Allegories of power in the fiction of J.M. Coetzee

Abstract

It is suggested that allegory is a prominent literary vehicle for political dissent in contempo­rary literature of dissent, as can be illustrated especially in J.M. Coetzee's novels. This suggestion, however, requires a redefinition of our conventional sense of allegory's nature and purpose. Medieval and renaissance allegory is discussed as the background to the doubleness of the allegorical mode which emerged in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Allegory has only recently been used for the purpose of explicit social and political criticism, as is indicated in a discussion of Coetzee's novels, as well as references to works of Buzzati, Kafka, Calvino, Borges, Donoso, Allende, Kundera and, within the South African context, Paton and Stockenstrom. It is ironic that allegory has become a mode particularly suited to the novelistic expression of fragmentation and injustice, and has become an effective medium of protest against the simplifications of absolute power.

Opsomming
Daar word aan die hand gedoen dat die allegorie 'n opvallende literere hulpmiddel vir die polities dissidente skrywer in die hedendaagse letterkunde is, soos in die besonder in J.M. Coetzee se romans ge"illustreer kan word. Hierdie suggestie vereis egter 'n herdefiniering van ons gewone begrip van die aard en die doe! van die allegorie. Die allegorie in die Middeleeue en Renaissance word as agtergrond bespreek vir die dubbelslagtigheid van die allegoriese vorm wat in die agtiende en negentiende eeu ontstaan het. Die allegorie word eers sedert onlangs gebruik vir die uitspreek van eksplisiete sosiale en politieke kritiek, soos dit aangetoon word in 'n bespreking van Coetzee se romans, asook in verwysings na werke van Buzzati, Kafka, Calvino, Donoso, Allende, Kundera en, in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks, Paton en Stockenstrom. Dit is ironies dat die allegorie 'n vorm geword het wat in die besonder geskik is vir die romanskrywer se uitdrukking van fragmen­tasie en ongeregtigheid, en dit het 'n doeltreffende medium vir protes teen die vereenvou­diging van absolute mag geword.