Post on 04-Feb-2018
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Elizabeth Costello- The "Lessons" Learnt
Elizabeth Costello- Eight Lessons is perhaps the most outstanding of the novels of
J.M.Coetzee. The novel is a veritable culmination of the experiences of his life.
Coetzee has culled these experiences and presented them in the novel in the form of
"lessons". These are lessons of life that he wishes to share with the readers. Having
stated this, it is necessary to assert that the kind of intertextuality that manifests itself in
the novel is markedly different from the one that is at work in the previous novels. It is
rather difficult to make an intertextual comparison between one or more novels of
J.M.Coetzee and Elizabeth Costello. The novel lends itself to complexity due to its
multidimensional nature. It makes references and allusions to various literary texts.
The novel operates at multiple levels that lead to the creation of a multifaceted
narrative. At the superficial level, it appears to be the story of Elizabeth Costello, the
novelist. At another level, it traces the life of the novelist J.M.Coetzee. Simultaneously,
the novel identifies the various stages in the origin and growth of the novel. It also
resembles an epic since there are a number of smaller stories that are narrated within
the larger narrative. The immensely dense narrative therefore is a typical example of
the workings of the various kinds of intertextual relationships.
Elizabeth Costello is the tale of an eminent novelist of the same name. She is sixty
six years old. She is of Australian origin, but has spent twelve years in England and
France. She has a child from each of her two marriages. The novel opens with the
context of Elizabeth Costello travelling to Pennsylvania to receive the Stowe Award that
has been bestowed on her by Altona College. This event offers a glimpse of the kind of
relationship that she shares with her son John. Starting here, the narrative moves back
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and forth in time, revealing all the facets of her life. It also familiarizes us with the
concerns that she is passionate about, and how an expression of this is not always well
received. This helps us understand the rather complex persona that Elizabeth Costello
is. It also helps us analyse how and why the various people in her life as also the
various extraneous factors contribute to making her the kind of person that she emerges
out to be. .J.M.Coetzee employs Elizabeth Costello as a vehicle to project his own
preoccupations and prejudices. These will be discussed in detail in the course of this
chapter.
The preliminary point of the intertextual analysis is the idea of the "logical categories"
proposed by Julia Kristeva. Subsumed within the larger category of "logical categories"
is the concept of the "ideologeme". The logical categories being referred to here are the
extra-literary factors that govern a literary text. These are the fundamental elements
that control a literary text. They include the social, economic, cultural, political and
historical factors. There is a double bind to this theory. These aforementioned
categories are applicable to not merely the text in question but the first chapter of the
novel that discusses "Realism". As a late twentieth-century novelist, J.M.Coetzee
undertakes a certain kind of retrospection when he looks back at the origin of the
novelistic genre. With the advantage of temporality, he can successfully present an
objective perspective on this issue. Perhaps the most remarkable feature is the ability
to move beyond the immediate realms of the confines of realism and place the novel in
the wider framework of the humanities.
Coetzee has cleverly explored the various possible manifestations of the concept of
Realism. He has revealed how it can operate at multiple levels in a rational fashion.
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During the course of the narrative, J.M.Coetzee moves back and forth in time and also
between the "real" and fictional world. There are constant reminders to the reader that
the boundary between the real and the fictional is a porous one and one easily move
from one to the other. The novelist also comments about the art of storytelling. U[ ... ]
storytelling works by lulling the reader or listener into a dreamlike state in which the time
and space of the real world fade away, superseded by the time and space of the fiction."
(16) Interludes by the writer or narrator will disrupt the narrative. "Breaking into the
dream draws attention to the constructed ness of the story, and plays havoc with the
realist illusion." (16) This implies that fiction seeks to create the illusion of a reality, and
we must be able to clearly distinguish between the two.
Elizabeth Costello delivers a talk or rather her acceptance speech titled, "What is
Realism?" She uses the example of Franz Kafka's ape (of his story), to put across her
views. In trying to explicate her views about Realism, she moves beyond the literary
definition of Realism. She expresses doubts about the entity of the ape that addresses
the "learned society". She states that perhaps it could be a human being masquerading
as an ape. Costello employs the story to state that the notion of the "real" is a
questionable one. "There used to be a time, we believe, when we could say who we
were. Now we are just performers speaking our parts." (19)
Costello closes her talk by underlying the ever-transient nature of time. It is an
irrefutable fact that time is eternally in a state of flux. This is a reality that none can
deny. "[ ... ]. I am beyond time's envious grasp, we all know, if we are being realistic,
[ ... ]." (20) She adds further that it is H[ ... ] only a matter of time" before we are all
overtaken by the rush of time, and the generations to come will overtake us, even
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obliterating our memory. Thus, in the first chapter that dwells upon Realism,
J.M.Coetzee reinforces all the aspects associated with Realism, extending its
boundaries beyond the purview of literature and encompassing elements from "real" life
In natural succession follows the discussion about "The Novel in Africa", since
Realism is an integral element of the novelistic genre. The discussion of the status of
the novel in the African subcontinent is an assertion of his nationality. However,
perhaps the underlying fact that needs to be noticed is the subtle manner in which
Coetzee accepts the presence of the novel in Africa. This could also be perceived as
his reconciliation to the unassailable facts of his life. It appears as if he has succeeded
in sorting out the confusion pertaining to his nationality that seemed to plague the
protagonist of Disgrace, David Lurie. (Disgrace preceded Elizabeth Costello and it was
published in 1999.) Hence, he has chosen to dwell upon the novel in Africa rather than
its growth in any other country. Coetzee is very sure about his nationality and therefore
makes a case for Africa.
The next two chapters offer an insight into ''The Lives of Animals". These are again
followed by a debate about ''The Humanities in Africa". It is interesting to note that the
issue of the humanities with specific reference to Africa has been presented from the
perspective of Blanche, Elizabeth Costello's sister who had dedicated her life to the
cause of the underprivileged in Zululand. Blanche had been re-christened as Sister
Bridget, and was the administrator of a hospital. Blanche had received her initial
training as a classical scholar, but had later made the transition to a medical missionary.
The book that she had written about the service being rendered by Marianhill, (the
organization with which she was associated), was widely acclaimed. In recognition of
her yeoman service, a university had decided to honour her with a degree. It was for
this ceremony that Elizabeth Costello had been invited. In her lecture, Blanche had
traced the growth of the humanities and the repercussions that this had had on Africa.
Blanche extends the scope of her talk and has a detailed discussion with Costello
about the relevance of the humanities to Africa. She links this up to the colonization of
Africa and the spread of Christianity. When her sister takes her around the premises of
the hospital, Costello visits the chapel. There she is struck by the innumerable
crucifixes that have been carved by a person named Joseph. The most striking feature
about them is that they are all identical. They depict Jesus in anguish, the contours of
his body making this obvious. Elizabeth Costello is uncomfortable with the repetitive
nature of Joseph's work and questions Blanche about this. Blanche justifies her stand
by delivering a sermon about how Joseph did not do this out of any kind of compulsion,
but out of a genuine sense of piety. Elizabeth Costello's deeper concern was whether
under the guise of religion the natives were being exploited. Joseph had devoted
himself unflinchingly to the service of the church and at the end of it all, he was barely
able to earn a decent living for himself while young and now with his arthritic hands, he
was forced to survive on the pension being doled out by the church.
The crux of this chapter is the true implication of the "humanities" with specific
reference to Africa. Elizabeth Costello begins to debate whether it truly addresses the
welfare of the people. The hidden undercurrent is that perhaps this vocal supporter of
the church had inadvertently become a tool in the hands of the colonizers. Blanche had
selectively chosen to transform it into the form that was most acceptable to her mission
and had succeeded in earning the goodwill of the natives. Her service to the hospital
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had helped to obliterate the fact that she was not an African by birth, but had willingly
decided to dedicate herself to the service of the natives. Blanche was vociferous in her
argument that the natives had embraced Christianity willingly, since the suffering of
Jesus gave them a sense of empathy. Thus, in this chapter, J.M.Coetzee dwells upon
not merely the theoretical aspect of the humanities, but delves into its practical
applications. Humanities is discussed not superficially as a branch of study or from the
epistemelogical perspective, but how it is relevant for the common man. In doing so,
Coetzee has in fact moved this issue into the realm of what we have identified as
"logical categories". He has brought to light the practical import of the theory of
humanities, and whether or not it has played a significant role in shaping the lives of
humans.
In the same chapter, Elizabeth Costello writes a letter to her sister divulging details
of the relationship that she had shared with Mr. Phillips. She narrates to her sister
Blanche how on her mother's suggestion she had visited the ailing Mr. Phillips for the
first time. Gradually her visits became more frequent and she became his muse. She
began to cater to all his needs; physical, emotional and sexual. She sparked a new
lease of life for Mr. Phillips whose health was fast deteriorating. All this while Elizabeth
Costello never felt guilty about her relationship with Mr. Phillips. She was convinced
that she was in fact providing succour to a sick fellow human. Events took their own
course and Mr. Phillips succumbed to his illness. Recalling the last days that he had
spent with her, Costello questions her sister about how she can account for such
"episodes". Finally, Elizabeth Costello regrets the fact that time has taken its toll on the
relationship of the siplings. Her entreaty to her sister is, "Why can we not speak to each
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other straight and bare, as people ought who are on the brink of passing? [ ... ]; of the
world we grew up in, just you and I left." (155)
In revealing her relationship with Mr. Phillips to her sibling Blanche, Costello has
made an attempt to re-establish the relationship that was almost severed, due to the
constraints of time and distance. Neither of them had made any effort to revive it.
Costello longs for the warmth and comfort of a dear one. Perhaps she is upset that
Blanche has spent her life forging humanitarian bonds with virtual strangers, away in a
distant land, where she does not have anyone whom she can call her own. Blanche's
awards for service to mankind and her speeches about the humanities are rendered
when she is unable to maintain her relationship with the only member of her family. In
attempting to state this, Costello is trying to drive home the true implication of the
humanities. Perhaps she is also taking pride in the fact that she had succeeded in
making an old man happy during the last days of his life. The norms of society may
have been violated but Costello does not regret this. She has performed a duty towards
humanity and possibly this needs to take precedence over Blanche's "service".
Elizabeth Costello has collapsed the boundaries between the theory of humanities
and its significance in human life. To her or rather to J.M.Coetzee the true relevance of
the humanities takes shape when it is able to improve the lot of humans. This linkup of
the theoretical concepts to the palpable elements of life is the classification of the theory
into "logical categories". This is the contextualization of the theory and serves to
display the manner in which the larger social, economic, historical and political issues
necessarily impinge on it. Re-Iocating the theory of the humanities to the realm of the
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"logical categories" brings about its transformation from a passive concept to a
functional one that truly enriches the purpose of the humanities.
Taking this further, Coetzee tackles "The Problem of Evil". In this chapter, the
novelist addresses the issue of the holocaust. Costello's lecture on "Witness, Silence
and Censorship" is used as a pretext by Coetzee to express his views on this
contentious issue. Elizabeth Costello had chosen to discuss a novel authored by Paul
West that narrated the execution of those who had planned to assassinate Hitler. The
horrifying details were nothing short of abominable. Costello felt that these details were
"obscene", since it amounted to the infringement of the privacy of the individuals
concerned. Death and suffering being a very private matter, the details are not to be
divulged; she felt. Perhaps Coetzee is trying to convey the message that these
barbarous acts against humanity call for severe condemnation, and not glorification as
is done by Paul West. However, it needs to be underlined here that Paul West may not
have done so deliberately. Perhaps his intention in revisiting these horrendous crimes
was to remind the world that we must take urgent action against such despicable
crimes. Paul West is in true essence reinforcing the basic edicts of humanities.
However, Elizabeth Costello's perception views it as an act unacceptable to the
human sensibilities. If we were to apply the taxonomic considerations to this topic, we
will find that the central element is the novel of Paul West. Elizabeth Costello has
placed it in its larger context by describing how not only evil but also its description must
be disallowed. This is the classification into the "logical categories". "The Problem of
Evil" can be tackled by preventing it and more importantly, by obscuring it from human
memory by not recalling it. Elizabeth Costello makes a request to Paul West, which is
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actually a message for all writers. She states that, "[ ... J we must be wary of horrors
such as you describe in your book. We as writers. [ ... J For if what we write has the
power to make us better people than surely it has the power to make us worse." (171)
The final chapter, "At the Gate", is once again a return to the elemental "logical
categories" since the protagonist is compelled to make a convincing statement of belief
in order to pass through a gate. Her statement is put to trial by a panel of judges, but
eventually we realize that the judgment is never truly passed. Quite suddenly, the
narrative shifts to the seventeenth-century, to the life of Lady Elizabeth Chandos. She
makes a fervent plea to Francis Bacon to save her life and that of her husband, Lord
Philip. When the narrative makes a sudden shift to the past, the writer is making a
larger statement. He asserts the fact that the past will constantly impinge on the future.
We cannot divorce the past altogether from the present. This is in fact a reaffirmation of
the rootedness of the text within the larger overarching structure of society.
The concept of "logical categories" is closely aligned to the concept of
"ambivalence". Here this notion proposes an interlinking of the literary text and history.
It proposes to trace the manifestation of history in the literary text, and the specific
location of the text in the larger scheme of history. This novel is a virtual historical
chronicle of the novelistic genre. J.M.Coetzee traces the growth of the novel alongside
the various developments of the world. The most interesting feature of this record is
that it is adeptly interwoven into the narrative. There are several parallel strands that
are at work simultaneously in the narrative. The most obvious theme is the life of the
protagonist. Costello delivers a talk on "What is Realism?" when she is bestowed with
the Stowe Award. Her rather simple facade is itself representative of "moderate
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realism". "Supply the particulars, allow the significations to emerge of themselves. A
procedure pioneered by Daniel Defoe" (4) As is well known, this is the beginning of the
genre of the novel and Daniel Defoe was one of the novelists who heralded the onset of
this new genre on the literary horizon. The narrative soon follows this up with a
comment on the novels of Elizabeth Costello. This gives the semblance of a
comparison with the norms of realism.
Elizabeth Costello's son John offers a critical insight into her novels. He realizes that
her works are based on the lives of the people with whom she has interacted i.e. her
novels are not altogether fictional. Therefore, her works do measure up to the
standards of realism. Perhaps the most "realistic" feature about her works is that they
depict the human emotions in a stark manner. "About sex, about passion and jealousy
and envy, she writes with an insight that shakes him. It is positively indecent." (5)
Another attribute that John identifies is that, "[ ... J she is by 'no means a comforting
writer. She is even cruel, in a way that women can be but men seldom have the heart
for." (5)
By presenting these features of Costello's work perhaps, Coetzee is trying to assess
the extent to which novelists can adhere to the norms of realism. Yet another "reality"
that John has to face is the knowledge that Elizabeth Costello has been the recipient of
the award for the year 1995 since it has been declared the year of Australasia. This
helps him understand his mother's true position in the literary world. Costello also gets
an inkling of this when she hears about the members of the jury. She is unimpressed
with them and finds them "'Rather lightweight?'" (7) When John affirms this Elizabeth
Costello is disappointed and upset. It takes John's gentle persuasion to get her to
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accept this fact. In discussing this aspect, J.M.Coetzee is bringing into play the various
forms of the "real"; viz., real, reality, realistic and Realism.
The writer accounts for this by employing a premise of Realism that embodying of
ideas is inevitable since ideas cannot exist in isolation The expression of these ideas is
subjective, being governed by the individual and his/her typical circumstances.
