J.M Coetzee’s ‘Disgrace’ literates Lurie’s attempt and failure of the seduction of a school girl, Melanie. This is a campus novel about the first flirtation between a university lecturer and a student. The aptly named novel suggests the possible overall outcome of having a relationship with a student. ‘Disgrace’ is written from a third person in favour of the protagonist, David Lurie’s point of view. Lurie is someone who has achieved what he wanted to in life, academically but perhaps not romantically? Whereas, Melonie Issacs, his student has yet to fully experience university life to it’s full and to achieve her academic goals.
This novel is written in present tense which gives a sense of ominicity. (I really want this to be a word, but I mean ominous) in addition to this, it also gives a stark and detached, predatorily sense to the narration. Illustrating that Melonie is the prey. Coetzee’s choice of form makes the reader feel like the scene is unfolding before their eyes, giving the sense of immediacy and repulsion. Likewise, in Vladimir Nabokov’s ‘Lolita’ the reader is also repelled by the protagonist, Humbert who is similarly to Lurie, predatory of Lolita “and I looked and looked at her and knew as clearly as I know I am to die, that I loved her more than anything I had ever seen or imagined on earth, or hoped for anywhere else.” Humbert Humbert’s character is also similar to that of Lurie, as they are both ‘creepy’ older men trying to seduce someone they cannot have. Lurie- his student and Humbert, a ‘nymph’, Delores (Lolita).
The second extract ‘Jude the Obscure’ (‘Jude’) written by Thomas Hardy is over 100 years older than ‘Disgrace’ and is an example of a bildings roman novel, following the major life events of Jude, a stonemason. ‘Jude’ begins with a ‘rude awakening’ both metaphorically and literally as his is hit in the ear by a pigs penis by one of the country girls by the river. This is something unexpected of Victorian literature as I was under the impression that the Victorians were private about sexuality and other things of that nature. The humorous action of throwing a pigs penis at someone’s head was completely unexpected. Similarly to ‘Disgrace’, ‘Jude’ is a novel about a first flirtation. Jude is a young scholar, (like Melonie) who is determined to do well in his studies who has been disturbed from his ambitions by the country girls. These women’s crude sexuality is threatening Jude’s scholarship and ambitions.
Arabella is very similar to the character of Moire in Brian Friel’s ‘Translations’ as they are both animalistic down to earth women. In contrast to ‘Disgrace’, ‘Jude’ has an omniscient narrator, giving us in site into all of the characters lives. This guides the reader to feel sympathetic towards Jude as the women are preying on him, also contrasting to ‘Disgrace’ as in that extract, the male is the perpetrator and the woman is prey. Jude doubts Arabella, but is however, curious of her. She holds him back from his ambition and deviates him from the ‘straight and narrow’, his relationship with Arabella progresses beyond this extract, but undoubtedly ends in heartbreak and unhappiness. This is also illuistrated by the initial throwing of the penis, the complete disreguard of the male sexual organ which has been thrown in his face causing a mockery. Lurie in ‘Disgrace’ uses poetic language forms and phrases with his attempt to lure Melanie into his seduction; he is fixated on her physical attributes stating that “a woman’s beauty does not belong to her alone”.
This could be considered as an attempt to control her. Very much like Rochester in Jean Rhys’ ‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ where he steals away Antoinette’s identity by renaming her ‘Bertha’ and moving her away from home against her own will. Again linking to both of these texts, Charlotte Bronte’s ‘Jane Eyre’ Jane is oppressed by her adopted family (her aunt) and is thrown into the ‘red room’ and tied down to a chair against her own will. The language in ‘Jude’ is much cruder than that used in ‘Disgrace’ ‘Pooh! I don’t care for him!” the language which Lurie uses in ‘Disgrace’, reiterates that he is a lecturer which many more years of experience and knowledge behind him than Melonie does, reinforcing the concept of him being a ‘creep’.
Lurie is boasting his cultural capital indicating the differences between them and using his vast intellect to seduce her. Lurie quotes Tennyson and Shakespeare showing that hes experienced in everything that she’s not (assuming that she’s not) including love and sex. This is deeply contrasted by ‘Jude’ where the girls do not try to charm or seduce him in any way what-so-ever. Melonie, however, must not be considered to wholly be ‘prey’ she acts in a somewhat flirtatious and playful manner towards Lurie ‘and what If I already share it?’, being inquisitive about his love life and on whether or not he has a wife. At this point to some degree the reader sees her less as a victim.
