External Shame in J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace

There are times in life when one says or does a heinous thing-perhaps in a moment of heated discussion with a loved one, or in frustration in amongst the general public-that causes the guilty party to look at themselves introspectively and question their sense of personal merit. Disgrace, the sentiment one feels when faced with the aftermath of a committed action he or she felt was unthinkable before the fact, is a feeling that is largely universal--something most anyone can identify with. It is how one manages him or herself in the moment of disgrace, however, that determines its impact on the rest of that person's life. In J.M. Coetzee's Disgrace, David Lurie, a South African professor whose sexual relationship with a female student is exposed, feels no humiliation for the actions of his own person but rather disgrace for giving in to societal pressure after delivering an insincere public apology and tremendous shame after he is unable to stop bandits from viciously raping his adult daughter.