J.M.Coetzee asserts that, ideas "[ ... J are tied to the speakers by whom they are
enounced, and generated from the matrix of individual interests out of which their
speakers act in the world- for instance, the son's concern that his mother not be treated
as a Mickey Mouse post-colonial writer, [ ... J." (9)
The next issue that is addressed by the writer is that of the characterization of the
women in the novels. The topic was raised during the course of an interview that
Costello had given on the radio. The debate includes Anna Karenina, Tess of the
D'Urbervilles, the women in the novels of D.H Lawrence and Marion Bloom of the novel
Ulysses by James Joyce. Elizabeth Costello had re-worked Joyce's novel and
presented it as The House on Eccles Street. When Elizabeth Costello's opinion was
elicited, she agreed that her attempt at liberating the women from the shackles of
domesticity were rather limited. Perhaps Elizabeth Costello acknowledges the fact that
she has been unable to move beyond the narrow constraints that have been implicitly
imposed by the previous novelists down the ages. Elizabeth Costello shifts the focus
from the women to the male protagonists. She states that the characters of Heathcliff,
Rochester and Casaubon have been re-worked and distorted by the newer writers. She
calls upon writers to put an end to this unacceptable practice. "'But, seriously, we can't
go on parasitizing the classics for ever. [ ... ] We've got to start doing some inventing of
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our own.'" (14) The point that ought not to be missed here is that this statement is self
reflexive, pointing to the novelist Coetzee himself.
The present study seeks to identify the intertextual relationships that are operational
between the novels of J.M.Coetzee. As discussed in the course of this research
undertaken here, Coetzee consistently employs themes and metaphors from his earlier
fictional works or from the "classics". A comparison can be drawn up between
Dusklands, or rather the novella The Narrative of Jacobus Coetzee, and the classic
King Solomon's Mines. The Master of Petersburg is based on Dostoevsky's work The
Devils. Foe re-works Robinson Crusoe, while Ufe and Times of Michael K is a take on
the character of Friday. In the Heart of the Country, describes the life of a lonely
spinster, Magda, in the countryside. Magda takes on a pragmatic dimension and makes
a re-appearance in a different form in Disgrace as Lucy. Lucy's father, David Lurie
whose life was ravaged due to his amorous nature, is the protagonist of Slow Man,
albeit with a different name and a new setting.
Taking the chronological order into consideration, Slow Man is preceded by
Elizabeth Costello. Elizabeth Costello, the protagonist of the novel by the same name,
is an important character in Slow Man. Therefore, when Costello states that writers
must become creative and not source their content from the older works, the allusion is
to the writer himself. This is an instance of Realism at work. There are two aspects to
this. The first is Coetzee's use of the themes and metaphors selected from the older
novelists in his fiction, and the repetition of the identical themes from his earlier novels
in his later works. The second is Coetzee's acknowledgement of this fact and his
willingness to view. it from a critical perspective which calls into question his own
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creativity. Unhesitatingly, he gracefully accepts the truth that he lacks the creativity that
is the prerequisite for fiction. This is a typical instance of realism being applied logically.
Its practical application in the immediate context has been analyzed by Coetzee is a
self-reflexive exercise. From the perspective of "ambivalence", Coetzee has undertaken
a comparison of the later-day writers with the earlier ones. The analysis that emerges is
that the newer writers thrive on the creativity of the earlier writers.
While analyzing the various dimensions of Realism, J.M.Coetzee attempts to lay
bare the core of all the issues, doing away with the outer facades. He presents the true
self of the renowned writer Elizabeth Costello, who is revered by her admirers. Her son
John escorts her while she is at Williamstown. When John finds that his mother is held
in high regard, he begins to wonder whether he has ever been able to figure out her true
persona. As a child, John and his sister were a witness to his mother's almost
schizophrenic behaviour. She used to remain hidden "[ ... J day after day in her bedsitter
in Hampstead, crying to herself, [ ... J." (30) John has unpleasant memories of how she
U[ .. J stormed around the house in Melbourne, hair flying in all directions, screaming at
her children, [ ... J." (30) Notwithstanding this, John finds that he harbours no hatred for
his mother. On the contrary, "He serves at her shrine, [ ... J. He may not share in the
frenzy, but he worships too." (31) Thus, the novelist reveals the persona of the
veritable deity. She has a darker side to herself- an unacceptable behaviour of a
mother who had not fulfilled her maternal duties. This is the ureal" attitude that
characterizes the much-respected writer.
The conversation between Elizabeth Costello and her son John leads to a debate
about "the claims of realism versus the claims of idealism". Costello is unappreciative of
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the obsessive behaviour of people like Franz Kafka. Every move of the ape is tracked.
"That ape is followed through to the end, to the bitter, unsayable end, whether or not
there are traces left on the page." (32) In doing so, the norms of propriety are violated
and Elizabeth Costello condemns this. Perhaps the twin notions of realism and idealism
are contradictory to each other. It is rather difficult to strike a balance between the two.
The next element of the theory of intertextuality that is relevant to this novel is the
idea proposed by Roland Barthes. He stated that, 'The intertextual in which every text
is held, it itself being the text-between of another text, is not to be confused with some
origin of the text: to try to find the 'sources, the 'influences' of a work, is to fall in with the
myth of filiation; the citations which go to make up a text are anonymous, untraceable,
and yet already read: they are quotations without inverted commas." (160) This implies
that the literary text and the intertext are indistinguishable from each other. It is an
exercise in futility to try to identify the basis of the text.
The observation that the citations are "quotations without inverted commas" is truly
applicable to Elizabeth Costello. Even a cursory reading of the novel will make the
reader sensitive to the various cross-references that are being made in the narrative.
The entire work is replete with allusions, paraphrases and/or discussions pertaining to
other works. These may include those from the corpus of J.IV1.Coetzee himself or to any
other work. The references are rather extensive and the reader is perplexed about the
continuity of the narrative. The reader is left wondering whether it is a collage or a
collective critique of earlier works. But it is imperative to appreciate the literary ingenuity
of Coetzee since he adeptly manages to hold the storyline of the narrative intact. He
has succeeded welJ in engaging the reader's attention and also compels him/her to
make an effort to trace the links that he has fostered. The narrative is a gripping one
and the teasing of the reader's intellect adds to the enjoyment of reading the novel.
The opening page of the novel gives us a hint of the depths of the narrative that the
reader will have to negotiate in order to fathom the meaning of the text. The narrative
makes a mention of how Elizabeth Costello earned her fame by virtue of the success of
her fourth novel, The House on Eccles Street, whose protagonist is Marion Bloom, the
wife of Leopold Bloom of Ulysses, authored by James Joyce. If Elizabeth Costello has
been acclaimed for perhaps having rivalled the genius of Joyce, we are left wondering
about her literary prowess. The mention of James Joyce and possibly Costello's
success is a gentle pointer to J.M.Coetzee himself since, as stated previously, all his
fiction is an extensive exercise in intertextuality. The novels bear recurrent themes and
metaphors and we are unable to figure out the chronology. The mention of Joyce is a
subtle reminder to the readers that probably, the text that is before us echoes Ulysses.
As the narrative unfolds, we find that indeed this is the case. I will attempt to identify
these various links in this rather complex text.
In describing his mother's countenance John likens her to Keats, "the great advocate
of blank receptiveness". (4) In this specific context, we need to be aware of the special
usage of "blank receptiveness", wherein the emphasis is on the literal meanings of the
words. It denotes the appearance of his mother and the impression that she conveys
due to her rather odd manner of dress. The white shoes that she pairs with her blue
costume remind him of Daisy Duck. Her face was expressionless- a mirror of her inner
self. She had never displayed maternal love. She was a being caught up within her
own self, oblivious to the people around her. He recalled his childhood when his mother
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used to lock herself into a room to pursue her writing "He used to think of himself as a
misfortunate child, lonely and unloved." (4) The children's continual cries and pleas did
not affect her and they grew up with this feeling of "forsakenness". Now, as an adult,
John was able to view the past and the present more objectively. As an elderly woman,
John found that his mother carried "the passive look that, if you saw it in a young girl,
you should call withdrawn. A face without personality, the kind that photographers have
to work hard on to lend distinction." (4) This could also perhaps be read as an allusion
to her identity as a writer.
At a deeper level, it can also be considered as an indicator to ,,1.M.Coetzee himself.
Elizabeth Costello utilizes the characters from the works of other novelists. On similar
lines, what is the identity of the writer Coetzee. Each time he re-works an earlier work,
perhaps he takes on the identity of this writer. When expressed metaphorically, we
could state that just as Elizabeth Costello's face had to be worked upon since the
contours of her expressions were not well defined; so also with the recurrence of the
themes, characters and the setting in his novels, the onus is upon the readers to define
his true identity. When Costello is questioned whether she is "challenging" James
Joyce, she negates this. She justifies herself shrewdly. "But certain books are so
prodigally inventive that there is plenty of material left over at the end, material that
almost invites you to take it over and use it to build something of your own." (13) Thus,
Elizabeth Costello or rather Coetzee pays tribute to the genius of James Joyce.
The second chapter of the novel, "The Novel in Africa", is a critical overview of the
origin and growth of the novel in Africa. The writer has culled the various historical,
cultural, sociological, political, economic and literary factors that have been critical to the
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growth of the novel in Africa. The chapter reads like a virtual compendium of the
novelistic genre in the African subcontinent. The setting for this chapter is a trip on a
cruise liner undertaken by Elizabeth Costello on the insistence of a person named "X".
During the course of the voyage, Costello is to offer a short course on "the
contemporary novel". In return for this, her travel expenses are borne by X, and she is
also paid a generous honorarium.
While on board the ship, she meets Emmanuel Egudu, a Nigerian writer, whom she
is acquainted with. It is Emmanuel Egudu who traces the journey of the novel in Africa,
as part of his assignment on the ship. Egudu highlights the three salient features about
the presence of the novel in Africa. The first aspect that Egudu dwells upon is that
writing is alien to African culture and not intrinsic to it. The second point that he puts
forth is that the activity of reading is not part of the African social fabric. When the
Africans see the Europeans reading while travelling, they find it rather odd, since unlike
in Africa, people do not talk to each other. It appears as if the message that is being put
across is that, "Leave me alone, I am reading, [ ... ]. What I am reading is more
interesting than you could possibly be." (40) Egudu uses this feature to articulate a
major cultural difference between Europe and Africa. "We do not like to cut ourselves
off from other people and retreat into private worlds. [ ... ] Africa is a continent where
people share." (40)
The third fact stated by Egudu has deeper implications. It pertains to the socio
economic situation of Africa. He states, "[ ... ], in the great, beneficent global system
under which we live today, it has been allotted to Africa to be the home of poverty." (41)
When Egudu refers to the "great, beneficent global system", the sarcasm is directed at
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the people of the world. The apparent "global system" is in fact biased against Africa.
Egudu's ire is directed at the colonial powers to be, who control the world and have
"allotted" poverty to Africa. Egudu was indignant that the wealth and resources of Africa
have been appropriated by the colonial authorities and now it is the "home" for misery
and destitution. Africa has been exploited by the world; or rather it has been the
beneficiary of the largesse of the benevolent world (as stated sarcastically by Egudu).
The fall-out of this political development has had ramifications in various aspects of the
life of the Africans, stated Egudu. "But in the broad picture, storytelling provides a
livelihood neither for publishers nor for writers." (41) In a world where survival is a
critical issue, the publishing of books for pleasure reading is not a viable proposition
from the financial perspective, stated Egudu. Egudu is attempting to bring to the notice
of the passengers of the ship the striking contrast between the lives of the African
writers and those of the European continent. The publication of books and their reading
by the common people is one of the many "luxuries" the Africans cannot afford stated
Egudu.
Emmanuel Egudu takes the passengers of the ship through a journey of African
literature. He familiarizes them with African literature and then moves on to a
comprehensive analysis of the position of the African novel vis-a.-vis the "Western
novel". In this context, Egudu recalls the views of the Senegalese writer Cheikh
Hamidou Kane. When the latter is questioned about why he believed that certain
writers from Africa are truly African writers although they write in a non-African
language, and their readership predominantly consists of non-Africans, Cheikh
Hamidou Kane justifies his selection by stating that, '''what distinguishes them lies in life
experience, in sensitivities, in rhythm, in style.'" (44) Another fact that Cheikh Hamidou
Kane emphasizes is that the African novelists are "heirs to an oral tradition", while the
European writers are inheritors to a timeless tradition of writing. Consequently, it comes
to life only when life is infused into it when it is read aloud. Thereby, the important point
that Egudu makes is that the African novel is a "critique of the Western novel". This
means that although the literature of Africa has (perhaps grudgingly) embraced the
novelistic tradition, it has not lost its innate oral nature. Hence, it stands up to the
Western novel to repudiate it.
In order to reinforce his point, Egudu quotes Paul Zumthor. Zumthor is an advocate
of the oral tradition. Although Zumthor hails from Canada, his views support the oral
tradition and therefore they are used by Egudu to validate his stand. Paul Zumthor
articulates his unbridled condemnation of the colonial enterprise of Europe. He
describes in detail how from the seventeenth-century, Europe has wrought havoc all
over the world by annihilating "animals, plants, habitats, languages". The growth of
literature seems to best embody this since literature has flourished at the expense of the
languages of the world. Zumthor calls for a halt to this mindless extermination and
hopes that, "Perhaps great, unfortunate Africa, beggared by our political-industrial
imperialism," will eventually put an end to this destructive march. (45)
How do these different ideas tie up with the larger framework of intertextuality? The
answer lies in the fact that these feed into the ideology of Roland Barthes. At each step
we realize the truth about Barthes's observation. The text is an intertext. The content is
never truly original; it is a series of "quotations without inverted commas". The chapter
focuses on "The Novel in Africa", and we realize that Coetzee has brought together
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thoughts and ideas of various theoreticians. It reads like a virtual encyclopaedia, that
has successfully collapsed the boundaries of language, nationality, and the various
streams of knowledge. The successful integration of these is a true exercise in
intertextuality.
Egudu's remarks about the literature or writing in Africa present an objective holistic
picture of the position of writing and the writers in Africa. However, Elizabeth Costello's
response to Egudu's views outlines a more global concern. Egudu's vociferous
expositions are an expression of his deep-seated national pride. "Emmanuel [ ... ] may
have acquired the blessing of American papers, but he has not changed. Africanness:
a special identity, a special fare." (41) The larger issue that is being underlined is how
certain countries have progressed at the cost of the others, but the fa<;ade of the
"beneficent global system" remains.
As stated, this chapter is a virtual easy reference guide to the literature of Africa.
After highlighting the salient features of African literature, Emmanuel Egudu describes
the important trends and movements that have influenced the African way of life.
Explaining the reasons behind his presence on the ship, Egudu elucidated how it was
difficult to publish books in his native country and this had had an adverse impact on the
lives of the writers. The voices of the "dissident intellectuals" like him had been muffled
and he was compelled to eke out his living in an alien country. When Egudu makes a
mention of this, he is trying to focus our attention towards to the imbalance in the lives
of the inhabitants of the African continent and those of Europe and North America.
Egudu addresses the audience thus, "And here you are, wealthy folk, [ ... ], taking a
cruise on this splendid ship, on your way to the remoter corners of the globe, to check it
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out, perhaps to check it off your list." (42) While these affluent folk are making the most
of their luxurious life, the African, (Egudu) is there to earn his livelihood.
Continuing the journey through African literature, Emmanuel Egudu elaborates about
the literary achievements of the outstanding African novelists. When he describes the
works of Amos Tutuola, the most outstanding feature that comes to our mind is the
language of Amos Tutuola. As we can recall, his most popular work, The Palm Wine
Drinkard, successfully captures the essence of the true African life. The most
noteworthy feature is the language. As we read the novel, the soul of Africa emerges.
