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The thesis provides an interpretation of the poem ʺ(Taalstryd)ʺ (Lewendood, p.143) by employing deconstruction theory, particularly as it has been developed by Jacques Derrida. The main assumption is that the text is not a self-sufficient entity, but finds itself in a continually changing relationship with other texts, a relationship described by deconstructionists as intertextuality. This relationship, as it has been described by Julia Kristeva, does not only involve literary works, but also the world-as- text. In chapter one this point of view is illustrated in a discussion around the title of the poem. It is postulated that the title is not a neutral description of a period in the history of the development of the Afrikaans language. Rather, it represents an ideological concept which can be interpreted in various ways. The poem clearly lends itself to an interpretation of "the struggle for the Taal" as a struggle which has manifested itself in many different areas and historical periods within the South African context. In chapter two the discussion of the relationship between language, history and ideology is continued. It is shown how the ʺofficialʺ history represents a one-sided view of Afrikaans as a ʺEuropeanʺ language, greatly ignoring its African component. This representation relies on a logocentric approach to the relationship between language and writing. Breytenbach's poetry, like the writings of Derrida, can be regarded as a "deconstruction" of this approach. The ʺdisseminationʺ of meaning in ʺ(Taalstryd)ʺ is illustrated in terms of the poem's intertextual relationship with Breytenbachʾs ʺPlease don't feed the animalsʺ and Krigeʾs ʺLied van die Fascistiese bomwerpersʺ. Chapter three sets ʺ(Taalstryd)ʺ within the current debate surrounding Afrikaner survival. It is shown how the Afrikaner power base has been established and strengthened by way of legislation, the system of Christian National Education, as well as the creation of a nationalist-orientated history. This power base is currently in a state of crisis, in which different political groupings are continuing the ʺ(Taalstryd)ʺ

Concepts of life and death, time and self-denial are investigated in the poetry of Breyten Breytenbach, with specific reference to the similarities and differences between the Judeo-Christian and the Buddhist traditions. Biblical references in the poetry are examined, and their underlying concepts compared to related concepts in Tantric Buddhism and Zen-Buddhism. The conclusion is drawn that the biblical concepts are transposed in the poetry in order to create Buddhist concepts of life and death, time and a form of self-denial. De-sacralisation of the Christian. concepts is inevitable in this creative process. However, the primary intention of the author is not de-sacralisation, but the implementation 'of the Buddhist philosophy of life in which everything is experienced as "totally one". A comparison between the reconstructed intended reader of Breytenbach's poetry and elements of the Afrikaans reading public suggests that political comment on segregated South African society is intended. Breytenbach's poetry is compared to canonized Afrikaans poetry with respect to Buddhist influence, national protest, aspiration to holiness and transposed biblical concepts. The conclusion is that his poetry is highly innovative in these respects. In the broader spectrum of South African literature his poetry is compared, with reference to transposed biblical concepts and national protest, to the poetry of Black poets writing in English, and (where material is available) to those writing in Afrikaans. The conclusion is that Breytenbach's poetry is strongly linked to this poetry. However, the complexity of Breytenbach's poetry, and the advanced aesthetic level and linguistic code required of the intended reader determine his placing within the canon of Afrikaans poetry.

Please read the abstract on page 369, of the section, 12summary / Thesis (DPhil (History of Art))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Visual Arts / DPhil / unrestricted

This study investigates the subgenre of the birthday poem within Breyten Breytenbach’s poetical oeuvre. Throughout the now half a century of his poetic production the writer has repeatedly written poems for himself on his birthday on 16 September of each new year (as well as a smaller number to his wife and close friends) The writing of birthday poems becomes a ritualist poetical act throughout the poet’s life and poetical oeuvre, one that has served many purposes over the years of Breytenbach’s increasingly nomadic existence. This study’s scope spans fifty years of poetical output, starting with the poet’s debut anthology, Die ysterkoei moet sweet (1964), including all the anthologies up to the publication of vyf-en-veertig skemeraandsange uit die eenbeendanser se werkruimte (2014). A small literary history is offered at the outset of the tradition of the birthday poem, based in classical Roman times (Argetsinger,K 1992) and following through to modern times. After describing the reasons for the sometimes challenging task of identifying birthday poems (unmarked by dates, having to rely on inference deduced from the content, and the like), the poems are analyzed with a particular focus on their nature and function within the larger context of the poet’s oeuvre. The research is organized according to the separate phases traceable in Breyten Breytenbach’s oeuvre (Van Vuuren 2011: 46–56), describing the steadily shifting themes and motifs of the subgenre throughout each of the four phases (pre-prison, prison, post-prison and late work phases). It was found that the birthday poems cohere as a subgenre within the oeuvre. Breytenbach’s birthday poems have a distinctive character and certain identifiable qualities (ritualistic characteristics such as reflection on the self within the present, reflection on time past, evaluating the situation and self on the particular birthday. Placed against the specific context in which the poet finds himself, with a poetical and autobiographical way forward implied in the given milieu and context, psychological insights are utilized where applicable, especially in the prison birthday poems and the late work birthday poems. A remarkable new insight gained through this study is the nature of he “reminiscence bump” (Janssen, Haque 2014) which older people experience, and is identified also in Breytenbach’s late work birthday poems. This adds to and refines the understanding of the nature of late work in Breytenbach’s poetical oeuvre. A final insight gained from the research is that description and comprehension of this smaller corpus of birthday poems (roughly thirty identified at present) may also be used as an entry into understanding of the nature of the poet’s large oeuvre (comprising twenty collections of poetry, containing around 1,600 poems between 1964 and 2014), as they represent each stage of development in Breyten Breytenbach’s oeuvre.

