Die idioot : spieël en skadu ; Sirkus (roman)

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:In fulfilment of the degree of Magister in Creative Writing: Afrikaans, a novel titledSirkus (Circus) is presented in which the main character figures as an idiot. It isaccompanied by a perspicacious formal essay which maintains the relationship betweentheory and novel. The essay titled Die idioot: spieël en skadu (The idiot: mirror andshadow) reflects on the problematics concerning the representation of the idiot in literarytexts.The essay investigates the phenomenon of the idiot in literature according to well-knownliterary texts presenting idiots. What these texts have in common is that the narrator actson behalf of a character who does not have the ability nor the will to narrate himself. Theproblematics is viewed from a thematic as well as writing technique niveaux, accordingto insights gleaned from literature, philosophy, narratology and psychology. Theargument concludes by reflecting on the responsibility of the author and the ethics ofcreating an effigy of the idiot.The novel Sirkus, (Circus), focuses on an idiot character with webbed hands and feet,Siegfried Landman. It is an exposition of his journey to hell starting on a farm in theKaroo. It takes him through a grotesque urban landscape where he eventually ends up in acircus of freaks. The text starts with the death of Siegfried's father and is in the form of aquest narrative, a quest for the vague image of his uncle Fischer. The tale emanatespredominantly from Siegfried's consciousness. During the course of the text he isaccompanied by varioius travelling companions who each fmd a voice in the text.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University