The paradigm of Africa has been captured effectively by Tutuola. Amos Tutuola has
altered the English language to bring in the Africanness into it.
Egudu captures the quandary that plagues Amos Tutuola. Egudu describes how the
Nigerians disapproved of Tutuola because they were "embarrassed that they might be
lumped with him as natives who did not know how to write proper English." (47) On the
other hand the British editors were appreciative of his literary endeavour. They did not
find the language unacceptable. In fact, "what they refrained from correcting was what
seemed authentically Nigerian to them, that is to say, what to their ears sounded
picturesque, exotic, folkloric." (47) Tutuola is symbolic of the larger group of African
writers, whose very existence is dependent on the judgement passed on them by the
imperial powers. Egudu draws our attention to the predicament of the African writers.
Egudu is unhappy that the West classifies the writers into two categories. "The truth is,
to the West we Africans are all exotic, when we are not simply savage." (47)
Emmanuel Egudu is discontented that the writers are judged not on the basis of their
24U
qualities but on the whims and fancies of the imperialists. It is a warped perspective
that has the wrong factors as its basis.
The overarching message is to highlight the manner in which imperialism has come
to dominate the mindset of the colonized people. There is a constant anxiety on their
part to be accepted by the colonists. It is this anxiety that forces them to reject a gifted
writer like Amos Tutuola since he does not conform to the norms laid down by the
colonists. Elizabeth Costello analyses this phenomenon very effectively. She describes
how in other countries the writers and the readers share a common nationality. But in
the case of Africa, the discord comes in since the target audience is the West while the
writers are Africans. The constant anxiety to be accepted compels the African writers to
take on the role of "interpreters" of Africa.
By commenting on the status of the African novel, Emmanuel Egudu or rather
Coetzee has touched upon all the inter-related aspects of the novel in Africa. He has
presented a holistic perspective of this issue. He has elucidated the manner in which
these various extraneous factors have influenced the growth of the novel. The chapter
is in fact a veiled condemnation of the imperialistic system that has stifled the life as it
were of African society. The chapter is a comprehensive sociological comment. This is
a practical exercise in intertextuality. The chapter encapsulates texts pertaining to the
social, historical, economic and political aspects of the fabric of the life of Africa. Hence
the opinion of Roland Barthes that literary texts are inter-texts and in fact include
"quotations without inverted commas".
Coetzee's brilliance continues through the other chapters and he succeeds in
bringing together the various facets of life in the next chapter as well. On the lines of
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the previous chapter, in the next chapter, ''The Lives of Animals-The Philosophers and
the Animals", the writer deliberates on the crimes against humanity. In this chapter,
Coetzee offers an overview of the entire epistemology from the earliest times upto the
present. Although the chapter avowedly attempts to link up the lives of the animals and
philosophy, it is in fact a pretext to address the broader issue of how animals are
treated.
Costello had been invited to deliver the annual Gates Lecture at Appleton College,
and it was here that she expressed her views on this issue. The issue that was being
addressed here is how humanity has treated animals, and how the crimes against fellow
beings have eroded the humanitarian side and the savagery has increased. She
discusses the horrors of the concentration camps at Treblinka. The most telling remark
that Elizabeth Costello makes is that she likens the ruthless killings in the concentration
camps to the slaughtering of animals for their consumption. "[ ... ] Treblinka was so to
speak a metaphysical enterprise dedicated to nothing but death and annihilation while
the meat industry is ultimately devoted to life [ ... ]." (66)
Perhaps the most outstanding feature of Elizabeth Costello's talk is that she seeks to
integrate philosophy and sociology, or rather philosophy and the humanities. She
states that the power to reason is the chief characteristic that sets apart humans from
the other living beings. Elizabeth Costello uses the plea of this specialized ability to call
upon humanity to treat animals with dignity. Her earnest entreaty is to accord to the
animals the privileges that we humans enjoy. They must also enjoy "[ ... ] the right to life,
the right not to be subjected to pain or harm, the right to equal protection before the
law." (70) Elizabeth Costello points out candidly that the cause of the suffering inflicted
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upon animals or even on other beings is the lack of the vital emotion of sympathy. This
makes human beings impervious to the suffering and agony of others. Elizabeth
Costello closes her lecture with a grim reminder of barbarism and how it continues
unabated because there is no deterrent to it. Our apathy has accentuated the
barbarism of these evil-doers because they are convinced '''[ ... } that we can do anything
and get away with it; that there is no punishment.'" (80)
The next chapter, "The Poets and the Animals", is similar to the last one. Elizabeth
Costello continues to deliberate on the pathetic lives of animals and the perspective of
the poets about this. The intertextual element that can be identified here is the manner
in which Elizabeth Costello reaffirms Thomas O'Hearne's stand that posits a direct
correlation between the animal rights movement and the human rights activism.
Thomas O'Hearne was a professor of philosophy at Appleton College. The most
powerful stand that Elizabeth Costello announces is that she will not associate herself
with all those whose seemingly avowed purpose is to glorify the reasoning capacity of
human beings, but who blatantly violate the fundamental rights of beings. It proves how
deeply she is committed to the issue and perhaps she is hopeful that this will awaken
the sensitivity of all those whose sensitivity has been coarsened.
The next chapter also illustrates Roland Barthes' notion that the literary text is almost
always an intertext. This implies that textuality and intertextuality go hand-in-hand. But
here the intertextual nature goes beyond the narrow definition of the literary text. The
intertextuality is operational between more than two branches of knowledge. How does
this work here? When Elizabeth Costello meets her sister Blanche, they deliberate
upon the relevance of the humanities in Africa. As part of her acceptance speech of the
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honorary degree conferred on her by the university, Blanche spoke at length about the
origin and relevance of the humanities. The fresh perspective that she brings in is how
the onset of the "humane studies" from the fifteenth century is intricately allied with the
"history of textual scholarship". When Blanche refers to "humane studies" she is
pointing to the "humanist" aspect of the subject. The attempt here is to delve into the
various aspects or manifestations of the humanities. The central point of focus is the
human being and his/her humanitarian behaviour. The point of discussion is the
humane characteristic of people and the role of the humanists.
Another complexity is introduced here when Blanche informs the audience that the
primary objective of textual scholarship was the resuscitation of the Bible. This meant
the revival of the Bible, its translation, which was intricately connected to the
interpretation of the text. The interpretation is facilitated only by a comprehensive
understanding of the "cultural and historical matrix from which the text had emerged".
(121) In stating so, the argument has moved into the realm of the socio-historical from
the literary and the religious.
To return to the starting point, it is the human being that is the point of focus. The
humane aspect of his/her personality will result in humanitarian acts. This was the
staliing point of the humanities that eventually got connected up to the "text", which in
turn was closely allied to the Bible and its interpretation through the standpoint of the
extra-literary features viz. the social and the historical. Blanche is able to deftly
interweave these divergent elements and consequently states, "That is how linguistic
studies, literary studies (as studies in interpretation), cultural studies, and historical
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studies- the studies that form the core of the so-called humanities- came to be bound up
together." (121)
Further, Blanche describes how, "We are fallen creatures." (128) She makes a subtle
allusion to the "cruelty" that we are capable of. In doing so, she is fostering a link
between the "Lives of Animals", and "The Humanities in Africa". But the latter chapter is
a misnomer since the chapter dwells upon the manner in which the humanities in
general have evolved. The discussion pertaining to Joseph, the artist who carved out
innumerable images of Christ and Elizabeth Costello's involvement with Mr. Phillips are
a veiled connection to the "Humanities in Africa". By choosing to deliberate upon these
two issues, Elizabeth Costello or rather J.M.Coetzee has attempted to depict the true
manifestation of the humanities.
Chapter 5 had laid emphasis on the 'Humanities in Africa". Although this appears to
be the purported aim of the chapter, we have found that the fundamental issue that the
novelist is trying to arrive at is probably humanity versus inhumanity, or to state it
broadly, judging humanity by applying the fundamental notions of good and evil. In tune
with this ideology, the next chapter is devoted to "The Problem of Evil". J.M.Coetzee
uses the pretext of Elizabeth Costello's lecture to express his views. Costello delivers a
talk on "Witness, Silence and Censorship". Elizabeth is able to figure out the reason
why she has been called upon to participate in this conference. She had caused a
controversy due to the talk that she had given the previous year at a college in the
United States. She was convinced that she was being forthright when she had
condemned the "enslavement of whole animal populations." (156) What further
accentuated the hurt that she had caused was her accusation that the meat-processing
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plants had set a wrong precedent for the death camps. The most important reason for
the people's ire was the fact that she had blamed mankind for its apathetic attitude that
had led to the continuous violence against the weak. "The massacre of the defenceless
is being repeated all around us, day after day, [ ... ], a slaughter no different in scale or
horror or moral import from what we call the holocaust; yet we choose not to see it."
(156)
The main idea that Coetzee is trying to arrive at is how "humanity" (referring to the
attribute and not to mankind) has been eroded since we have been plagued by evil.
Costello states that Satan had made his presence felt earlier also in the previous
century, the horrific inhuman deeds being an evidence to this effect. "In these
unfamiliar times Satan is still feeling his way, trying out new contrivances, making new
accommodations." (180) The incessant discussion about this issue is an expression of
his preoccupation with it. It is the predominant theme that is recurrent in all the chapters
of the novel. An expression of this is Elizabeth Costello's statement about the
omnipresence of Satan. This leads to the manifestation of a specific kind of
intertextuality between the chapters. We could also perhaps describe this as "topic
driven intertextuality".
This particular type of intertextuality that is markedly noticeable in the chapters is
also seen in Chapter 8, "At the Gate". When she is led to the dormitory, the
claustrophobic atmosphere reminds her of "any of the camps of the Third Reich". The
condition for passing through the gate is that she must state her beliefs in a convincing
manner in order to obtain the permission of the jury to pass through the gate. When
Elizabeth Costello states that she lacks belief, the jury is unimpressed. Essentially the
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chapter seems to take stock of the writer's own beliefs or how truly he IS able to
empathize with the victims of inhumanity.
Elizabeth Costello justifies her stand by stating that she has compensated the
absence of belief by making a significant contribution to the humanity of the readers.
When she states so, she is interrogated by the jury and questioned about the acts of
barbarism, and her comments are elicited. When the judgement is withheld, Elizabeth
Costello realizes that perhaps what was required of her was a reaffirmation of her belief
in the "irrepressible human spirit". The true essence of the chapter is captured by the
question that arises in the mind of Elizabeth Costello. "Is that what we are, all of us;
petitioners awaiting our respective judgements, [ ... l." (208) This marks the logical
culmination of the chapters.
The above statement ties up the preceding chapters that carry the predominant
theme of the manifestation of evil. This displays the "topic-driven intertextuality" that
has been discussed previously. It is the prototype of the intertextual relationship
identified by Roland Barthes. Each text is necessarily an intertext and textuality and
intertextuality are inseparable from each other.
The next theoretician whose theories are valid in this context is Mikhail Bakhtin.
Bakhtin's concept of dialogism is truly relevant for Elizabeth Costello. The text is a
conglomeration of continuous interactive responses between the various elements of
the text and also of the text with extra-textual factors. "The topic-driven intertextuality"
discussed elaborately earlier can be cited as one example of this. The theory of
dialogism proposed by Mikhail Bakhtin lays stress on the ongoing dialogue between the
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writer and the characters (s)he creates, between the writer and the readers, as also the
one between the readers and the characters of the texts that they are reading. Each of
these will be tackled individually, in order to enable us to have an understanding of how
eventually they collaborate in the creation of the complex text that is Elizabeth Costello.
The single most obvious example of the interaction between the writer and the
characters he/she creates is the reappearance of Elizabeth Costello in the next novel
Slow I\/Ian. Additionally, the concerns voiced by Costello are obviously those that are
significant for J.M.Coetzee himself. If the theme of evil runs continuously through the
chapters, it is an expression of Coetzee's preoccupation with it. When analysed closely,
it is in fact an exercise in introspection wherein Coetzee holds up a mirror to the world
compelling us to re-think our attitude towards fellow beings. As a reminder to this he
makes a mention of all the incidents that have been a scourge on human society since
they have perpetrated atrocities on humans. By calling into question the (mis)deeds of
the readers, Coetzee has established a direct rapport with them. The association that
he has established with them is not a passive one but an interactive one. The
characters of the novels serve as intermediaries between the writer and the readers.
They are the medium through which the writer expresses his thoughts and ideas. If the
characters serve as the interface between the writer and the readers, then they bear a
direct relationship with the readers.
Another kind of intertextual relationship that deserves a mention is the similarity that
this novel shares with the other novels of Coetzee. When Emmanuel Egudu in a self
referential note states that he is a "country boy from Africa", Elizabeth Costello is quick
to identify herself with him. She wished to say, "I am a country girl myself". (37) This is
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a subtle reminder of Magda from Coetzee's novel, In the Heart of the Country. Magda
was born on the farm and notwithstanding the fact that she was abandoned by
everybody she preferred to die on the farm rather than abandoning it for the city. This
stand of Elizabeth Costello echoes the character of Lucy of Disgrace. Lucy had
reconciled herself to her position in the African society. Despite her father's insistence
she did not move to her so-called motherland, Holland, but remained firmly rooted to her
farm in the countryside.
Yet another interesting complexity is noticeable in this text. Coetzee has been
reader of the works written by the earlier writers. But when he makes cross-references
to these, he has taken on the role of the writer. The text is replete with innumerable
such cross-references and allusions. While scrutinizing the character of Molly Bloom
from her novel, The House on Eccles Street, Elizabeth Costello recalls the characters of
Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Anna Karenina, "the Heathcliffs and Rochesters" and
Casaubon. As part of the discourse of Emmanuel Egudu there is a comprehensive
analysis of the corpus of Amos Tutuola. Further on in the text, Costello puts forth an
observation with reference to Utopian societies describing how such "totally regulated
societies" "either collapse or else turn militaristic'. (100) All these evidences testify to
the working of dialogism in the novel Elizabeth Costello.
A further dimension to this intertextuality is added on when Elizabeth Costello re
works the novels of James Joyce. This is an instance of double displacement. As just
discussed, in the course of the text, Coetzee makes extensive use of the works of other
writers in order to put across his point. The next step in this intertextual process is
when Elizabeth Costello chooses characters from the novels of James Joyce and
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places them in new situation in her novels. This is a case of intertextuality within
intertextuality. Additionally, in the ongoing dialogic relationships between the writer(s),
the readers and the characters, an overlapping is inevitable. This complex web of
interlocking dialogic relationships is a typical example of heteroglossia.
The next important concept proposed by Mikhail Bakhtin is the contextualization of
the literary text. Considered in a general fashion, the context will refer to the larger
socio-political, economic and historical factors that determine the identity of the literary
text. However, Bakhtin moves beyond these factors and reconfigures the limits of the
context to include the genre as well. How does this provide a framework for intertextual
analysis? The answer would possibly lie in the fact that we need to determine whether
a literary text adheres to the norms of the genre? The issue is that when the text veers
away from these norms and bears similarities to other genres it is evidence of an
intertextuality of genre. How does Elizabeth Costello measure up to this? Does it
conform strictly to the guidelines that are prescribed for the novelistic genre? A
systematic analysis is required to check whether Elizabeth Costello is a novel in the true
sense of the term or whether it subscribes to the notion of intertextuality of genre?
