Die liefdesgedig in die oeuvre van Marlise Joubert

Date
2015-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study the nature of the love poem in Marlise Joubert’s oeuvre and the development thereof is being researched over a period of 45 years. It is thus since the appearance of her debut, ʼn Boot in die woestyn (1970), until the publication of her most recent collection of poems in Bladspieël (2015). Although there are different types of love in Joubert’s work, for example the love between a mother and her child or love for friends, the emphasis in this study is on the love between lovers and specifically also intimate love. The nature of the love poem in Joubert’s oeuvre changes depending on the phase of life in which the poet finds herself. There are thus certain autobiographical characteristics in the love poems that link with the poet Joubert. Despite this the reader should be aware of the fact that there is a possibility that a verse can be fictionalised. Certain academics and critics are of the opinion that Marlise Joubert is a poet who did not receive the necessary recognition for her work and that her position in the Afrikaans literary system should be revised. Although the proses of canonization does not receive attention in this study, a main theme in Joubert’s work, namely love, is researched in an attempt to determine to what extent it had an influence on her underestimation. Regarding the last mentioned, other aspects, such as time- and sex restraint, should also be kept in mind since Joubert debuted in a time when the second feminist wave started gaining field in South Africa and because she writes from the experience of a woman’s world and body. In order to research the love poem in Joubert’s oeuvre, one has to look at the historical development of the love poem – also in Afrikaans. To define the term “love poem” already seems problematic and that is why a definition is given which, according to me, contains the most important characteristics of a love poem for the purposes of this study. It seems that the love theme in literature has been neglected by academics since the 20th century, because of its very personal nature. Yet it is a basic human necessity and it seems as though general readers really want to read about, especially erotica in literary works.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie word die aard en die ontwikkeling van die liefdesvers oor ʼn tydperk van sowat 45 jaar in Marlise Joubert se oeuvre ondersoek. Dit is dus sedert die verskyning van haar debuut, ʼn Boot in die woestyn (1970), tot en met die publikasie van haar mees onlangse bundel, Bladspieël (2015). Alhoewel daar in Joubert se werk verskillende soorte liefdes is, byvoorbeeld die liefde tussen ʼn moeder en kind of die liefde tussen vriende, val die klem in dié studie op die liefde tussen minnaars en spesifiek ook intieme liefde. Die aard van die liefdesverse in Joubert se oeuvre verander afhangend van ʼn bepaalde lewensfase waarin die digter haarself bevind. Daar is dus sekere outobiografiese kenmerke wat in die liefdesverse voorkom en wat met die digter Joubert skakel. Ten spyte hiervan behoort die leser bewus te wees van die feit dat daar die moontlikheid is dat ʼn vers ʼn fiksionalisering kan wees. Sommige akademici en kritici is van mening dat Marlise Joubert ʼn digter is wat oor die hoof gesien is en dat haar posisie in die Afrikaanse literêre sisteem hersien moet word. Alhoewel die kanoniseringsproses nie in hierdie studie aandag geniet nie, word ʼn hooftema in Joubert se werk, naamlik die liefde, ondersoek om te probeer vasstel tot watter mate dit ʼn invloed gehad het op haar onderskatting. Met betrekking tot laasgenoemde behoort ander aspekte, soos tyds- en geslagsgebondenheid, ook in ag geneem te word, aangesien Joubert debuteer in ʼn tyd toe die tweede feministiese golf in Suid-Afrika begin veld wen het en sy vanuit ʼn vroulike ervaringswêreld en liggaam skryf. Om die liefdesgedig in Joubert se oeuvre te ondersoek, moet daar gekyk word na die historiese ontwikkeling van die liefdesgedig – ook in Afrikaans. Om die term “liefdesgedig” te definieer, blyk reeds problematies te wees en daarom word ʼn definisie, wat myns insiens die belangrikste kenmerke van ʼn liefdesvers bevat, vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie gegee. Dit blyk dat die liefdestema sedert die 20ste eeu deur akademici in die letterkunde afgeskeep is, weens die uiters persoonlike aard daarvan. Tóg is dit ʼn basiese menslike behoefte en lyk dit asof algemene lesers graag oor veral erotiek in literêre werke wil lees.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.
Keywords
Love poetry, Afrikaans -- History and criticism, Poets, South African -- 20th century, Joubert, Marlise -- Criticism and interpretation, UCTD
Citation