Rape as violence in Coetzee’s Disgrace

Abstract

David imagines the rapists taking pleasure in the fact that they force Lucy in her place, who was then too ashamed to seek help. This is an example of David's growing awareness of other men's pejorative attitudes towards women. Perspectives like these reinforce David's growing sense of feminism as the novel progresses. David imagines the satisfaction that the intruders will get from not being charged with rape - and also from beating Lucy into a silence and submissiveness. Suffering in Disgrace isn’t about physical pain. Perhaps more importantly, experiencing feelings of shame and disgrace constitutes an even more powerful kind of violence. Lucy seems to get over her physical injuries, but the emotional injuries left from her rape will have a significantly longer-lasting consequences.