Feminisme en lees : Antjie Krog se Lady Anne en Joan Hambidge se Die anatomie van melancholie

Date
1990-12
Authors
Crous, Matthys Lourens
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this investigation was to provide a theoretical overview of the predominant feminist literary movements and their theoretical theses. I concentrated specifically on providing an historical overview of the major theories and by doing so accumulating them into one theoretical model. Concommitantly theories coined by post-structuralist thinkers such as Derrida and deconstruction are also employed in furnishing the reading model with a deconstructivi i-.>"": base. It proved appropriate to analyse postmodernist poetry ~<ch as that of Joan Hambidge by means of this strategy. In the second chapter I focused specifically on the poetry of Antj ie Krog until her latest volume of poetry, Lady Anne. From the latter texts dealing especially with the husband and wife relationship within the traditional marriage were selected and analysed. I focused on the three main female figures in the text, viz. Lady Anne Barnard, Mrs. Van Reenen, and Antjie Krog herself. I indicated what the implications of the marital relationship were on the lives of the characters. Often there is also a prevalent sexual rivalry within the realms of the patriarchal marriage. In the case of Lady Anne Barnard the relationship reveals the tension inherent to their situation at large. Andrew Barnard is regarded as a weak man who is subj ected to his powerful wife. This is evident from their marital relationship too. The man as instigator and head of the household within the patriarchy wishes to establish himself as bearer of that power and by doing so comes in conflict with his wife. In the third chapter I analysed the Lesbianfeminist poems of Joan Hambidge and especially those in her third volume of poetry. The codes of a Lesbian relationship are subversive in that it questions the morality of society at large. Lesbian love affairs are regarded as "strange" and immoral by the rUling patriarchal hegemony. This is the result of its undermining attitude towards sexism in society at large. In my conclusion I indicated that a feminist reading model is feasible for the reading of literary texts in that it aims to deconstruct the predominant sexist binary oppositions in our society.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie ondersoek was om in die inleidende teoretiese gedeelte In oorsig te gee van die belangrikste feministiese teoretici se bevindings. Daar is veral gekonsentreer op In historiese oorsig van die feministiese teoriee en hieruit is probeer om een teoretiese model daar te stel, waarvolgens literere tekste in die besonder gelees kon word. In aansluiting by die post-strukturalistiese teoriee van Jacques Derrida is aan die feministiese leesmodel In dekonstruktivistiese basis gegee. Dit het veral geblyk van pas te wees, by die lees van die postmodernistiese poesie soos in die geval van Joan Hambidge. In die tweede hoofstuk is veral gefokus op die poes1e van Antjie Krog en is die eiesoortige kenmerke van haar poesie eers uitgelig. Daarna is veral gekonsentreer op haar mees onlangse digbundel Lady Anne. Uit die bundel is veral tekste geselekteer wat pertinent fokus op uitbeelding van die man-vrou-verhouding binne die huwelik. Daar word veral gekonsentreer op die drie bel~ngrikste vrouefigure in die bundel, naamlik Lady Anne Barnard, Mev. Van Reenen en die digteres Antjie Krog self. Daar is veral aangetoon wat hulle verhoudings met hulle mans was en die huweliksrelasie is met behulp van In feministiese leesmodel beskou en gedekonstrueer. Dikwels is daar sprake van In seksuele magstryd in die huwelik aan die gang. In die geval van Lady Anne Barnard weerspieel die huweliksverhouding tussen man en vrou die spanning wat inherent aanwesig is, veral omdat Barnard so In swakkeling is en hy onderdanig aan sy vrou staan. Hierdie magsbalans wat versteur word, kern ook voor in die verse oor Antjie Krog en haar man. Die man as verteenwoordiger van die patriargale waardesisteem, sien dit as sy plig om oor die vrou te heers. In die derde hoofstuk word veral gekonsentreer op Joan Hambidge se Lesbiesfeministiese verse en wel uit haar derde digbundel, Die anatomie van melancholie. Die kodes van die Lesbiese verhouding tussen twee vroue is ondermynend van aard en dit gee aanleiding tot kontroversiele bevraagtekening van die heersende ideologie binne die same1ewing. Die heersende seksistiese ins1ag van die patriargie het tot gevolg dat Lesbiese liefde as IIvreemd" bestempel word en gevolglik strydig is met die wese van die ideologiese apparatuur in so 'n staat. Ten slotte word aangetoon, dat In feministiese leesmodel weI sinvol is vir die lees van tekste en dat dit veral daarop gemik is am die seksistiese binere opposisies binne ' n seksistiese denksistee~ te ondermyn.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 1990.
Keywords
Krog, Antjie -- Lady Anne, Hambidge, Joan, 1956- -- Anatomie van melancholie, Krog, Antjie -- Criticism and interpretation, Hambidge, Joan, 1956- -- Criticism and interpretation, Afrikaans poetry -- 20th century -- History and criticism, Feminism and literature -- South Africa, Dissertations -- Afrikaans literature, Theses -- Afrikaans literature
Citation