Racism and the Status of Romance in "Town and Country Lovers" Esther Oziel College

In Nadine Gordimer’s story “Town and Country Lovers,” the oppressive force of racism in apartheid South Africa is expressed in the details of the relationship between Dr. Franz-Josef von Leinsdorf and the girl. At a surface view of their relationship the two appear to be the tragic “star-crossed lovers” separated by unjust laws. However with deeper analysis, they are separated not only by the state, but also by their individual habitus and the racist undertones that are created in their relationship because of it. Before they are even caught by the South African authorities they are separated on a physical, educational, and social level, which is illustrated in every aspect of their relationship. While their relationship may seem to be a step against racism, this abstract force is still very present in the details of their romance throughout the narrative.

One of the major and most obvious flaws in their relationship is their physical separation in the public eye. Even though they have sexual intercourse in his flat “every late afternoon” (Gordimer 84), “they never kiss when either [leaves] the flat” (85). By keeping their relationship hidden in the flat, they reinforce the racist views of society because they do not question...