Politics of Forgivenessas Justice in J. M. Coetzee’sDisgrace

Abstract

Human society has indulged in the idea of punishment and forgiveness for ages. However, both these ideas are state sponsored for the final authority to spell punishment and grant forgiveness is the State power. For without the consent of the state there can be neither punishment nor forgiveness. Hence, civilizationforageshavebeenindulgedin the idea whetherpunishment is good or bad; and if forgiveness excels penalty. David Lurie, a professor finds the idea of seeking for excuse utterly against hisego. He denies to sought for forgiveness for his indecent act of sexual harassment for he has self imposed parameters that defines if something is good or bad. The sexual conduct he conducted with one of hisfemalestudentsfalls under the parameter that such act was done on mutual understanding. However, the idea that indecency whether conducted on understanding or not still remains indecent is not considered with due regards by theProfessor. Hence, the idea that forgiveness is state sponsored fits in thecase of David Lurie for, he does not want to acknowledge that his mentality is state sponsored. The idea that punishment can change such person is absurd, for imposing of physical sanction and threat can merely torture the body but not change the soul.