Bevriending en bevreemding in Sprokkelster en Groenstaar van Marlene van Niekerk

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Amity and estrangement in the poetry of Marlene van Niekerk are investigated in thisdissertation according to various poetic aspects: figurisation, time and space,musicality, love poetry and Godly experience.The first chapter introduces the concepts of amity and estrangement by way ofcontextual definition. I shall endeavour to show, inter alia, how these two conceptsare already present in the titles of the two poetry volumes of Marlene van Niekerk,Sprokkelster and Groenstaar.Figurisation is discussed in chapter 2. The term figurisation, i.e. the embodimentof form or figure, is briefly described, followed by a discussion of figurisation innine selected poems and the manifestation of amity and estrangement therein.Chapter three focuses on time and space in the poetry of Van Niekerk and of thepresence, also here, of amity and estrangement. First the concepts of time andspace are explained, followed by a discussion of ten poems with specific emphasison the well-known expanse of South Africa, as opposed to the less well known cosmosof Europe - particularly the Netherlands. I highlight, inter alia, the contrast betweenthese two areas as well as the estrangement that Van Niekerk experienced from thecountry of her birth during her stay abroad.Chapter four deals with one of the most striking features of the poetry of Van Niekerk- that of musicality. After the term musicality is briefly described, seven poemsare discussed to illustrate the musicality therein, whilst keeping the focus on amity andestrangement.The theme of love is dealt with in the fifth chapter. The poetry of Van Niekerk is,according to Cloete (1978:173), so filled with realism that it shows little interest inthe personal. In the few love poems that are present in her two poetry volumes, theworld around the I enjoys preference over the beloved, with the belovedexperienced largely through images of nature.The penultimate chapter is devoted to the manner in which Van Niekerk experiencesthe presence of God. Six poems are analyzed to substantiate this, and to show theappearance of amity and estrangement here.The salient points of the presence of amity and estrangement and the significance ofthese two elements in the poetic oeuvre of Marlene van Niekerk, are encapsulated inthe concluding chapter.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University