If we were to take into consideration the finer features of the novel we will find that
this novel does not have the typical elements of the plot and the story. Superficially, the
novel is the tale of Elizabeth Costello, the famed novelist. But it is in fact a virtual
encyclopedia of the humanities and the novelistic genre. More significantly, it traces the
relevance of these issues with specific reference to Africa. Perhaps the only semblance
it bears to the novelistic genre is the thin storyline that runs through the novel. The plot
per se is virtually lacking in the novel. The novel apparently traces the life of Elizabeth
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Costello. But as the title of the novel states clearly, its subject is the "Eight Lessons".
These are the lessons pertaining to life in general. They relate to the issues of evil and
good, and related to this is the topic of "The Lives of Animals". These are larger issues
that are being addressed by the writer, and he skillfully employs the protagonist to put
forth his perspective.
Coetzee does not deviate completely from the norms of the novel. Without allowing
the novel to appear completely like a critique of issues relevant to daily life, there is a
clever interpolation of the incidents from the life of the protagonist. These incidents are
presented in detail thereby providing ample evidence that this is a novel. The narrative
traces the life of Elizabeth Costello from her childhood to the end where she is asked to
make her statement of belief in order to secure her passage through the gate. In doing
so, the narrative adheres to chronology without veering away from it. Notwithstanding
this, when the narrative is focused on discussing the merits and the demerits of various
issues, it appears like a critical commentary. Therefore this presents a case of
intertextuality of genre. Elizabeth Costello appears to be a novel but in fact it is a
combination of genre offering a typical example of a unique kind of intertextuality
intertextuality of genre.
Having discussed the manner in which intertextuality brings under its purview not
merely individual texts but other genres as well, critics have also assessed the manner
in which it is able to influence extra-literary spheres. The novel can successfully
chronicle the discourses of a divergent range of social groups who inhabit variable
temporal zones. The novel is not delimited by these constraints. Simultaneously, it can
also exercise its influence on these readers. Elizabeth Costello depicts the working of
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this ideology. Displaying a marked divergence from the literary field, the "Eight
Lessons" that the novel attempts to teach to the readers are those that have been
drawn from life in general. They do not necessarily pertain to literature. For instance in
the first chapter, Realism, Elizabeth Costello discusses the relevance of the concept of
Realism not merely in the context of literature but in a larger context. There are many
aspects that are being discussed here. One of these is Elizabeth Costello.'s insinuation
that Realism is a farce. She quotes the example of the ape used in the novel of Franz
Kafka. Elizabeth Costello is convinced that the ever transient nature of time renders
everything irrelevant. "[ ... ], I am beyond time's grasp, we all know, if we are being
realistic, that it is only a matter of time before the books which you honour,[ ... ], will
cease to be read and eventually cease to be remembered. And properly so." (20)
Continuing the discussion about how literature is inseparable from the other aspects
of society, the next chapter "The Novel in Africa", presents a holistic picture of how the
advent of the novel is intrinsically linked to the socio-political scenario of Africa. In this
chapter, the eminent African writer, Emmanuel Egudu is used as a vehicle to convey the
ideas of the writer. He underlines the centrality of orality to the literature of Africa.
Egudu stresses the fact that the African novel embodies the true spirit of the genre of
the novel since it arose in response to the Western novel, and it defies the conventions
of the novel. In doing so it conforms in essence to the true definition of the "novel". "On
the page it is inert, only half alive; it wakes up when the voice, from deep in the body,
breathes life into the words, speaks them aloud." (45) Egudu also traces the manner in
which imperialism has muffled the voice of Africa. He highlights the fact that the growth
of the written form of literature or more specifically the flourishing of the novel is closely
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aligned to the spread of imperialism. The true spirit of Africa has been crushed and it is
packaged as being exotic. As stated by Emmanuel Egudu, "The truth is, to the West we
Africans are all exotic, when we are not simply savage. That is our fate." (47)
Although Elizabeth Costello purportedly talks about literary concepts, she does
tackle issues that belong to the realm of the socio-historical. She denounces the
horrors of the Nazi camps and is categorical in her accusations. She condemns the
brutality vehemently and in a certain way blames non-vegetarianism for this callousness
against humanity. Elizabeth Costello is indignant because humans have been endowed
with the capacity to reason, yet they continues to inflict atrocities on his fellow-beings.
Costello also makes a case for vegetarianism by condemning the breeding and
slaughtering of animals for human consumption.
Yet another implication drawn from this issue about the ethical treatment of animals
and non-vegetarianism is the debate about "cleanness vs uncleanness". Norma,
Elizabeth Costello's daughter-in-law brings in a different perspective to this by linking it
up to the social hierarchy. She states that this differential food habit helps certain social
groups define themselves as being "elite, as elected". Voicing the opinion of such
people Norma states that such people declare that by virtue of '''[ ... ] that power of
abstinence we mark ourselves off as superior: as a superior caste within society, for
instance. Like the Brahmins.'" (87) Perhaps the most important evidence of the
interrelationship of literature and the social sciences is the fact that a novelist is
deliberating about social issues.
Further to the discussion about the intermingling of the various divergent aspects of
life, J.M.Coetzee traces the origin of the humanities and its ramifications. Elizabeth
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Costello's sister deliberates about this in the course of her lecture. The salient features
that she identifies are that the history of the "humane studies" is closely aligned to the
history of "textual scholarship", whose sole purpose was to support the evolution of the
Bible. Blanche laments about the fact that humanities has ceased to serve its avowed
purpose of safeguarding the interests of humanity. Inadvertently it has in fact worked
against the interests of mankind by supporting the interests of the imperialists. In
response to Blanche's views, Elizabeth Costello divulges the details about her
relationship with Mr. Phillips. In doing so, perhaps her attempt is to drive home the fact
that "humanities" is actually meant to further the interests of mankind and not prove to
be detrimental to it.
The chapters so far focus on the behaviour of humans with other fellow beings.
When analysed closely, they in fact appear to scrutinize the history of mankind from the
earliest times to the present. Chapters 6 and 8 mark the culmination of this endeavour.
Chapter 6 actually articulates this in a pointed manner and this is reflected in its title
"The Problem of Evil". She denounces the crimes against humanity in very strong
terms.
The final chapter is in fact written in a retrospective tone. She is questioned about
her beliefs. This is in fact a veiled reference to the readers. All our convictions are
called into question. Perhaps the writer in fact desires an honest introspection and
retrospection on the part of the readers. The content of the chapters is rather intriguing.
As readers we are unable to fathom the true meaning of the lines on the page. The
passage refers to the scrutiny of the conscience. When she has to face a jury that
rigorously questions her beliefs, it is in fact trying to ascertain her conviction. The
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underlying fact to all the debates is the enduring nature of the human spirit. When she
is unable to secure her passage to the other side of the gate, she is able to figure out
the possible answer to the questions of the jury. "I believe in the irrepressible human
spirit: that is what she should have told her judges. [ ... ] I believe that all mankind is
one." (207) As a logical conclusion to this, the quotation that precedes the Postscript
captures the true essence of this specific kind of intertextuality being discussed here.
The taxonomies of society, history, economics are rendered insignificant. U[ ... ] there is
nothing in range of my rapturous eye that does not have life. It is as if everything, [ ... ],
means something." (226) This is an affirmation of the idea that the novel pervades all
relationships- H[ ... ] social, historical, personal, discursive, textual."
The novel is a genre that can successfully reconcile the workings of the people from
disparate social, economic, temporal, historical and political strata. When the novel is
able to do so, it has blurred the boundary between fact and fiction. This is a case of a
special kind of intertextuality, as proposed by Jacques Derrida. Applying the tenets of
this theory, we can state that Elizabeth Costello is an inter-disciplinary text. The
narrative cites examples from various disciplines to elucidate the ideas being stated.
For instance, in order to deliberate upon the reasoning power of man that distinguishes
him from other creatures, Elizabeth Costello mentions the case of the mathematician,
Srinivasa Ramanujan. Elizabeth Costello states that Ramanujan's brilliance would have
remained obscured but for the intervention of G. H. Hardy. The fact that the narrative is
trying to drive at is that power of reasoning is the object of focus, and t~lis needs to be
highlighted. U 'Might it not be that the phenomenon we are examining here is, [ ... ], the
specialism of a rather narrow self-regenerating intellectual tradition whose forte is
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reasoning, [ ... ], which for its own motives it tries to install at the centre of the universe?'"
(69) A further co-relation to this is that notwithstanding the centrality of this faculty,
humans continues to exploit their fellow creatures.
Reinforcing the necessity for a humane approach as a primary prerequisite for the
humanities, Elizabeth Costello's sister Blanche voices her support for Martin Luther
when he condemns Desiderius Erasmus for involving himself in matters that are
irrelevant from the perspective of the humanities. In support of this argument Blanche
adds further that for the anthropologist Lorenzo Valla, the "starting point was human
society". (130)
Another example that brings together literature and the other disciplines is Elizabeth
Costello's preoccupation with the atrocities committed by the Nazis. She is unable to
come to terms with the horrendous deeds and this is in fact symbolic of mankind at
large. The people of the world have indeed found these crimes unpardonable and all
efforts have been taken to ensure that this is not repeated. Another feature that
underscores the "human" aspect is the erotic desire. The narrative includes a "lesson"
on "Eros". It lays emphasis on the fact that the erotic desire is an intrinsic element of
humans, and the Gods also did not remain untouched by it. "We think of them as
omniscient, these gods, but the truth is they know very little, [ ... ]. They specialize in
humankind because of what we have and they lack; they study because they are
envious". (189) Thus, these various examples in the text drawn from diverse
disciplines are a testimony to an intertextuality that combines the realms of fact and
fiction.
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So far we have discussed the various manifestations and ramifications of
intertextuality. Certain theoreticians have analyzed the various forms of intertextuality.
Mikhail Bakhtin has distinguished between intertextuality and inter-textuality. The first
of these refers to an instance where a single literary text incorporates quotations from
other texts. It may also include allusions and cross-references to other texts. Inter
textuality refers to a condition wherein one text is a re-working of another. The
"intertextuality" mentioned above is identifiable in Elizabeth Costello. Elizabeth
Costello's works are written in response to the works of James Joyce. In her novel, The
House on Eccles Street, Elizabeth Costello selects the character of Marion Bloom from
James Joyce's novel Ulysses and re·-works it. As Elizabeth Costello acknowledges it, "
'[ ... ] Molly is a prisoner of marriage, the kind of marriage that was on offer in Ireland in
1904. [ .. T' (13) Delineating the character of Marion Bloom in Costello's novel, an
interviewer tells Elizabeth Costello, "[ ... ], you have taken Molly out of the house- [ ... ]
where her husband and her lover and in a certain sense her author have confined her,
[ ... ], you have taken her and turned her loose on the streets of Dublin.'" (13)
Elsewhere, the narrative makes a reference to the works of Jonathan Swift. Elizabeth
Costello discusses the rationale of the works, Gulliver Travels and A Modest Proposal,
in order to analyze the manner in which man has applied the power of reasoning in his
behaviour towards animals. "'The standard of reason. Gulliver's Travels seems to me
to operate within the three-part Aristotelian division of gods, beasts and men. [ ... ]'"
(102) These and other such references testify to the fact that the definition of inter
textuality is applicable to Elizabeth Costello.
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John Frow has propounded a theory of intertextuality that is language-centric. One
of the important tenets of his theory is that language as a system of representation
necessarily represents relationships of power. The narrative of Elizabeth Costello
denotes such multiple relationships of power. The complex interweaving of these
relationsllips forms one of the important bases of the novel. Towards the end of the
narrative, when she faces the jury, they question her about her writings. "'You present
yourself today not in your own person but as a special case, [ ... J, a writer who has
written not just entertainments but books exploring the complexities of human conduct.
In those books you make one judgement upon another, it must be so. [ ... r" (203)
Elizabeth Costello's reply is that her endeavour is to lend a voice to all those sections of
society that are prejudiced by society. '''[ ... ] I am open to all voices, not just the voices
of the murdered and the violated.'" (204) She expresses her willingness to speak on
their behalf, "'[ ... ] as long as they speak the truth.'" (204)
In the light of the above observation, one of the most fundamental debates pertains
to the gender divide. As discussed in the previous paragraph, in her novels, Elizabeth
Costello attempts to break the shackles imposed on women. In the chapter, "Realism",
perhaps Elizabeth Costello counters the claims of Realism and compares and contrasts
it with idealism. In the second chapter, "The Novel in Africa", the narrative sets up
Africa against the Europeans who have pushed it to the fringes of history. Quoting Paul
Zumthor, the most vocal spokesperson of orality, Emmanuel Egudu states, " '[ ... ],
Europe has spread across the world like a cancer,[ ... ]. until today it ravages life forms,
animals, plants, habitats, languages.'" (45) Egudu states further that this has been
done "by denying the voice". Emmanuel Egudu makes a strong case for are-centering
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of history by displacing the power centre. He makes a vociferous appeal for restoring
the rightful place of Africa. The larger issue that is being addressed is the redressal of
the grievances of the colonized people of the world. The imbalance that has been
brought in must be set right.
In the "lessons" of the novel, a central theme is the cruelty towards animals. The
narrative takes on a didactic tone, and the incidents that reflect man's inhumanity
towards his fellow beings are being questioned. It appears as if the writer is asking the
people of the world to account for these misdeeds. As articulated by Elizabeth Costello,
" 'Let me say it openly: we are surrounded by an enterprise of degradation, cruelty and
killing which rivals anything that the Third Reich was capable of, indeed dwarfs it, [ ... ].'"
(65) Although this particular statement is being made with specific reference to the
slaughtering of animals for food, "lessons" three and four of the novel focus on the
human vs the inhuman aspect of the human personality. The fundamental premise of
this debate is the special attribute that man is gifted with- the power to reason. The
narrative seems to interrogate humanity as a whole whether it can truly justify that it has
exercised this power effectively, or misused it.
The entire narrative revolves around the theme of the relationships of power. It is
centered around the relentless power struggle that continues unabated in all spheres of
life. It is inevitable and it has shaped the course of the history of mankind. Hence,
these are presented as "lessons". Thus, as identified by John Frow, Elizabeth Costello,
preaches "Eight Lessons" to the readers that analyze the relationships that denote
social power.
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John Frow's theory of intertextuality includes yet another proposition. It states that a
literary discourse is historically related to other discourses and this relationship is one of
"interdiscursive repetition". This particular proposition is an appropriate culmination to
the intertextual analysis of Elizabeth Costello. The concept of "intertextuality"
necessarily underscores the idea of repetition or duplication. J.M.Coetzee has
undertaken the task of an objective analysis of the history of mankind. He has culled
the outstanding ideas from various disciplines and arrived at the "Eight Lessons" that
have cast a remarkable influence on the world. These have been instrumental in
shaping the destiny of mankind. In order to illustrate this, the narrative draws upon
numerous theoreticians and their works. This leads to the creation of a complex work,
whose content is not delimited superficially to the words on the page. In each sentence,
the narrative reverberates with multiple connotations. The astounding manner in which
the narrative straddles interdisciplinary zones has been analyzed in detail. The
narrative includes philosophy as well. Elizabeth Costello states, " '[ ... ] I want to find a
way of speaking to fellow human beings that will be [ ... ], philosophical rather than
polemical, that will bring enlightenment rather than seeking to divide us into the
righteous and the sinners, [ ... ]. It is the language of Aristotle and Porphyry, of
Augustine and Aquinas, of Descartes and Bentham, of, in our day, Mary Midgley and
Tom Regan. [ ... ]'" (66)
Simultaneously, the narrative has eroded the boundaries of genre. It violates the
stipulations requi'red for a novel since a true "plot" is lacking in the novel. At various
stages, it is a historical text, a literary critique, an encyclopaedia and a work of
didacticism since it purports to teach "Eight Lessons". The novel is also a sociological
260
text since it attempts to highlight the plight of the marginalized sections of society. The
relentless power struggle between the powerful and the powerless has been discussed
previously. In this context the novel also establishes a correlationship between the
humanities and the human civilization down the ages. The narrative re-orients the focal
point of the humanities from abstract theories to the welfare of the human being. In this
context, the narrative introduces the instance of the anthropologists. Mention is made
of the anthropologist Lorenzo Valla. "'His starting point was human society. You say
the first humanists were not crypto-atheists. [ ... ] But they were crypto-relativists. [ ... ]
It was their task as scholars to understand that world and interpret it to their times. [ ... J'''
( 130)
The multi-dimensional nature of the novel is perhaps best depicted in the Postscript.
