"Le Chant du cygne : la voix féminine de J.M. Coetzee"
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Abstract EN:
This thesis constitutes an imaginative yet analytical interpretation of three of the novels written in the first person narrative by the south-african writer j. M. Coetzee, namely, in the heart of the country (1977), foe (1986), and age of iron (1990). Its underlying theme is the binary opposition between woman and man as it is disclosed in these works of fiction, and the choice of the author to give voice to female narrators in these novels, which tends to decontruct this opposition, or at least to call it into question, is placed under examination. The approach is based on a close consideration of the images and themes developed in each of the novels studied, mainly in their relationship to the feminine imagery discussed by feminist criticism but also in their autonomous function as signs. Two major angles have been adopted: an analysis of the characters, as independent figures and as representations, and a reflection on the novels' structures, essentially for the way they shed light on the notions of time and space, the essential dimensions of human reality as well as of fiction. The problematic question of a feminine voice which may be attributed to the author is the central subject of the second part of this thesis. It is dealt with in its relation to questions of power, language, and narrative authority, based on an analysis of the inter- and extratextuality at work in the selected novels. In the third part, this question is more precisely and synthetically put into perspective with coetzee's prose poetics and narrative strategies. Encompassed in an extended reflection on literature at large, the functions of fiction and imagination are here taken into account in their relationships with the concrete world, notably with politics and history. From this point of view, the thesis tends to demonstrate the writer's commitment to an opening up of possibilities with respect to fiction writing as well as politics, or more precisely ethics - an individual moral code which could be qualified as secular, and which could eventually prevail over any type of dogmatism - an unquestionably salutary attitude as concerns not only contemporary south africa, but also the relatively short history of humanity.
Abstract FR:
Cette these se veut essentiellement un essai d'interpretation imaginative des trois romans de style autobiographique de l'ecrivain sud-african j. M. Coetzee, in the heart of the country (1977), foe (1986) et age of iron (1990). Le questionnement qui la sous-tend prend pour appui la polarite homme-femme telle qu'elle s'enonce a travers ces oeuvres, mais telle aussi que le choix meme de l'auteur de donner voix a des narratrices tend, en partie, a la deconstruire, du moins a l'interroger. L'approche est a la fois descriptive et analytique, s'attachant a developper les images et les themes presents dans ce triptyque, non seulement en relation aux thematiques mises a jour par la critique feministe, nais egalement tels qu'ils apparaissent de facon autonome dans chacun des romans etudies. Deux angles d'approche ont ete retenus : une prise en compte des personnages tantot en tant que figures independantes, tantot en tant que figures representees, et une reflexion sur la structure des romans, pour ce qu'elle apporte aux thematiques mises a jour, notamment en regard des notions complementaires de temps et d'espace, dimensions essentielles du reel humain comme de la fiction. La problematique d'une voix feminine que l'on pourrait attribuer a l'auteur est le sujet central de la deuxieme partie de cette etude, traite dans sa relation aux questions du pouvoir, du langage et de l'autorite narrative, et sous l'angle de l'inter- et de l'extratextualite propres aux romans selectionnes. C'est dans la troisieme partie que cette problematique est mise en perspective, de facon plus synthetique, par rapport a la poetique et aux strategies d'ecritures propres a coetzee. La sont prises en consideration, a travers un questionnement plus large sur le fait litteraire, les fonctions de la fiction et de l'imaginaire dans leur rapport au reel notamment a la politique et a l'histoire. De ce point de vue, l'etude tendrait a demontrer l'engagement subreptice de l'ecrivain du cote d'une ouverture du champ des possibles, litteraires comme politiques, ou plus exactement ethiques, c'est-a-dire, se rapportant a une morale individuelle que l'on pourrait qualifier de laique, et qui saurait prevaloir aux dogmes de tous bords - une attitude indiscutablement salvatrice en ce qui concerne l'afrique du sud contemporaine, et, au-dela, en regard de la petite histoire des hommes.