This mini-dissertation aims to examine the way in which Breyten Breytenbach explores the concepts of home and exile in his novel Memory of Snow and of Dust. The author captures and conveys the experience of exile, and envisages through the exile’s double vision a more complicated conception of home. Through the novel one is able to observe the exilic condition and gain access to new insights. The narrative structure comprises of various discourses and illustrates the restless nature of an unsettling and unstable existence. In the Introduction the theoretical framework for this study is outlined: recent developments in postcolonial and postmodern theories, Breytenbach’s oeuvre and literary criticism devoted to his work are discussed. Chapter One examines the distressing journey into a new awareness of what constitutes home. Chapter Two inspects the restless, yet regenerative condition of exile. Chapter Three considers a more fluid response to spatiality and the concept of home through an exploration of fresh perspectives that may emerge from extreme mental suffering. This study concludes with an affirmation of the relevance of Memory of Snow and of Dust, in times in which the overlapping boundaries of home and exile are becoming a global condition. / Thesis (M.A.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Dissertation (DLitt)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

This thesis examines three South African memoirs using M. M. Bakhtin’s theories of the dialogical relationship in language and literature. By offering an alternative to a postmodern or multicultural interpretation of autobiographies, Bakhtin’s precepts, that define a dialogic, help to reframe a way of discussing memoirs and avoiding dead-ends previously arrived at by essayists in James Olney’s 1980 collection. Bakhtin’s ideas discussed here, which include the “once-occurrent moment”, “architectonic contraposition”, ”emotional-volitional tone”, “alibi”, “non-alibi”, and “centripetal” and “centrifugal” force, help to rebuild a discussion based on temporary and evolving self truth rather than fiction, the postmodern interpretation, or confession, the new-age secular spiritualism based on multicultural and politically correct standards. For this, each author’s memoir had to be examined separately and a conclusion was arrived at through inductive analysis. Rather than try to find similar characteristics, I focused on what made each memoir different and unique. Janet Varner Gunn’s Autobiography: Toward A Poetics of Experience (1982) refocused the debate over autobiography on process. The question, what steps did each author take toward writing about himself, led the discussion to an examination of the priorities each author exemplified. Beginning with Fugard who emphasized spatial, concrete, and sensory detail to help him contain his emotional life, the thesis moves on to an examination of Coetzee’s sense of justice. From the physical and intellectual world follows Breytenbach’s spiritual space-making. In each memoir, control of space is evident on different levels of experience. Articulating space inevitably leads to a discussion of boundaries. Here, Charles Taylor’s emphasis on the modern self’s need to articulate a horizon or a framework is helpful in generalizing the effect of the autobiographical process. The conclusion reached is that autobiography is inherently centrifugal: it moves away from the center of cultural thinking because its “truth” bolsters itself on dialogical process which does not depend on a fixed authority but rather on communicative exchange. As an example of exchange, autobiography’s central truth is that it returns to a “unique point of origin”, namely the self, only to reconnect to the other in a potentially eternal exchange of responsiveness moving away from the center.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the translation strategy oortekening (Afrikaans for “resigning” or “redrawing”) as it is found in the bilingual context of Breytenbach’s volume of poems Oorblyfsel/ Voice Over (2009). The term oortekening (retracing), coined by Odendaal (2011), refers to corresponding parts of the Afrikaans and English versions in the volume which differs semantically but which are alike phonologically and orthographically. The argument is made that, in the context of the bilingual layout of the volume, the translation strategy oortekening invites bilingual readers to take part in an interpretative game as they read the two versions side-by-side. It is further argued that currently there are not adequate theories in translation studies to describe and understand this interpretative play. This study therefore uses theories from outside translation studies to describe the translation phenomenon in this volume and in this way provide a theoretical framework in which the unusual nature of the translation of the volume can be understood. Chapter one, an introduction, is followed by Chapter two which gives an overview of the main approaches in translation theory, describing how the problem statement would be described and understood by each. The linguistic approaches which are covered includes structural linguistics, text and sociolinguistics and functionalism. The literary approaches include descriptive translation studies and more ideologically orientated approaches. Enquiry is made into which aspects of each approach are useful to explain the volume and which are not. Chapter three applies three concepts from outside translation studies to oortekening in the context of the bilingual layout of the volume: Pratt’s contact zone (1987, 1991, 1992, 1996), Bhabha’s in-between (1993) and Lecercle’s remainder (1990). These concepts are used to analyse examples of oortekening from the volume. In the last chapter the findings of the study are discussed. The relationship between the two languages in the volume is compared to the historical and current relationship between Afrikaans and English. The chapter ends with a discussion of the variety of possible further studies based on this volume and this study. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die vertaalstrategie oortekening soos wat dit in die tweetalige konteks van Breytenbach se bundel Oorblyfsel/ Voice Over (2009) voorkom. Die term oortekening is aan Pieter Odendaal (2011) ontleen en verwys na ooreenkomstige dele van die Afrikaanse en Engelse weergawes in die bundel wat semanties verskil maar fonologies en ortografies ooreenkom. Daar word geargumenteer dat die vertaalstrategie oortekening in die konteks van die tweetalige uitleg van die bundel tweetalige lesers nooi om aan ’n interpretatiewe spel deel te neem soos wat hulle die twee weergawes saam lees. Daar word verder geargumenteer dat daar tans in die vertaalkunde nie gepaste teorieë is om die interpretatiewe spel te beskryf en te begryp nie. Die studie gebruik dus teorieë van buite die vertaalkunde om die vertaalverskynsel in hierdie bundel te beskryf en om so ’n teoretiese raamwerk voor te stel waarbinne die ongewone aard van die bundel se vertaalaspek begryp kan word. Die inleidende hoofstuk word gevolg deur hoofstuk twee wat ’n oorsig gee van die vernaamste vertaalteoretiese benaderings en hoe die probleemstelling volgens elk van die benaderings beskryf en verstaan word: die linguistiese benaderings, vanaf die strukturele linguistiek, teks- en sosiolinguistiek na die funksionalisme; en die literêre benaderings, wat deskriptiewe vertaalstudies en meer ideologies gefundeerde benaderings insluit. Daar word ondersoek ingestel na watter aspekte van elk van die benaderings nuttig is om die bundel te beskryf en watter tekortkominge elke benadering bied. Hoofstuk drie maak drie konsepte van buite die vertaalkunde van toepassing op oortekening in die konteks van die tweetalige uitleg van die bundel: Pratt (1987, 1991, 1992, 1996) se contact zone as die kontaksone, Bhabha (1993) se in-between as die (in)tussen(in) en Lecercle (1990) se remainder as die oorblyfsel. Hierdie konsepte word gebruik om voorbeelde van oortekening uit die bundel te analiseer. In die laaste hoofstuk word die bevindinge van die studie bespreek. Die verhouding tussen die twee tale in die bundel word vergelyk met die historiese en huidige verhouding tussen Afrikaans en Engels. Daar word laastens gewys op ’n verskeidenheid verdere navorsingsmoontlikhede wat hierdie bundel en hierdie studie bied.