In the final chapter, the protagonist is "At the Gate", where she is awaiting permission to
pass through it. The chapter here ends on a note of uncertainty. The Postscript is a
letter addressed to Francis Bacon, and written by Elizabeth, Lady Chandos. She
shares her distress with Francis Bacon. The cause of her misery is her husband, Philip.
"Flaming swords I say my Philip presses into me, swords that are not words; but they
are neither flaming swords nor are they words. It is like a contagion, saying one thing
always for another [ ... ]. [ ... ] Hence the words I write above: Always it is not what I say
but something else. We are not meant to live thus." (228) The letter is dated "11
September, AD 1603", and "Elizabeth cn makes a fervent appeal to Francis Bacon to
save her and her husband.
In the context of the novel this can be interpreted as a strategy to underscore the
insignificance of the barriers of time. From the last chapter to the Postscript, the
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narrative makes a sudden inexplicable shift from the contemporary period to the
sixteenth-century. The nomenclature and the relevance of the "beginning" and the
"end" with specific reference to the novel, and the temporality associated with it are
rendered useless by this move on the part of the novelist. All along, the narrative has
moved back and forth in time and in the Postscript there is a leap that takes the novel
back in time by a couple of centuries. Elizabeth Costello writes further in the letter, "[ ... ]
I write to you, who are known above all men to select your words and set them in place
and build your judgments as a mason builds a wall with bricks." (230) There is a
certain ambiguity that characterizes this statement. When Elizabeth C here praises the
writings and the "judgements" of Francis Bacon, J.M.Coetzee is in fact offering this work
to be viewed critically from the perspective of the works that have been produced so far.
Elizabeth Costello: Eight Lessons, often gains a judgemental tone and weighs the
merits and demerits of vital issues from the ancient times up to the contemporary
period. When the judgement of Francis Bacon is appreciated, and he is called upon to
help, it is a self-reflexive move. This is an expression of the willingness on the part of
the writer to acknowledge his shortcomings. The literary acumen of Francis Bacon has
been revived and the barriers of time have been eroded. The reader is left wondering
about the period when the text has been written. The date of the Postscript has
accentuated the upturning of the chronology of the novel. The Postscript could very
well function as the Prelude of the novel, since the novel covers the variolJs ages from
the earliest to the latest.
Having discussed extensively the various forms of intertextuality that are noticeable
in Elizabeth CostellQ, we can conclude that it conforms to the nomenclature of a "strong"
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form of intertextuality. Laurent Jenny had pioneered the concept of a strong and weak
kind of intertextuality, and the narrative of Elizabeth Costello is replete with innumerable
instances of allusions and cross-references to various literary and non-literary texts.
Elsewhere, the narrative incorporates quotations from other texts or paraphrases them.
This "strong" form of intertextuality can be classified as an "aleatory" form of
intertextuality. The latter term was introduced by Michael Riffaterre and it is distinct
from "obligatory" intertextuality. Since Elizabeth Costello echoes numerous texts and is
not a specific re-working of one literary text it's intertextuality is of the aleatory kind.
Elizabeth Costello: Eight Lessons, is a complex tale, with every sentence carrying
undercurrents of layers of meaning. The tale extends much beyond the words on the
page. It is a virtual epic, wherein every chapter is a tale in itself. It is a virtual
encyclopaedia of all those issues that have influenced literature. Therefore it follows
naturally that the phenomenon of intertextuality will playa vital role in this.
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Conclusion
The study of the fiction of J.M.Coetzee that has been undertaken here is guided by
the premise that the theory of intertextuality is at work in the writing of these novels.
The fundamental principle of intertextuality is that two or more literary texts bear
identical textual features. The term "intertextuality" per se is a rather modern term. The
very same theory has been at work from early times and has been assigned various
nomenclatures such as imitation, paraphrase, ambivalence, dialogism and other such
allied terms. Intertextuality is a cover term for all these. The fiction of Coetzee that has
been examined here displays features from these theories.
Some of J.M.Coetzee's novels resemble the other novels of his repertoire, while
others are similar to the novels of other writers. This similarity is not confined to one
novel but includes a sizeable number of them. To a major extent the novels echo each
other thematically. This overlapping brings under its purview other features as well.
These include the themes, the narrative technique, and the characterization. An
important feature that needs to be borne in mind is that an attempt has been made to
delineate the intertextual features of the works of Coetzee by comparing them with other
texts. Perhaps one could even sketch the salient features of the one intertext that is
persistently duplicating itself in Coetzee's works. But this task extends beyond the
scope of this study. The primary aim of the research undertaken here is to detail the
working of intertextuality in select works of Coetzee.
What has been the outcome of this enterprise? By comparing the texts that echo
each other, I have been able to trace the commonality in a lucid manner. This
comprehensive study has enabled me to delve into the reasons that have led
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J.M.Coetzee into repeating the same (inter)text in his fiction. This has assisted in a
better interpretation of the texts. The questions that arise in our minds as a
consequence of the repetition have been answered.
If we were to trace the chronology of Coetzee's fiction, it would read like a veritable
sociological chronicle. Every novel of his corpus is a stark reflection of the
contemporary times. When J.M.Coetzee does so, he performs the twin roles of a
novelist and a historian, by attempting to document the events of the world. In this
endeavour he does not spare anyone. His novels dwell upon the major events of the
world.
In his first novel Dusklands, the clever juxtaposition of two novellas that can be
dated to two different epochs is in fact an ingenious device of coalition. It is a textual
strategy that helps to reinforce the ideology of the novelist. They are apparently two
divergent texts but in fact they complement each other. By placing The Narrative of
Jacobus Coetzee after The Vietnam Project, Coetzee underscores the dismal fact that
progress is a farce and the world has remained unchanged from the eighteenth-century
up to the present. The combination of the two novellas has been done to present a
comparison of the two historical periods. Jacobus Coetzee being one of the pioneer
explorers his travels into the interiors of Africa, marked the beginning of the colonial
enterprise. This also laid the foundation of the racial discrimination which was to take
the form of apartheid later. The point that J.M.Coetzee is trying to state is that racial
segregation continues to be rampant in some from or the other. Coetzee the novelist is
deeply pained by the fact that we continue to harbour a regressive outlook. The title
of the novel is significant in the light of the fact that it symbolizes the loss of hope.
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Coetzee the novelist has resigned himself to the fact that the last glimmer of hope has
faded away and the world constitutes of "Dusklands". Eugene Dawn does make sincere
attempts to resurrect the last embers of hope but unfortunately these have been
extinguished. By naming Dawn's boss as Coetzee, the novelist has projected his own
identity on the characters. Despite being the outsider in the second novella as also the
first, the Coetzee in both essays a significant role in subjugating the natives. (On the
basis of the names in the first novella, we can perhaps make a guess that the Coetzee
of the first novella is not a native American but an immigrant.)
The novels In the Heart of the Country and Disgrace focus on the sensitive issue of
how the whites now live in "disgrace" deep inside "the heart of the country". The
"daughters of the colonies" (as described by Magda) or the White women bear the brunt
of the ire of the Blacks. In simplified terms it is a role reversal- the oppressor has now
become the oppressed as typified by the two female protagonists Magda and Lucy
respectively. The erstwhile mistresses who once led an opulent life of luxury and
thrived on the service of the Blacks. The debased state of these women is symbolic of
the downfall of the Whites. The white women are now the "mistresses" of the Blacks in
the derogatory sense of the term. Disgrace also describes the fall from grace of
Professor David Lurie, with a spate of reckless affairs eventually encountering his
nemesis in his young student Melanie Isaacs. The irony of his life is that his arrogance
is shattered when he has to make do with a rather unattractive looking inconspicuous
Black woman, Bev Shaw. It is quite demeaning for him but he there is no room for
complaints.
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In Life and Times of Michael K and Foe, J.M.Coetzee has chosen to rework
Robinson Crusoe. Michael K, the central character of the first novel mentioned here,
takes after the Friday of Robinson Crusoe. By enacting an exhaustive description of the
life of Michael K, Coetzee underlines the fact that the stereotype represented by Friday
continues to rule even today. Michael K is a native of Cape Town and is caught in the
aftermath of the social turmoil that has gripped South Africa. His trials and tribulations
are symbolic of the sufferings of the underprivileged classes the world over.
This theme is reemphasized by J.M.Coetzee in Foe, where he brings Friday of
Robinson Crusoe into contemporary settings. Defoe's novel signifies history since it is
one of the primary canonical texts. When Coetzee began his creative journey, he may
have possibly encountered the "foe" or Defoe at every step. His struggle is symbolic of
the adversities that impede the work of all the writers of fiction, since they have to
relentlessly shake off the burden of history that has been imposed by Robinson Crusoe.
Coetzee articulates the need for the newer generations to write their own history and
not be guided by the canon. When Coetzee attempts a re-working of the archetypal
works like Robinson Crusoe, he is making a concerted effort to shatter stereotypes.
This effort is dict,ated by his typical position as a White person in a post-colonial set-up
who finds himself at the receiving end of the ire of the Blacks. This is notwithstanding
the fact that he himself is a native of the country. But the past seems to haunt this
society, and now he is facing the retribution for the misdeeds of his forefathers.
The narrative of is devoted to the scrutiny of the writings of Mr. Foe whose is in
fact Daniel Defoe himself. The female castaway Susan Barton questions the premises
that guide Defoe's writings. She interrogates him as it were and her opinions are a
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stringent critique of Defoe's works. In the writing of Foe, J.M.Coetzee states that there
is a need for the world to create new stereotypes. We need to move beyond the likes of
Robinson Crusoe states J.M.Coetzee. Hence Cruso does not have a major part in the
narrative- He passes away in the early part of the novel. The narrative focuses on
Friday and Defoe's writings.
In response to the above-said J.M.'s fiction marks a very powerful deviation from the
traditional notion of fiction and more specifically the novel. Coetzee's fiction defies all
categorizations of genre. We can observe translations and project reports as In
Dusklands, psychoanalysis and the numbering of paragraphs as in the narrative of In
the Heart of the Country; reworking of older texts; the "lessons" of Elizabeth Costello
and the journal entries as in Diary of a Bad Year. The ploy of the epistolary form gives
the feeling of a surreptitious peek into the most jealously guarded feelings of the
characters. But this heightens the irony of this narrative strategy since the underlying
assertion is that no amount of ruthlessness can truly suppress the workings of the heart
and the mind. Therefore the dichotomy is once again revealed.
The Master of Petersburg explores the tumultuous relationship of parents and their
step-children, and the widespread student unrest or the simmering disgruntlement in the
apparently idealistic communist set-up of Russia. Dostoevsky encounters Nechaev and
they begin to discuss Pavel's death. Nechaev squarely blames the police for it. "They
can't use the law against us, so they perpetrate these obscene murders." (102) He
also legalizes his actions by terming it as a "struggle". ''Those in the forefront of the
struggle continue to be hunted down and tortured and killed." (103) The plot of the
novel apparently focuses on the family relationships, but the deeper anti-social activities
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are also revealed in great particularity. Dostoevsky asks probing questions to Nechaev
about the sudden questionable death of other people, but the latter justifies it and we
cannot detect any remorse in his tone. "The people know who their enemies are, and
the people don't waste tears when their enemies die." (121) Nechaev's target is
complete annihilation of the mechanism of the state, which he believes will usher in an
era of peace and prosperity. "Our lists name only the spiders and the blood-suckers
who sit at the centres of the webs." (181) "The first work will be to raze the banks to
the ground, and the stock exchanges, and the government ministries, raze them so
thoroughly that they will never be rebuilt." (182)
In Waiting for the Barbarians, within the same narrative the novelist depicts both
sides of the tale. Or rather, by revealing horrific details of the torture of the iVlagistrate,
the pain and anguish experienced by the natives are t"lighlighted. In a rather concerted
manner Coetzee reasserts the poignant fact that the degree of pain is the same
irrespective of the race or the colour of the skin. The intricate details about the African
landscape and the meeting of the Company's men and the natives recalls the content of
The Narrative of Jacobus Coetzee. The latter account marks the victory for Jacobus
Coetzee but in Waiting for the Barbarians, Colonel Joll loses his honour and he beats a
hasty retreat. Coetzee reminds us that history does not repeat itself but history is being
rewritten by the newer powers.
In Elizabeth Costello, J.M.Coetzee questions the major presumptions that have
guided not merely the literary world but the world at large. The novel lacks a true plot.
The narrative revolves around the major issues that have preoccupied Coetzee. The
novel has eight chapters called "Eight Lessons". These are in fact the lessons of life
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that Coetzee has learnt. The narrative ties up the debates about Realism, the novel,
"the lives of animals" and the significance of Africa with reference to these. The
Australian novelist with her seeming haughtiness discusses Africa in detail. This is a
reassertion that the voice of Africa or rather the views of any other such oppressed
nation cannot be muffled for long. Irrespective of the liking of the powers to be, the
voices of the marginalized will be heard.
In analyzing the dynamics of the theory of intertextuality, I have chosen a few novels
from the corpus of the "fiction of Coetzee. Slow Man figures last ill the chronological
sequence of these novels that I have chosen to examine. In order to keep this research
updated I will analyze this novel to determine the pattern that has been followed in it by
the writer. Does it bear resemblances to the other novels or has it marked a deviation
from them? The analysis will also help us familiarize ourselves with the evolution (if
there is any) in the writer's creativity. It also helps to provide a continuity between the
prior novels and the one that is to follow, viz, Diary of a Bad Year.
Slow Man carries a rather enigmatic title. Echoing his previous novels, this fictional
work of Coetzee teases the intellect of the readers. The powerful adjective "slow" in the
title packs a lot of meaning into it. A consideration of the literal meaning of the word
would be a simplification of the various ramifications that it implies. It carries endless
strata that need to be carefully analyzed to reach the well-entrenched core of the novel.
This is a challenging journey that unravels the numerous meanings of the work.
Nevertheless it is an exhilarating experience since we are compelled to engage
ourselves deeply with the work. The hidden meanings gradually reveal themselves to
us; throwing open the novel of Coetzee which is an impressive, intricate web. The title
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also sets our mind working about whether the slowness also characterizes the
protagonists or secondary characters of his previous works. The onus is on the readers
to fathom the depth of such multiple connotations. This leads us onto the trail of
intertextuality and we attempt an interlinking of this work with the earlier ones
The protagonist of the novel is Paul Rayment, a sixty-year-old man who has met with
an accident while riding his bicycle on Magill Road. The accident leaves him with an
amputated leg. Paul Rayment is not willing to have a prosthesis fitted to the limb. The
forlorn Paul Rayment has an unexpected visitor- the novelist Elizabeth Costello. Here it
is necessary to bear in mind the fact that Elizabeth Costello is the central character of
J.M.Coetzee's previous novel Elizabeth Costello-Eight Lessons. In Slow Man she
figures as the same person- the acclaimed writer who is now on the purported mission
of writing the story of the life of Paul Rayment. She virtually intrudes into his life and
seems to take control of it, without his consent. She seems to possess the uncanny
ability of describing the pattern into which his life will fall into. Her knowledge about his
past unnerves him or rather irritates him. She seems to wield an inexplicable power on
him. Armed with a shrewd sense of the kind of person that Paul Rayment is, she
skilfully manipulates the various events and people of his life. Paul Rayment is deeply
perturbed and in the most impolite manner he consistently rebuts all her persistent
proposals of companionship.
