Postkoloniale melancholie in Ronelda S. Kamfer se Hammie (2016) en Amen

Date
2022-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis has two parts, a theoretical and a creative component. The theoretical part focuses on the postcolonial melancholia in Ronelda S Kamfer's poetry anthology Hammie (2016). The study is qualitative and an application of literary theory. Sigmund Freud’s theory about loss, mourning and melancholia is used as a lens to gain a better understanding of the losses the poetic speaker deals with in the anthology, especially the death of her mother. Thereafter, the focus is narrowed to investigate the post-colonial aspects in Hammie, pertaining to the melancholic nature thereof. The study analyses how melancholia forms the subjectivity of the speaker with regards to her race and gender due to the oppression she experiences as a brown/black woman in the post-colonial South Africa. The themes linking the two components of the thesis are loss, marginalisation, and subject formation. Amen, the creative component, is a collection of poems which deals with the poetic speaker’s experiences as an adopted, queer individual. The speaker moves through different rural and urban spaces. Various ambivalent relationships between family members, friends and lovers are depicted. The themes include child adoption, family relationships, farm life, human-animal relationships, death, sexual development, homosexuality, and discrimination.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis bestaan uit ’n teoretiese en ’n kreatiewe komponent. Die teoretiese deel fokus op die postkoloniale melancholie in Ronelda S Kamfer se digbundel Hammie (2016). Die studie is kwalitatief en maak gebruik van literêre teorie om in diens te staan van die studie. Sigmund Freud se teorie oor verlies, rou en melancholie word as lens gebruik om ’n beter begrip te kry van die verliese wat die digterspreker ly, meegebring deur veral die dood van haar moeder. Daarna verskuif die fokus van die studie na die postkoloniale aspekte waarneembaar in die melancholiese aard van Hammie. Die studie ondersoek hoe melancholie die digterspreker se subjektiwiteit ten opsigte van haar ras en gender, weens die onderdrukking wat sy ervaar as ’n bruin/swart vrou in die postkoloniale Suid-Afrika, vorm. Die temas wat die twee komponente van die tesis met mekaar verbind, is verlies, marginalisering en subjekvorming. Amen, die kreatiewe komponent, is ’n versameling gedigte wat handel oor die ervarings van die digterspreker as ’n aangenome, queer individu. Deur die loop van die bundel beweeg die spreker deur verskillende plattelandse en stedelike ruimtes. Verskeie ambivalente verhoudings tussen familielede, vriende en minnaars word uitgebeeld. Die temas sluit kinderaanneming, familieverhoudings, plaaslewe, mens-dier verhoudings, die dood, seksuele ontwikkeling, homoseksualiteit en diskriminasie in.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Creative Writing, Afrikaans poetry -- Criticism and interpretation, Kamfer, Ronelda S. -- Hammie -- Criticism and interpretation, Kamfer, Ronelda S. -- Amen -- Criticism and interpretation, Authors, South African -- Criticism and interpretation
Citation