Thesis (MDram)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The productions of Breyten Breytenbach's dramas created unprecedented (negative) reaction amongst the audience members. The themes and the representation of these themes through the use of language and images caused the alienation of many audience members. One of the main causes of alienation was the problem the audience had in understanding the text. The two Afrikaans dramas, Boklied and Die Toneelstuk will be placed in the postmodern theatrical tradition to give a methodology for the reading of the texts. The study also examines the nature of intertextuality to show how the use of intertextuality helps to create meaning. The theatrical productions bring the texts to life and therefore the study will also refer to the productions of these texts. The experience of a postmodern theatre piece does not imply that no meaning can be attributed to language and action. The attribution of meaning in production and texts like Boklied and Die Toneelstuk is not always based on the use oflanguage. The audience/reader of these texts becomes the cocreators of meaning. This study tries to show a range of interpretations and possible meanings of these texts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die dramas van Breyten Breytenbach het met die produksie daarvan ongekende en negatiewe reaksie onder die Afrikaanse gehore ontlok. Die temas en die uitbeelding van hierdie temas in produksie en in die taal wat Breytenbach gebruik het, het tot vervreemding by die gehoor gelei. Een van die hoofredes vir die vervreemding by die gehoor was dat hulle probleme gehad het om die teks te verstaan. Die twee Afrikaanse dramas, Boklied en Die Toneelstuk word in hierdie tesis binne die postmoderne teaterstroom geplaas om aan te toon hoe dié tipe teatertekste gelees kan word. Die studie ondersoek ook die aard van intertekstuele verwysings in die dramas- om aan te toon hoe hierdie verwysings help met die skepping van betekenis by die kyker/leser van hierdie tekste. Die geskrewe dramateks kan eers ten volle in die lewe geroep word in die produksie van die teks en daarom word daar in die bespreking van die tekste ook na die opvoerings verwys. Die belewing van 'n postmoderne teaterstuk beteken nie dat daar nie betekenis aan aksie en taal toegeskryf kan word nie. Die toeskrywing van betekenis is, in gevalle soos die produksies van Boklied en Die Toneelstuk, nie altyd tekstueel gebaseer nie. Die toeskouer/leser van hierdie tekste is medeskepper van betekenis. Die studie poog om die vele moontlikhede van interpretasie en die betekenis van hierdie tekste uit te lig.