‘A man’s scenery is other men ...’ Athol Fugard’s latest plays

Abstract

In this article an attempt is made to indicate that a subtle yet significant shift has occurred in Fugard’s work, a shift that manifests itself in the four latest plays. The plays represent, in the opinion of some critics, a movement away from the overtly political plays of the foregoing period, a movement interpreted on the one hand as a weakness and on the other hand as an intensification, a move towards a more symbolic mode. The plays are examined against this background and it is concluded that there is indeed a movement towards a more symbolic preoccupation, but a movement which at the same time involves a more markedly didactic intention, a preoccupation with "lessons".