To be Pitied or Condemned: The Role of the Self in Oedipus Rex and Disgrace

Abstract

This thesis analyzes the texts of Disgrace and Oedipus Rex to compare the protagonists and the message conveyed to audiences through the downfalls of each. To compare the two pieces of literature, I utilize terms from Greek Tragedies as well as their contemporary counterparts. Both Greek tragedies and postcolonial novels endeavor to educate their audiences through stories. When discussing Oedipus Rex I analyze the evil acts Oedipus commits that anger the gods (hubris), as well as his fatal flaw of character that leads to him committing these acts (hamartia). In my analysis of Disgrace, I discuss how David’s arrogant personality coupled with his ignorant views that linger from apartheid contribute to his fall from grace. Oedipus is a character who suffers misfortune due to no fault of his own. His suffering evokes pity from the audience since he is a righteous individual whose human error has led to his fall from grace. Where Oedipus embodies the Aristotelian tragic hero, David is the antithesis of it. David’s actions are guided by his unconscious stereotypes towards the role of women and blacks in post-apartheid South Africa. While his downfall may display many similarities to the fall of Oedipus in Oedipus Rex, his suffering reveals the dangers of maintaining attitudes that were widespread across white communities in South Africa during apartheid.