Elizabeth Costello interferes in his relationship with his nurse Marijana. Marijana
touches a chord in Paul Rayment's heart when she takes diligent care of him. Unlike
the previous nurses whose service to him carried the pretence of genuine care,
Marijana's personality is a refreshing and welcome change since it is marked with
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sincerity. A truly passionate relationship had always evaded him and now Paul
Rayment felt a deep passion for Marijana. He offers to sponsor her son's education in a
boarding school notwithstanding the fact that it would cause a severe drain on his
resources. This is interpreted by Marijana's husband Jokic as a deliberate attempt to
mess up his marital life. Jokic reacts violently and physically abuses Marijana.
Elizabeth Costello squarely blames Paul Rayment for plunging Marijana's life into
disarray. She convinces him that his passion for Marijana would remain unrequited.
She drives home the undeniable truth that he is well past his prime where he can lure
women. Elizabeth Costello offers to take care of him until the end of his life. She offers
him companionship as it were. But Paul Rayment is unmoved. He is obstinate, and
determined to continue leading a solitary life, relying on the unpredictable nurses who
he hopes will lend respectability to his despicable life of an amputee.
J.M.Coetzee has re-introduced a character from his earlier novel in Slow Man. What
his is motive behind this? Is Slow Man an extension of Elizabeth Costello or is it a
sequel to it? In sketching the character of Paul Rayment, has the novelist attempted to
correct the inherent flaws that have marked the character of Elizabeth Costello? Does
Slow Man carry reminiscences of Coetzee's other novels as well? Relevant answers to
these questions can be obtained by applying the intertextual framework as designed by
various theoreticians.
Firstly, I will tackle the element of "universal truths". Paul Rayment is part of the
tradition of the lonesome and ponderous characters that inhabit the world of
J.M.Coetzee's novels. Magda, Michael K, Friday of Foe, David Lurie, Lucy and
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Elizabeth Costello replicate each other in their futile search for a "normal" domestic life
marked by togetherness, affection and loving protection.
Paul Rayment resigns himself to the fact that he could never be a part of the
mainstream of life since he had consciously chosen to remain single without entering
into any more relationships that would leave him despondent. This transforms him into
an individual who cherishes his freedom. "In the old days, the days before the accident,
he did not have what he would call a gloomy temperament." (25) The accident curtails
his freedom and now after this harrowing experience, he decidedly opts to remain
content with the amputated limb. He begins to endow the simple process of prosthesis
with complex connotations. The loss of the limb seemed a metaphorical one for him.
The prosthesis seems to embody the entire cycle of reconstruction and he seemed to
have lost the zest for this. It conjures up imagery of, "Thesis, antithesis, then
prosthesis." (62) Hence, he opposes it vehemently.
The amputated limb symbolized the emotional scars that he carried within himself.
The artificial limb revived all the pain and hurt that he had put behind him after
undergoing many emotional upheavals. It seemed to have stirred up the necessity in
him to undertake a reconstruction of all kinds- physiological, psychological, emotional,
moral, sexual, social, temporal and marital. This was a daunting task and he could not
muster up the courage to do so. Paul Rayment chooses to nurse his grief by shutting
away the world. "The universe had contracted to this flat and the block or two around,
and it will not expand again." (Coetzee 25)
What did this reconstruction on all fronts entail? It would necessarily imply the onset
of a new beginning. He would have to start his life allover again. At the very outset, the
reconstruction meant that having an artificial limb fitted, which would lead him into
carrying the fac;ade of naturalness. It meant that he would have to use an artificial limb
to get back to a so-called normal life. He would now have to gather all the strings of his
life, which had hitherto been in a state of disarray. Madeleine Martin, the woman who
conducted the rehabilitation class tried to convince him that by having the artificial limb
fitted, he would appear normal. "'I don't want to look natural,' he says. 'I prefer to feel
natural.'" (59) When Marijana appreciates his efforts to exercise his limbs as taught by
Madeleine Martin, he wonders, "How can it be, when I find it humiliating, all of it, the
whole business from beginning to end?" (61) Moreover, it would only serve the
purpose of deception not only to himself but the world. Hence Paul Rayment prefers to
remain in his natural state rather than painstakingly put up the pretence of having
natural limbs. The accident had devastated his heart and mind. He remains cloistered
in his home, feeling miserable about himself. "From being irascible he becomes sullen.
He wants to be left alone; he does not want to speak to anyone; he suffers fits of what
he thinks of as dry weeping." (25)
The loneliness coupled with the depression made him emotionally vulnerable. He
was unable to handle his relationships in a normal fashion. He ends up reacting and
relating unnaturally to the people in his life. He misconstrues Marijana's care and
professional duties towards him as love. As expression of this, he wanted to play
foster-father to Marijana's children. But when Marijana's son Drago stole a photograph
from his collection that was very dear to him, Rayment is exasperated. He flouts all
rules of social propriety and accompanied by Elizabeth Costello, pays a visit to
Marijana's home, unannounced, in order to recover the photograph. Marijana makes
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her displeasure very clear to them about having barged in suddenly. The resentment
that she had felt all along against Rayment's overtures seemed to have found the
opportunity to find its expression now. She is severely critical of Rayment's offer to
sponsor Drago's education. The normally reticent Rayment suddenly turns vocal and
even enters into an argument with l\t1arijana. She fiercely rebuts Rayment's charge
against Drago. She attributes Paul Rayment's unreasonable behaviour to his
loneliness. "'You a good man, Paul. But you get too lonely in your flat- you know what
I mean. [ ... ] So maybe you get negative too in your flat." (250) She further adds, "You
grab anything. Anything come, you grab." (250) Her insinuation is that Paul Rayment
has been so lonely all his life that he is susceptible to become emotionally dependent
on anyone who offers a loving word to him.
Marijana reprimands Paul Rayment about his decision to become Drago's godfather.
"Forget godfather too. Is no good idea, godfather is not realistic like. Because where
he lives, this godfather?" (251) Marijana even welcomes the idea of Elizabeth Costello
living with Paul Rayment. She suggests that Elizabeth Costello's presence will dispel
the gloom that has overshadowed his life. This encounter with the Jokics drove the final
wedge between him and Marijana. She had delineated her priorities and clearly
indicated that he did not figure in them. On his part, Paul Rayment was unable to
absolve Drago for the mistake that he had committed. This helped him override his
passion for Marijana and marked the unceremonious end to their relationship.
Elizabeth Costello offers to be his companion but Paul Rayment seems to harbour
only repulsion for her. She even goes to the extent of articulating the rather unhappy
future that lay ahead of him. She warns him that he would have to spend the remaining
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days all by himself, lonely and miserable. "'If you stay on in Adelaide, I foresee only
nurses, a gallery of nurses, some pretty, some not so pretty, none of whom will come
near to touching your heart as Marijana Jokic has done. If you come to Melbourne, on
the other hand, there will be me, faithful old Dobbin.' " (260) Elizabeth Costello had lived
her life and she longs for company now. She offers to look after Paul Rayment, the two
of them spendill9 the remaining days of their life helping each other out. . '''You could
teach me doggedness and I could teach you to live on nothing, or nearly nothing. They
would write articles about us in the newspapers. We would become a well-loved
Australian institution.'" (263) However, Paul Rayment remains unmoved. He appears
to be content with his isolated life, constantly caught up in the past, whiling his time
evoking memories.
The universal truth that we can establish from an analysis of the protagonists of
Coetzee's novels discussed here is that they are individuals who have been isolated by
the various circumstances of their lives. The mental and emotional upheavals that they
have endured have rendered them disgruntled and indignant. Caught in a situation
where they are unable to fight the injustice meted out to them, they have chosen to
suffer silently. They have failed to take up cudgels against the perpetrators of the
wrongs done to them. Their only method of protest is to shun all human company and
remain confined to their homes. If the characters of Coetzee's novels echo each other,
then it points towards a sustained effort of imitation on the part of the novelist. As we
move chronologically in his fiction, we can state that each of the novels seem to re
present the features of the earlier ones. There is a persistent duplication of the
characteristics of the earlier novels in the later ones. This reflects Aristotle's theory that
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"dramatic creation" (if we take this as the literary work) is indeed an "intensification" and
"reduction" of texts that are familiar to the writer and the reader.
I would like to analyze Bakhtin's concept of heteroglossia. In the notion of
heteroglossia, the individual and the situation remaining the same, the response is
variable. Contemplation on this issue with reference to the novels of Coetzee will
provide newer insights. The protagonists of most of the novels seem identical to each
other. Or rather, I would state that perhaps it is the same individual who is put in the
same situation and each time his/her responses have been chronicled as a novel.
Magda, Michael K, David Lurie, Elizabeth Costello, Paul Rayment and John of Youth
share similar characteristics. Anyone of them can be considered as the prototype of
the others. The implications of this are that the chronological sequence of the novels
can be upturned. The comprehension of the readers remains unaltered irrespective of
the order in which the novels are read. Exception can be made with respect to
Elizabeth Costello and Slow Man. Reading the novels in the order of their appearance
aids the reader in a better understanding of the characters of Elizabeth Costello and
Paul Rayment.
The novel Slow Man displays the working of heteroglossia. The various features of
the novel in which it resembles the other novels of the same author are an evidence of
its dialogic nature. The morose and sullen Paul Rayment closeted in his home is an
echo of Magda, or Michael K, or John or perhaps David Lurie. The most marked
dialogic relationship is the one that is shared between Elizabeth Costello and Slow Man.
The narrative of the latter work is a veritable dialogic exchange between Elizabeth
Costello and Paul Rayment.
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Elizabeth Costello's entry into his life was a virtual trespass. Elizabeth Costello, who
came into Paul Rayment's life uninvited, is the protagonist of J.M.Coetzee's novel
bearing the same name. Elizabeth Costello is a writer and when Paul Rayment
questions her about her intentions behind visiting him, she answers that he is merely a
character in her work. The unexpected nature of her visit and the innate knowledge that
she has about his life leave him bewildered. Her reply is, "'You came, along with the
pallor and the stoop and the crutches and the flat that you hold on to so doggedly and
the photograph collection and all the rest.'" (82)
Gradually, Rayment discovers that this visitor is slowly and surely taking control of
his life. On her first visit, she gives an indication of the fact that she is well aware of his
amorous liaisons. She terms his passion for Marijana as an "inchoate attachment".
(82) This unwelcome guest and her candid remarks offend him. He makes his
displeasure very obvious but Elizabeth Costello is undeterred. Her defiant attitude finds
its expression in such statements: "You must put up with it. It is not for you to say."
(87) When Rayment tells her forthrightly that she must not interfere in his affairs, she
retorts, " 'It is not for you to tell me my business.'" (89) On her part, she gets involved
in every aspect of Rayment's life. She cautions him about the recklessness in his
relationship with Marijana.
Costello's entry into Paul Rayment's life is well timed. His life was in turmoil ever
since he had expressed his love for Marijana. At the very outset Costello is able to
successfully convey the message that she is well aware of all that is happening in
Rayment's life. She warns him that his "inchoate attachment" to Miroslav Jokic's wife
will have dangerous implications. (Prior to Elizabeth Costello's arrival, Rayment was
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ignorant about the name of Marijana's husband.) The problems between Marijana and
her husband had escalated to such an extent that she had moved out of her home and
was living with her sister-in-law, who was by no means sympathetic towards her.
Marijana's son Drago had left home unable to tolerate the harassment being meted out
to his mother by his father. Elizabeth Costello compels Paul Rayment to see reason.
She interrogates him pointedly, about where the relationship is heading for. She lays out
the facts before him and makes him realize that his unthinking passion has disturbed
many lives.
His errant behaviour has brought in untold misery in the relationship between
Miroslav Jokic and his spouse, as also between the parents and the children. It has
split the once happy family into two camps- Miroslav Jokic and his daughter Blanka on
one hand; and Marijana, Drago and Ljubica on the other. Referring to Miroslav Jokic,
Costello cautions Rayment, "You touch his pride, his manly honour. [ ... ] On the
contrary, you are trying to throw a spanner into the Jokic family works. You are trying to
get into Mrs. J's pants." (95) She attempts to make him aware of the truth that he can
no longer pursue women now since age had caught up with him. She recommends a
more logical way out. She arranges for a woman named Marianna to visit Rayment.
She advises him to seek the help of Mrs, Putts the social worker. Or better still,
suggested Costello, Rayment could advertise for someone of his choice, She was able
to judge in a true manner that he was misinterpreting Marijana's care for love. "Or
perhaps your quest for love disguises a quest for something quite different. [ .. ] We do
not need love, old people like us. What we need is care: [ ... ]. Care is not love. Care is
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a service that any nurse worth her salt can provide, as long as we don't ask her for
more." (154)
As if on a premonition, she asks him to brace himself for an unhappy end to his
affair with Marijana. It is Costello who first gives Rayment an inkling of the fact that
Drago has filched one of his photographs. Perhaps one could state that she incites
Rayment into confronting Marijana about the missing photograph. On her insistence, he
pays a visit to Marijana. It is there that his (false) hopes about Marijana are shattered.
The fact dawns upon him that he can never be part of the Jokic family. His intrusion
had spoilt their happiness and now they had come together to show him his place as it
were. This intruder was a physically challenged old man and they had joined hands to
design a "recumbent bicycle" for him. In a swift and single stroke, he is made to realize
where he belongs. All along Costello keeps dropping subtle hints that she is willing to
be his companion. But Rayment is not amenable to this proposal. A heart broken
Elizabeth Costello returns home.
If Slow Man is to be analyzed from the perspective of the notion of "ambivalence", it
necessitates a review of the extra-literary factors that have guided the production of the
novel. Slow Man is set in Australia, in contrast to the majority of the other novels of
Coetzee that are set in South Africa. Perhaps this is an evidence of the writer's
relocation to Australia. The pain and anguish caused due to this immigrant experience
have been projected onto the protagonist. It would not be incorrect to state that the
novel is autobiographical in nature. This conforms to the idea of Ann Jefferson of
autobiography being a manifestation of intertextuality. Coetzee the South African with
a Dutch ancestry moved to Australia, and this is reflected in his novels.
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His immigrant status governs his approach to life in general. In Slow Man, one of the
reasons why the protagonist takes a liking for Marijana is the fact that he empathizes
with her. During the course of the interview, Rayment finds himself nurturing a strange
liking for the kind of language Marijana speaks. Her language measures up to what he
calls "Australian English", with Slavic undertones. It is also marked with the slang that
Rayment believes she has acquired from her children. Can Rayment's liking for this
language be interpreted as his subconscious yearning for French? He abides by the
fact that, "I speak English like a foreigner because I am a foreigner". (231) In Marijana
he seems to have found another person in the same dilemma as himself. In the first
instance itself he has found in Marijana another individual who is saddled with a
language that never truly belongs to her. Like himself, he finds that for her too, English
is the language of the mind, not of the soul. All these commonalities help him relate
very easily to Marijana since as he aptly describes it, they are, "Two ex-Europeans."
(172)
The fact that Rayment has willfully chosen to take refuge in loneliness rather than
enjoy human company can be accounted for by taking into consideration his childhood.
