THE QUESTION OF VIOLENCE IN J. M. COETZEE’S WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS AND DISGRACE

Abstract

The writer John Maxwell Coetzee stands out as one of the most discussed figures within the context of South African literature. Through his skilful and unconventional writing, his works have contributed to offering a challenging portrayal of South Africa, not only focusing the attention on marginal characters but also giving prominence to alternative voices that allow an original reflection on significant and thorny subjects that connect literature with the historical background. The aim of this thesis is to analyse the question of violence in the novels Waiting for the Barbarians and Disgrace. The study attempts to understand the meaning of violence, its difference from the notion of power, and its relation to the colonial word and to South African history. The role of violence is considered in the novel Waiting for the Barbarians, where an examination of torture is presented: torture is viewed from the protagonist’s perspective, a character who occupy the middle ground between the Empire regime and the barbarian world. Although the author does not make any explicit references, it can be argued that the novel’s subject of torture evokes the violent practices that have been perpetrated during the apartheid regime. To conclude, as far as the novel Disgrace is concerned, the issue of sexual violence against women will be explored in the context of post-apartheid South Africa.