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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.gif7/29/2019 Athol Fugard.pdf
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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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