Ever since he could recall, Rayment had always found himself alienated from the larger
group, be it his family, his friends, or his compatriots. He was born in France but moved
to Australia. Along with his mother, he and his sister were brought to Australia in their
early childhood by their stepfather who was a Dutchman. His sister was nine and he
was six at the time of immigration. The relocation virtually uprooted him. All his
contacts with his native country were severed. The stepfather himself was unsure
about which faith he owed allegiance to. As Paul Rayment was to recall later, he
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worshipped Queen Wilhelmina with the same fervour as he worshipped Virgin Mary.
Rayment's stepfather was unwilling to wipe out the last traces of his native country. 111
Australia he made desperate attempts to tune into Radio Hilversum. "At the same time
he was desperate for the country of his new allegiance to live up to the idea of it he had
formed from afar. In the face of a dubious wife and two unhappy stepchildren, Australia
had to be the sunny land of opportunity." (66) The stepfather was caught in a bind- he
did not want to abandon his faith in his motherland, and at the same time he also
wanted to lead a new life in a new country. He was unable to reconcile the two
contradictory passions.
Perhaps this was the factor that was responsible for the constant dilemma in which
Rayment found himself. He was never at home in the new environs. Although the
umbilical cord that bound him to his native country France was snapped, yet the longing
lingered on. What kept him going in this alien land was the compulsive presence of his
mother. After his mother passed away, he quit the university and returned to France.
He stayed with his grandmother and attempted to re-establish the severed ties. But he
was unsuccessful. Things had moved on far ahead. He found himself way behind. His
cousins could never really relate to him. In their opinion, he was an Englishman and not
a Frenchman. To his utter dismay, they even referred to him as "1'Anglais". He was
rather upset with this categorization since he had always considered himself a
thoroughbred Frenchman. All along he took pride in his French ancestry and now he
was being disowned by his family. What added insult to the injury was the fact that he
had never visited England nor had any relatives there; and also the realization that his
French cousins, equated the Englishmen with the Australians. It was beyond their
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comprehension that England and Australia were two different nations. A heartbroken
Rayment had no option left but to return to Australia.
Elizabeth Costello probed Rayment's heart and enquired of him whether he felt at
home in Australia. He replied that the idea of home or rather, hearth and home was a
"very English concept." (192) Rayment is very clear about the distinction between the
English and the French. "Among the French, as you know, there is no home. Among
the French to be at home is to be among ourselves, amongst our kind. I am not at
home in France. Transparently not. I am not the we of anyone." (193) This a clear
evidence of the fact that Rayment could not identify him self as belonging to one
country. His allegiances were fragmented.
Circumstances got the better of him and Rayment ended up having up the expatriate
experience three times. But this took its toll on his psyche and it left him with a
pervasive feeling of rootlessness. He had made an earnest effort to ensure that his
motherland France took him into its fold, but unfortunately his attempts remained futile.
Much to his displeasure, he was compelled to embrace a nation with which he could
never truly identify himself. The recurrent immigration had never left any scope for him
to settle down in a place and extend his bearings there. Hence when Costello
mentioned that eventually he returned to his "home" i.e. Australia, Rayment disagreed
with her. He had a query for her. "Home ... What does it mean?" (197) Clarifying his
stand on the issue he states categorically, "I have a domicile, a residence. This is my
residence. This flat. This city. This country. Home is too mystical for me." (197) This
implies that his soul was not in this country; it was only his body that was living out its
time in Australia. His heart lay elsewhere- in France.
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The sense of rootlessness is deeply entrenched in the lives of the characters of
Coetzee's novels. This exhibits the inherent ambivalent nature of their existence. They
may be categorized as belonging to a particular nation but in the larger context of life
they may never truly belong to anyone particular group. Michael K was compelled to
move out of Cape Town in order to satisfy his mother's dying wish of breathing her last
in the countryside where she had spent her childhood. This marked the turning point in
Michael K's life and his life slid into oblivion. David Lurie of Disgrace had even
attempted to trace his roots back to Holland but failed in his endeavour. His mindset
that never permitted him to accept South Africa as his motherland, only served to
complicate the issues of his life. His daughter's decision to marry a native further
accentuated his discomfort.
In Youth, the protagonist deliberately moved to England since he was guided by the
conviction that his dream of becoming a poet could be realized there. In England, all his
efforts were devoted towards earning enough to make both ends meet. He found his
creativity waning and virtually lost in this rigmarole. "Everything he has done since he
has stepped ashore at Southampton has been a killing of time while he waits for his
destiny to arrive." [ ... ] For nearly two years he waited and suffered in London, and
destiny stayed away." (160) John is in awe of the country and its people where he has
chosen to seek his destiny. "Here he is, an undistinguished graduate from a second
class university in the colonies, being permitted to address by first name, .... men who,
once they get talking, leave him dizzied in their awake." (157) But eventually, the
despondence does creep in. The nostalgia for the warmth of his native land and his
family is palpable. The regret is obvious but he has come too far to retract now. He is
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well aware that like his friend Ganapathy who will meet a sad and forlorn end, he too will
fade away into oblivion.
With reference to Slow Man, the notion of "ambivalence" comes into effect when we
identify the "ideologeme" in which the novel operates. Slow Man like the other novels
discussed here, articulates the larger concerns of communities that have been
compelled to relocate. Members of such communities may be sincere in their efforts to
integrate themselves into the fabric of the new nation, but their souls long for the
country of their origin. In the new country the landscape, the language, the people and
their customs and traditions all seem alien to the immigrants. Coetzee makes effective
use of the medium of the novels to voice the universal concerns of humankind. Taking
this further, one can state that Coetzee is presenting the darker side of colonialism. It
has robbed the natives of their inherent privileges; while at the same time uprooted the
colonizer from his/her own land. This has led to a disharmony between the two groups.
This is very pronounced in Disgrace, while shades of the acrimony are visible in the
relationship that Rayment shares with the Jokics.
Critics have laid emphasis on the contextualization of a literary text as one of the
primary means by which intertextuality becomes operational. Roland Barthes has
presented a new perspective wherein he has probed the possibility of the co-existence
of various languages in the literary text. This has been discussed as a form of
intertextuality. If a particular character uses a particular language as the medium of
communication, the message can be truly captured in the language in which it has been
originally stated. By restoring to translation, the essence will be lost. The authenticity
can be retained by the original language. By integrating another language in to the body
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of the text, the writer is not merely adding variety to the mosaic of the text but also
expanding its boundaries to include other languages as well. In Slow Man, J.M.Coetzee
makes effective use of this intertextuality of languages (as I would term it).
The protagonist Rayment hails from France but was compelled to move to Australia.
But at heart he was a Frenchman. He was never at ease in the foster land. Rayment's
indifference extended not only to the nation but to the language as well. French is his
mother tongue- both in the literal and metaphorical sense of the word. He was born in
France and had spent his early childhood there. His mother was therefore
understandably well versed in the native tongue. As Rayment was to reveal later to
Elizabeth Costello, his mother could never really master the English language. It
proved too difficult for her.
Although Rayment was rather comfortable in communicating in English, words from
the French inadvertently crept into English. He always employed words from the
French lexicon to express his deepest emotions. While fondly recalling the time he
spent with his friend Roger in France, Rayment states that he was the best friend he
ever had, "the best copain". (196) Elsewhere, he states that his cousins back in France
were very clear about what "metier" they would follow later in life. French seemed to
flow in his blood as it were. He recounts every word uttered by his mother and
stepfather while they were in France. His mother reprimanded him thus for his
misbehaviour, " 'Allez, les enfants, soyez sages!' " (240)
In a mocking tone he describes his stepfather's misadventures to Elizabeth Costello.
His stepfather was the only person in Ballarat who owned a Renault van. Although he
seemed proud of this possession, his quaint manner of driving was the target of the
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outrage of the other travellers. He always drove very slowly oblivious to the endless
hooting of the other cars. His stereotypical response to this display of irritation by the
fellow drivers was, " 'lis sontfous. lis gaspillent de I'essence!'" (240) Thus, Rayment's
fondest memories were associated with France and the French language. The English
language never truly belonged to him. Costello is quick to identify he rather unnatural
manner in which Rayment converses in English. "As you speak I swear I can hear
words being selected, one after the other, from the word-box you carry around with you,
and slotted into place. That is not how a true native speaks, one who is born into the
language." (230, 231) On his part Rayment justifies his stand. "I speak English like a
foreigner because I am a foreigner. I am a foreigner by nature and have been a
foreigner all my life." (231)
Intertextuality is not a simple comparison of literary texts. It lends itself to a great
deal of complexity. It operates at two levels in a literary text. At the primary level, it
involves references and/or allusions to other texts. It may also incorporate quotations
from other literary texts. At the secondary stage, it provides for the display and
functioning of various historical discourses. The text per se of Slow Man, becomes
meaningful when read in the light of Elizabeth Costello. Beyond this, the thematic
allusion to the earlier novels has been listed previously. Perhaps the most intriguing
case of intertextuality that the novel presents is the presence of the protagonist of the
older novel- Elizabeth Costello.
After having discussed Elizabeth Costello's part in Paul Rayment's life, the question
that follows is, why does the novelist use the strategic device of employing a character
from his earlier work. A recapitulation from the previous chapter on Elizabeth Costello
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will help us understand that Costello was a lonely person. She never found solace in
her marital life and had a fragmented existence. If Rayment spent his time cloistered in
his flat, endlessly ruminating about the past, so did Costello. Similar to Rayment, hers
was a journey into her psyche. Like Rayment she always delved into the past, longing
for it since her present only offered her sorrow and loneliness. It would not be incorrect
to state that Rayment bears a striking resemblance to Costello. She is the female
counterpart of Rayment.
Both are lonely individuals with a problematic childhood, having being brought up by
their respective mothers. There is no mention of Costello's father as is the case of
Rayment. Costello's mother exercised her influence on her life. Costello had married
twice but both the marriages ended up in failures. Marital bliss had proved elusive for
both Costello and Rayment. Costello had two children, but they remained deprived of
maternal affection all their lives. Her children suffered her temper tantrums from an
early age. Her son John recalled how she would vent out her frustration on her children
and the hapless children had to bear it all. From the age of seven, John shielded his
little sister from his mother's irritable temper and provided the much needed paternal
love to her. Years later, John had to act as her chaperone when she travelled to
Pennsylvania to receive the Stowe Award. Retrospectively commenting on his
relationship with his mother, John rationalizes that he is like an ardent devotee offering
his services at her shrine.
Paul Rayment never opens his heart to anyone. He never expresses his thoughts
and emotions to anyone. The people who came into contact with him always found him
to be impersonal and insensitive. When Elizabeth Costello entered his life she tried to
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correct him on these matters. She urged him to become more expressive. "'The
rhythm of life. You have it in you to be a fuller person, Paul, larger and more expansive,
but you won't allow it. [ ... ] Your thoughts and your feelings. Follow them through and
you will grow with them.'" (158)
Why does she attempt to correct him when in fact as expressed in Elizabeth Costello
she had spent all her life in loneliness? Perhaps this is another facet of her personality
that had not been revealed in Elizabeth Costello. Or, in presenting the more vocal and
humane Elizabeth Costello, who attempts to correct the shortcomings of Rayment,
Coetzee has made an effort to create a character who is gifted with a rational
perspective and can guide others into leading a holistic and contented life. Elizabeth
Costello of Slow Man seems to be the answer to lives of Michael K, David Lurie, Paul
Rayment and John of Youth. Costello offers to become Paul Rayment's companion.
She pleads with him to allow her to stay with him or move to Melbourne where she lives.
There she promises to take care of him. She implores him to share his last days with
her so that they could together give a respectable end to each others lives.
In putting forth this proposition, perhaps J.M.Coetzee is insinuating at the fact that if
Magda, Michael K, David Lurie, Paul Rayment and John of Youth had made a sincere
effort to find true companionship, their lives would have been comfortable and
contented. They would not have ended up as aberrant individuals but would have
integrated themselves into the mainstream of life, without nursing any grouse against an
individual or society at large. Companionship would have bestowed them with the
ability to face and brave the harsh realities of life with fortitude.
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The intertextual relationship shared between Slow Man and Elizabeth Costello is a
powerful one. The former novel seems to hold pertinent answers to the queries that
arise in the minds of the readers while reading the latter. The enigma that is Elizabeth
Costello reveals shades of her personality in her interaction with Paul Rayment. If the
plot of the novel is enacted by Paul Rayment, Elizabeth Costello seems to play the part
of the critic. In a certain sense she can also be termed as the "scriptor" of the life of
Rayment. In an unabashed manner Costello went about her role as the enforcer of the
moral norms of society. Impervious to Rayment's antagonistic behaviour she stringently
implemented these norms and unhesitatingly brought him back to this path when he
veered away from it. This can be identified as a case of strong intertextuality as
outlined by Laurent Jenny.
A distinction has been made between intertextuality and inter-textuality. Based on
this classification Slow Man can be included in the former category. It cannot be
grouped under the nomenclature of inter-textuality since it is not a re-working of another
work. The allusions to the earlier novels of J.M.Coetzee are discernible in the narrative
of Slow Man. Therefore it conforms to the definition of intertextuality.
Paul Rayment seems to consistently inhabit the past. He seems to be forever
nostalgic. This tendency can be explained by employing psychoanalytical techniques.
One needs to identify the factors that led to the alteration of the outlook of Rayment.
The loss and despair caused by his parents remained deeply etched in his mind and
heart and left him a very bitter person for life. Primarily, he is always indeterminate
about his nationality. He is forever in a dilemma whether he was a French national or
an Australian. His maternal relatives in France never accepted him as one of their kind,
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while he felt alienated in Australia. What he desired he could never obtain, while what
was undesired came his way. The sense of rootlessness permeated his being and his
memories were the only possessions he treasured. Consequently, it does not come as
a surprise when he seems to be obsessed with the past. Since he was deprived of the
supportive network of his friends and family, he withdrew from society. But the longing
for true affection remained insatiable and a few words of care and concern were
perceived as true love by Rayment. He rushed headlong into the relationship with
Marijana without sparing a thought to the consequences.
Rayment's choice of a career was dictated by his mother. She wanted her children
to take up jobs that would keep them "safe". Rayment's deep-seated feeling of
homelessness can be traced to his mother. Her second husband had snapped all her
ties with her family and she wanted a secure future for her children. Narrating this
sequence of events to Costello, Rayment recalls his mother's plans for her children.
Her aspiration was that, "[ ... ] we find some safe niche for ourselves in this foreign land
where the man she had followed, God knows why, was retreating more and more into
himself, where we had no family to fall back on, where she floundered in the language
and could not get a grip on local ways of doing things." (195) This accounts for her
insecurity and why she earnestly desired respectable jobs for her offspring.
Rayment did not disregard his mother's concerns and hence took up science that
seemed a safe bet. His mother's death left him very lonely with nobody to fall back
upon. He quit his job and returned to his maternal grandmother in France. It was there
that he took up a job in a photography lab. This marks the beginning of his abiding
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interest in photography. He had some rare photographs that he treasured and intended
to donate them to a museum.
Rayment is deeply disconcerted when Drago steals one such photograph. In this
state he even overlooks his adoration for Marijana. The indignation finds its expression
in the form of helpless tears. Directing his ire at the Jokics, he terms them as "gypsies".
Nothing seems to matter to him and he is willing to do anything to get back his prized
possession. He even braces himself for a confrontation with Miroslav and Marijana.
Marijana makes her displeasure very clear to them about having barged in suddenly.
