Analysis of Hegemony in Shame from the Perspective of Postcolonialism
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Keywords
John Maxwell Coetzee, Shame, hegemony, postcolonialism
Abstract
The Nobel Prize winner JM Coetzee's novel Shame was set in postcolonial South Africa. The experiences of the protagonist, Professor Lurie and his daughter Lucy, profoundly expose the continuing influence of colonial heritage and racial hegemony. In the novel, the power reversal, the fight for land ownership, and the violent conflict between whites and blacks not only reflected the complexity of identity politics in postcolonial society but also implied the criticism of Western cultural hegemony and the racial hierarchy. At the same time, the sexual assault scandal of Lurie and the violence suffered by Lucy are metaphors for the dual discipline of the body and spirit of the individual by colonial history. From the perspective of postcolonialism, this paper analyzes how colonial elites beautify exploitative behavior as the “mission of civilization” and how emerging power reconstructs the ruling order through violent means. Furthermore, against the background of contemporary globalization, this paper aims to provide critical reflection and theoretical enlightenment on the issue of cultural hegemony in global governance.
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