Athol Fugard.pdf

7/29/2019 Athol Fugard.pdf

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For fair use in a classroom only. Images and quotations

in this presentation are not cleared for republication.

Copyright 2001, 2009, Department of English,

Abilene Christian University.


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In the course of a night watching a

play in a theater," says AtholFugard, you can have a new

thought, a new sensitivity to

something. And if you change

people, you'll end up changing a

society.


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Biography

b. 1932 in South Africa

Grew up in Port Elizabeth, the setting for most ofhis plays, attended Cape Town University

1958 -- Johannesburg, worked as court clerk

Experience made him aware of injustices of

apartheid

Organized multiracial theater for which he wrote,

directed, and acted


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Biography

Attacks on apartheid brought conflict with South

African government

1961 -- Blood Knotproduced in England,

government withdrew passport for 4 years

1962 -- Supported international boycott against theSouth African practice of segregating theater

audiences


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Postcolonial Literature

Definition: literature from former colonies, dealing

with their gain of independence and identity in the

20th century.

Nigerian literature, for instance, is postcolonial when

it deals with escape from British control and with the

cultural complications involved.

Before WWI, European empires (English, French,

Russian, etc.) controlled 85% of the rest of the world.


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Above: Colonies

color-coded to

imperial countriesBelow: British

colonies only


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South African

History Apartheid is rooted in Whites historic drive for

control. Republic of the Orange Free State and

South African Republic combine forces against the

British, beginning Anglo-Boer War in 1899.

June, 1900 -- English invade capital of the so-called

South African Republic, Pretoria


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Anglo-Boer

War

Boers begin guerilla underground war in 1900.

British responded with concentration camps (shown here)

and scorched-earth policy.

Peace treaty of 1902 favors British. Removes all Boer

independence, forces the two Boer provinces to become

English.


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Anglo-Boer War
http://www.victorianstation.com/images/boer-map.gif


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Apartheid

1910 -- policy of racial separation introduced

through series of laws (forced menial labor, etc.)

Other laws remove the right to vote or strike blacks retain no political rights

ANC, African National Congress,

forms (disorganized resistance andliberation movement)

After WWII conflict escalates, many blacks form

strikes


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Apartheid

Whites nervous, elect right-wing National Party

and D. F. Malan (1948). Legislation begins:

Take measures against black menace

Control and regulate all non-white areas

Inter-racial marriage forbidden

Segregate everything (public facilities, education, etc.)


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Apartheid

Fugards Master Harold and the Boys is set

in 1950, as apartheid laws are being created.

Soweto Uprising (1976) -- thousands of

demonstrating pupils brutally shot. Police State

emerges


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Collapse of Apartheid

Old regime collapsed (after many years of

economic and trade embargo)

Negotiations opened door to first general elections

in South Africa

1989 -- President F. W. de Klerk admitted

failure of apartheid policies


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Issues in Master Harold

Racism: Apartheid

Social roles: powerful vs. submissive

Initiation story (coming-of-age): Will Hally accept

the same White role as his parents?

Family dysfunction: Hally as peacemaker/enabler


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Acknowledgements

Research and assembly of presentation byEmily Hardegree, through a grant from the

Adams Center for Teaching Excellence,

Abilene Christian University.

Edited by Dr. Chris Willerton.


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