The resentment that she had felt all along against Rayment's overtures seemed to have
found the opportunity to find its expression now. She is severely critical of his offer to
sponsor Drago's education. She fiercely rebuts the charge leveled against Drago. She
attributes Rayment's unreasonable behaviour to his loneliness. "'You a good man,
Paul. But you get too lonely in your flat- you know what I mean. [ ... ] So maybe you get
negative too in your flat." (250) Her insinuation is that he has been so lonely all his life
that he is susceptible to become emotionally dependent on anyone who offers a loving
word to him.
Marijana reprimands Rayment about his decision to become Drago's godfather.
"Forget godfather too. Is no good idea, godfather is not realistic like. Because where
he lives, this godfather?" (251) Marijana even welcomes the idea of Elizabeth Costello
living with him. She suggests that Costello's presence will dispel the gloom that has
overshadowed his life. This encounter with the Jokics drove the final wedge between
him and Marijana. He was besotted by her but she had outlined her priorities and
clearly indicated that he did not figure in them. On his part, Rayment was unable to
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absolve Drago for the mistake that he had committed. This helped him override his
passion for Marijana and marked the unceremonious end to their relationship.
Rayment was a private person. He always preferred to keep to himself, shunning
the outside world. When Paul Rayment ignores all her overtures, Elizabeth Costello
warns him that he would have to spend the remaining days all by himself, lonely and
miserable. "'If you stay on in Adelaide, I foresee only nurses, a gallery of nurses, some
pretty, some not so pretty, none of whom will come near to touching your heart as
Marijana Jokic has done. If you come to Melbourne, on the other hand, there will be
me, faithful old Dobbin.''' (260) However, Rayment remains unmoved.
The character of Paul Rayment is a multi-layered one carrying traces of the
personalities of the characters of other novels of J.M.Coetzee. He is very truly the "slow
man" that takes the various names of Michael K, Friday and David Lurie. The slowness
represents the deficiencies in these characters, that makes them rather unsuitable for
the cunning, ruthless world. Failing to negotiate their way successfully through this
world, their lives are a relentless journey in the search for true love that has eluded
them all their lives. In Slow Man, Coetzee seems to acknowledge the fact that he is
indeed a "slow man" due to the constraints that age has imposed upon him. The events
of the world continue to remain inexplicable as ever. "Slow Man" is perhaps a metaphor
for the world. A world whose movement towards a life of peace and contentment for all
is debilitated by its disinclination to seeking solutions to its self-inflicted concerns.
J.M.Coetzee reiterates the fact it is not a radical change that can alter the course of
human history but simple alterations in the attitude towards feliow- beings. This
becomes relevant to the debates about vegetarianism, imperialism, apartheid, the
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aftermath of this racial discrimination, terrorism, apathy of the state towards various
sections of society. The novel marks the coming together of the intertextual techniques
that have been previously employed.
Diary of a Bad Year is the culmination of his entreaties for sensitivity to human
issues. Most of his previous novels do carry a record of the events that have been the
cause of suffering. In this latest novel, Coetzee seems to state yet again that this has
been once again a "bad" year as the previous ones. If the earlier novels have been a
subtle rendering of the ideas of the novelist, this has been a terse expression. Coetzee
presents the facts in all their starkness without any effort at making it sound pleasing.
The present research has broken new ground with respect to the fiction of Coetzee.
It has been successful in not merely identifying the commonalities that guide his fiction
but also explicate them in addition to probing into the causative factors thereby
predicting the possible results. On the periphery his 'fiction may seem to incorporate a
lot of diversity. But a close reading will gradually unveil the identical features
camouflaged beneath it.
Consequent to this intertextual study, I find that Coetzee's preoccupation in most of
his novels is the overwhelming aspiration to overthrow all the undesirable elements of
society. These include the need to correct the imbalances at all levels of society.
Coetzee makes a call for the upliftment of the indigenous people who have been
exploited in their own land by alien authorities. These include the Vietnamese, the
Bushmen and the Hottentots, and the Aborigines of Australia, to name a few.
The outcome of the detailed analysis of Coetzee's fiction is that, on his part he
carries the burden of guilt for the untold misery and exploitation that has been
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unleashed on the colonized people by the colonizers. This guilt and the innate
sensitivity that he bears towards the Blacks find their expression in his works. Perhaps
in his opinion a single text cannot voice the feelings of the Blacks who have been stifled
for a long time indeed. Hence his works carry the same themes as a grim reminder to
the world that now we need to focus our attention on this downtrodden lot. The best
possible means to do so is by reworking the earlier famous texts.
Michael K and Friday represent the case of the physically challenged and the apathy
of society towards them. The indifference gnaws at the very being of these individuals.
Michael puts up a brave fight up to a certain point before he fails. But despite Susan
Barton's sincere efforts, Friday is beyond redemption as it were. By describing the
loving care and concern shown by the Magistrate towards the Peasant girl, the novelist
wishes to exemplify the attitude that needs to be shown towards the disabled. Coetzee
also makes a case for the aged and the infirm. By depicting their plight he states that
they deserve a respectable life and not neglect and callousness. To drive home his
point the novelist sketches the characters of Anna K, the Magistrate, Elizabeth Costello
and Paul Rayment.
Coetzee also speaks on behalf of the lot of women in general. Hence the characters
of Magda, Michael K's mother Anna, Susan Barton, Anna Sergeyevna Kolenkina and
her daughter Matryona of Master of Petersburg, the tribal girl of Waiting for the
Barbarians, Lucy, Elizabeth Costello and Marijana Jokic of Slow Man. The Finnish girl
in Master of Petersburg, who willingly sacrifices her life for the cause of Nechaev, and
Mariana of Slow Man typify the struggle for an identity of the women from the less
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affluent nations. Marijana hails from Croatia and for her life is a virtual battle having to
encounter odds at every front. .
Absolute power rests with the Coetzee of The Vietnam Project, Nechaev, David
Lurie and Paul Rayment. They are blinded by this and destroy the lives of the people
they control with complete recklessness. l\Jechaev propagated his ideology with
ruthlessness and did not hesitate to use violence to achieve his end. Each of the
characters listed above shows various degrees of aggression.
Another rather peculiar case that J.M.Coetzee chooses to highlight in his novels is
what I would term as "reverse apartheid". It can be described as a situation where the
Whites are the victims of their own laws of racial segregation. This is best illustrated
with reference to Magda, the Magistrate and Colonel Joll of Waiting for the Barbarians;
and David Lurie with his daughter Lucy. These characters serve to ring the alarm bell
for the world. It is as if J.M.Coetzee is giving a clarion call that we need to wake up
before the situation goes out of hand.
If there is one theme that ties up all the novels, it could perhaps be described as the
eternal quest for an identity. Every character does not rest content with his/her state of
life. Each of them is actively engaged in a tussle, grappling with all the various
constituents of life in order to figure out what he/she is and what is the ultimate mission
of his/her life. Even the seemingly docile Michael K is satisfied when he realizes that he
is a gardener. J.M. does not create incomplete characters who merely wander in and
out of his novels. Even the minor characters are "well-rounded" (to use a
nomenclature), lending a completeness to the tales. It is to be noted that all of them are
firm in their convictions and stand by them. For instance, Hendrik of In the Heart of the
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Country and Petrus of Disgrace are able to handle their respective White mistresses to
their advantage and lead their lives on their own terms. Similarly Matryona, Anna
Kolenkina's child in Master of Petersburg is very clear in her admiration for Nechaev.
J.M.Coetzee's novels echoing each other thematically, the narrative techniques he
employs are varied. Perhaps the most common strategy he utilizes is the continual re
working of the texts. The texts duplicate each other perpetually. This serves as a ploy
of reinforcement. It introduces the sense of urgency. It is an expression of his
underlying preoccupation and concern. This does not grant him the freedom to explore
newer themes and techniques.
Despite this constrain J. M. 's fiction continues to be hard-hitting and brilliant. His
fiction is not comforting. It does not have a feel-good factor to it. This is because he
presents the truth in all its morbidity. This is done intentionally in order to ensure its
effectiveness. Perhaps an effort to mask the unpleasantness would have diluted the
effect and moved it away from reality to the world of make-believe. Coetzee does not
seek to create/depict Utopia. He expresses his deep anguish. The world is his
audience. His voice is the voice of the peoples of the world at large. What is significant
about this stark representation is that the novelist does not offer any solutions. His role
is merely to portray the problems. In this task J.M. does not ever digress, albeit there
may be an alteration in the intensity of the violence described. It may oscillate between
the subtle descriptions of the helplessness of the aged Paul Rayment to the depressing
vividness of the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. On a similar note the
advocacy for change may alternate between the subtle, discrete manner or it may be
indiscriminate. The former may be seen in the Magistrate's gentle remonstration to
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Colonel Joll to heed to the pleas of the "barbarians". In contrast to this is Nechaev's
directive to Pavel to eliminate all such people who were detrimental to his cause. The
former could perchance be implicated in the mysterious death of Pavel since he was
perceived as a threat to the organization spearheaded by Nechaev. The same violence
is used by Nechaev against Dostoevsky when he arrives to probe the death of his step
son Pavel. Nechaev is filled with detestation against those whom he considers the
wrong-doers.
Having analyzed his fiction we are filled with anxiety about the possible reasons that
have led Coetzee to display a steadfast adamancy in shying away from the more
pleasant presentation of facts. The cause that can be cited for this is the hostility that
...I.M. has faced in his own life. He does make appearances in his novels; as the boss
Coetzee in Dusklands, as David Lurie of Disgrace, Paul Rayment in Slow Man and as
Senor C in Diary of a Bad Year. Coetzee was in America while the Vietnam war was
waging and if the boss Coetzee aligns himself with the American interests, then it is an
indicator of ...I.M.Coetzee's as yet unclear allegiances. When J.M. describes the plight of
the bereaved Dostoevsky he is projecting his own sorrow at the sudden inexplicable
loss of his young son in the prime of his youth. He was associated as a Professor with
the University of Cape Town as is David Lurie; and Paul Rayment is Coetzee himself
who has taken on Australian citizenship. Senor C of Diary of a Bad Year is once again
Coetzee himself. This leads us to conclude that Coetzee's fiction is not altogether
imaginary. To a major extent it is based on the facts of his life. This also explains the
repetition of the themes.
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Coetzee's latest novel, Diary of a Bad Year sets a new benchmark vis-a-vis his
previous novels. It discusses the intellectual involvement of a distinguished Australian
writer. He has undertaken to contribute his views on issues that ail the present world.
He is part of a panel of six writers who have decided to express their observations on
debatable topics of their choice. These are to be culled together to form the book
Strong Opinions. The "diary" is divided into two parts. The first half is "Strong
Opinions"; while the second half is the "Second Diary". The former records his life from
1ih September 2005 to 31 st May 2006. The writer seeks the assistance of a young
woman Anya whom he meets in the laundry-room of his apartment. She is also a
resident of the same apartment. She lives there along with her boyfriend Alan. Anya
has left her previous employment and is on the lookout for a new one. This is the time
when the writer takes her on to help him type his manuscript. Anya refers to him as
Senor C.
The structure of the novel itself is rather intriguing. Initially each page is split into two
parts. The first part carries his writing or rather the material that he is to send for the
book. The second part offers insights into his emotions with respect to Anya. Later
each page is divided into three parts. The newly introduced third part carries Anya's
ideas and feelings.
It is the first part of every page that holds our interest, presenting a collage of
J.M.Coetzee's beliefs on myriad topics that seem to make him disconcerted. The novel
seems to mark the nadir of his despair at the irrevocable damage that has been done to
SOCiety by the senseless violence of a handful. Recalling his earlier novels, this present
work is also contemporarily relevant, wherein Coetzee comments about those issues
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that have been a cause for concern for the world at large. Coetzee is flummoxed by the
ideology that goads the suicide bombers into laying down their lives ever so readily. He
tries to find out the role they played in the war that America waged C1gainst Vietnam and
in the Palestinian-Israeli civil war. Coetzee also states that AI Qaida has been
disbanded and it is the U.S. government that is trying to keep it alive falsely for its own
evil designs. He recalls the humiliation to which the Iraqi prisoners were subjected to in
the Guantanamo Bay prisoner camp.
Coetzee also brings into his ambit litigious matters like paedophilia, the slaying of
animals and bird flu. But probably the chief area that gets the maximum attention from
the novelist is that of the function of the state. With relevance to this he touches upon
lawlessness and democracy. Coetzee's pen utilizes a very wide canvas and it spreads
across the globe. With consummate ease he details the life of Tony Blair, makes a brief
mention about Harold Pinter before moving onto cricket and his reasons for having
taken a liking for Australia.
The primary endeavour of this research being the detailing of intertexuality in
Coetzee's fiction, Diary of a Bad Year also stands apart for its intertextual features.
There is a sense of deja vu as we read the novel. The present novel clearly articulates
all that Coetzee has been stating in rather understated tones. His shame and guilt for
being a white South African and the distress he has experienced at seeing the Blacks
are stated here. He is apologetic, stating that the generations of white South Africans
"will go bowed under the shame of the crimes that were committed in their name.
Those among them who endeavour to salvage personal pride by pointedly refusing to
bow before the judgement of the world suffer from a burning resentment, a bristling
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anger at being condemned without adequate hearing, that in psychic terms may turn out
to be an equally heavy burden." (44)
Vietnam echoes through his fiction and it continues here too. Similarly the ill-will
earned by America finds an expression here. It is an America "that has proclaimed itself
beyond the reach of the law of nations." As for those who have suffered at the hands of
this superpower, "Their plea thus becomes in effect a curse; let the memory of the
wrong that has been done to us not fade away, let punishment be visited on the
wrongdoer in generations to come." (48) There are resonances of Elizabeth Costello
when Coetzee narrates details of the of the visit of an eminent woman novelist who
attends a lecture by a renowned Professor X and how she gets to know the shocking
fact that he has been treated very shabbily.
Coetzee deliberates at length about the sense of alienation he experiences with the
English language. Despite the fact that it is the language he is most familiar with, he is
not completely at home with it. As he hears himself use English there arises "a
disquieting sense that the one I hear is not the one I call myself. Rather, it is as though
some other person, [ ... ] were being imitated, followed, even mimicked." (195) A similar
sentiment was voiced in Slow Man. J.M.Coetzee's heart has always gone out for the
Jews and this empathy is reiterated here as it was done in Elizabeth Costello. On the
same lines Anya's steadfast concern for Senor C brings to mind Elizabeth Costello's
constant desire to take care of Paul Rayment. Anya requests a neighbour Mrs.
Saunders to telephone her if there was to be an emergency with respect to Senor C. "It
is not as if I can do much for him- I am not a nurse- but I don't like to think of him all
alone, facing, you know, the end." (222) Eugene Dawn, Magda, David Lurie, Elizabeth
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Costello and Paul Rayment- all these characters are found bidding their time, waiting for
death to put an end to their rather dissatisfied lives. Abiding by this tradition, Senor C is
also well aware that death may soon come calling. Hence, he re-reads The Brothers
Karamazov and is unable to hold back his tears when he reads how Ivan returns the
ticket of entry to the universe. The novel closes on the note when Anya will give him a
"proper kiss, just to remind him of what he is leaving behind. Good night, Senor C, I will
whisper in his ear: sweet dreams, and flights of angels, and all the rest." (227)
Thus, this intertextual study has its bearings in the larger socio-political world. This
is a testimony to the fact that literature cannot be divorced from reality. To state this
differently, literature is not altogether fictional. It is inspired from reality and opens our
eyes to those rather unpleasant facts that we would like to keep hidden. J.M.Coetzee
shakes us out of our complacence and compels us as it were to face the grim reality.