About the book
In her analysis of the South African novelist J. M. Coetzee's literary and intellectual career, Jane Poyner illuminates the author's abiding preoccupation with what Poyner calls the \"paradox of postcolonial authorship\". Writers of conscience or conscience-stricken writers of the kind Coetzee portrays, whilst striving symbolically to bring the stories of the marginal and the oppressed to light, always risk reimposing the very authority they seek to challenge. From Dusklands to Diary of a Bad Year, Poyner traces how Coetzee rehearses and revises his understanding of the ethics of intellectualism in parallel with the emergence of the \"new South Africa\". She contends that Coetzee's modernist aesthetics facilitate a more exacting critique of the problems that encumber postcolonial authorship, including the authority it necessarily engenders. Poyner is attentive to the ways Coetzee's writing addresses the writer's proper role with respect to the changing ethical demands of contemporary political life. Theoretically sophisticated and accessible, her book is a major contribution to our understanding of the Nobel Laureate and to postcolonial studies.
Editions of J.M. Coetzee and the Paradox of Postcolonial Authorship
- EBook
- ISBN 9781317111634
- PDF
- ISBN 9781317111641
Read an Excerpt
In her analysis of the South African novelist J. M. Coetzee's literary and intellectual career, Jane Poyner illuminates the author's abiding preoccupation with what Poyner calls the \"paradox of postcolonial authorship\". Writers of conscience or conscience-stricken writers of the kind Coetzee portrays, whilst striving symbolically to bring the stories of the marginal and the oppressed to light, always risk reimposing the very authority they seek to challenge. From Dusklands to Diary of a Bad Year, Poyner traces how Coetzee rehearses and revises his understanding of the ethics of intellectualism in parallel with the emergence of the \"new South Africa\". She contends that Coetzee's modernist aesthetics facilitate a more exacting critique of the problems that encumber postcolonial authorship, including the authority it necessarily engenders. Poyner is attentive to the ways Coetzee's writing addresses the writer's proper role with respect to the changing ethical demands of contemporary political life. Theoretically sophisticated and accessible, her book is a major contribution to our understanding of the Nobel Laureate and to postcolonial studies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is J.M. Coetzee and the Paradox of Postcolonial Authorship about?
In her analysis of the South African novelist J. M. Coetzee's literary and intellectual career, Jane Poyner illuminates the author's abiding preoccupation with what Poyner calls the \"paradox of postcolonial authorship\". Writers of conscience or conscience-stricken writers of the kind Coetzee portrays, whilst striving symbolically to bring the stories of the marginal and the oppressed to light, always risk reimposing the very authority they seek to challenge. From Dusklands to Diary of a Bad Year, Poyner traces how Coetzee rehearses and revises his understanding of the ethics of intellectualism in parallel with the emergence of the \"new South Africa\". She contends that Coetzee's modernist aesthetics facilitate a more exacting critique of the problems that encumber postcolonial authorship, including the authority it necessarily engenders. Poyner is attentive to the ways Coetzee's writing addresses the writer's proper role with respect to the changing ethical demands of contemporary political life. Theoretically sophisticated and accessible, her book is a major contribution to our understanding of the Nobel Laureate and to postcolonial studies.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in J.M. Coetzee and the Paradox of Postcolonial Authorship?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Literature: history and criticism > Literary studies: general > Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000
Where can I read a sample of J.M. Coetzee and the Paradox of Postcolonial Authorship?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781317111634
Who is/are the Author/s of the book J.M. Coetzee and the Paradox of Postcolonial Authorship?
Jane Poyner
Who is the Publisher of the book J.M. Coetzee and the Paradox of Postcolonial Authorship?
Taylor and Francis
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
J.M. Coetzee and the Paradox of Postcolonial Authorship is available as ebook(ISBN 9781317111634) and pdf(ISBN 9781317111641)