Sports and dance in reconciliation of binary oppositions: “Master Harold” ... and the boys (1982) and “Invictus” (2009)

Authors : Selçuk Şentürk

Pages : 613-622

Doi:10.48146/odusobiad.1455486

View : 107 | Download : 101

Publication Date : 2024-06-19

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The purpose of this study is to critically examine the play Master Harold\"… and the boys (1982) and the film “Invictus” (2009) with a focus on their role in reconciling the division between ‘other’ and ‘self’ through sports and dance. Grounded in the scope of postcolonial studies with an interdisciplinary approach, the study benefits from Homi Bhabha’s concept of the Third Space and Gayatri Spivak’s interpretation of the Subaltern as its theoretical frame. The film “Invictus” (2009) is predicated upon the narrative of Nelson Mandela and his endeavour to forge unity among the populace of South Africa, facilitated by the national rugby team known as the Springboks. Within the confines of South Africa, the institutionalized racism known as apartheid had starkly delineated the white Afrikaners from the black populace, who were relegated to a status deemed inferior, devoid of equitable human rights. Athol Fugard’s theatrical piece, \"Master Harold\"… and the boys (1982), unfolds against the backdrop of 1950s South Africa, where apartheid holds sway, thereby fuelling the binary opposition between white and black, alongside the institutionalized animosity directed towards the latter. Nevertheless, the dynamic between Sam and Willie, two middle-aged black servants, and Hally, their young master, exhibits promise, as they engage in candid dialogue concerning life and ballroom dancing. Clint Eastwood’s cinematic interpretation and Fugard\'s play both illuminate interstitial spaces that destabilize the binary dichotomy of ‘self\' and ‘other’ upon which racial divisions are predicated. The two productions demonstrate that these liminal spaces are cultivated through the mediums of sports and dance, subverting the delineations imposed by such systems and creating a shared national identity. The study concludes that through their ability to transcend barriers and create inclusive spaces, sport and dance serve as powerful tools in reshaping social dynamics.
Keywords : Invictus, Master Harold and the boys, Spor, Dans, İkili karşıtlıklar