Possession of Power in J.M
Coetzee's Disgrace: David and Petrus' usage of women. MA Thesis. Karlstad
University, 2014. Web. 19 Aug 2016.

Pettersson concludes that David and Petrus, the protagonist and the antagonist of
Disgrace are given form through their interactions with women. Arguing that the narrative
climax reverses the power balance between David and Petrus, who both offer no remorse
towards the women who become their targets (3). This notion supports my assertion that
the men display their masculinity through their dominance of the female characters in the
novel. Whilst I would agree with the overall assertion of this thesis, I would disagree with
Petterssons stance that Melanie is portrayed as emotional and weak (6) and aim to offer
more scope in terms of the female resilience shown within the piece. [110 (not including
citation)]

Tegla, Emanuela. Ideals, Sex, and Violence: Disgrace. J.M. Coetzee and the Ethics
of Power : Unsettling Complicity, Complacency, and Confession. [Editor unknown].
Leiden. Brill, 2015. 179-235. Web. 25 Aug 2016.
Tegla explores the criticism of Coetzees post-apartheid depiction of South Africa, a world
without leniency, without mercy (191). He contends that Coetzee uses sexuality to convey
the unresolved emotions correlating a loss of formalised segregation and touches on the
exploitative nature of female characterisation in the novel (in relation to the necessity of
Soraya). However, the stereotyping of women is largely unexplored. Davids behaviour is
also excused as a product of post-apartheid entitlement which I would challenge. Tegla
concludes that the shame of South Africas past is being repeated on its inhabitants, with
an unsettling realisation that moral conduct has not improved since the change in social
order (182). [111 (not including citation)]

Total word count: 506 (not including citations)