“Disgrace” by Coetzee and David Lurie depicts feminist criticism critical theory
David Lurie depicts feminist criticism critical theory at the beginning of the “Disgrace” by Coetzee. David believes that female sexuality is a tool to make his desires and lust satisfactions. This feature shows that David sees females like Soraya as weak and sexual object tools for him to use and dispose of whenever he wants. David’s behavior and actions show that he is a male chauvinist who believes that he can buy the affection and time of a woman. He enjoys the services of a Soraya who is an escort/prostitute because “She has heard the stories of his two marriages, knows about his daughter and his daughter’s ups and downs” (Coetzee 5), but instead, he defines her as a loose woman and compare their intimacy to of a snake. This shows that David believed that his opinions and his life stories were more critical than Soraya as he did not even know her real name.
Another instance that depicts feminist criticism critical theory is the David enforcement on what he deems to be beautiful on Soraya without regarding how she felt comfortable in her own body. Coetzee writes, “not liking the stickiness of the makeup; he asked her to wipe it off. She obeyed and has never worn it since” (7). This statement shows that David did not appreciate or respect the appearance of Soraya but instead was imposing his demands and opinions and expected that she would do as he says. The feelings and the version of the beauty of Soraya are not respected by a male chauvinist who believes that he owns her because of paying Rs400, and thus he has the authority to dictate what she should and should not wear. There is a sense that David does not respect the professional relationship he shares with Soraya but instead thinks that he can be calling her at his own time to satisfy his ego. This is depicted when he goes ahead to spy on her and retrieving her address and calls her home without considering what her life was all about because he has never taken an interest in hearing her opinion. Male masculinity is portrayed by David when he decides to sexually coarse his secretary in getting where “after that he avoids her, taking care to skirt the officer where she works” (10), which depicts an act of using his social position to acquire sexual gratification. This is depicted in his relationship with Melanie, where he approaches her with sexual intentions without regard to her vulnerability as a student in the institution he teaches. This represents the male chauvinists in society who use the financial power to prey on young women for sexual favors. The first sexual encounter in feminist criticism can be considered rape because Melanie is subordinate in the school setting while David is a senior in terms of the position he occupies. Coetzee writes, “as soon as she is bare, she slips under the quilted counterpane like a mole burrowing and turns her back on him” (22). This shows that Melanie was not enjoying the sexual encounter with David and was rather ashamed even to look at him and always assumed that what he was doing was not in the present. This shows that David was sexually exploiting Melanie, and women were nothing more to him but only sexual objects.