Thesis (MA (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation investigates the different forms of otherness and alterity (“Fremde”) in Bulgarian born German author, Ilija Trojanow’s novel, Der Weltensammler (2006). In this novel, alterity, as portrayed by Trojanow, is read as threatening and uncanny (“unheimlich”), on the one hand, and fascinating on the other. The novel, Der Weltensammler, translated by William Hobson and published under the title The Collector of Worlds (2008), narrates the life of the historical figure Sir Richard Francis Burton. Burton, a colonist, traveller and explorer, undertakes a journey across continents: British-India, Arabia and East Africa. As one of the first Europeans to do so, Burton - disguised and converted to Islam - undertakes a pilgrimage to Mecca. Like the title of the novel suggests, Burton is a contradictory man who not only collects worlds, but also obsessively adopts the cultures of the colonised. However, this British officer’s bizarre lifestyle and unusual ability to adapt to and adopt the foreign world raises certain questions regarding the relationship between coloniser and colonised. More importantly, he grapples with the portrayal of otherness. Throughout the novel both the narrator and a writer (the Lahiya) try to put together the pieces of Burton’s life. As the narrator warns in the preface of his novel, Burton remains an enigma. His antipodes are another historical figure, the former slave Sidi Mubarak Bombay and his servant Naukaram. Unlike in Burton’s and Stanley’s travel diaries where Bombay takes a marginalised position, he comes to the fore in Der Weltensammler. Though Burton appears to become part of the foreign world, it is the change of narrative perspectives between coloniser and colonised that puts their relation into question, thereby dissolving binary opposites. This thesis begins with a general discussion of the novel and its significance within German post-colonial literature. The study moves on to a discussion of the discourses surrounding the concept of alterity, identifying one key form of alterity, namely mimicry, a term borrowed from the theorist Homi K. Bhabha. The greater part of the thesis is devoted to the analysis of the novel. The first part deals with the analysis of alterity and otherness by focussing attention on the portrayal of otherness as threatening and fascinating, the concept of mimicry, and finally, Burton’s transformation. The second part investigates the process of re-writing that takes place and the manner in which alterity is portrayed in the novel paying particular attention to the relation between author, writer and narrator. Following this analysis of alterity and its rewriting, this thesis moves to the more general question of how Ilija Trojanow’s novel, Der Weltensammler, functions as a refutation (Gegenschrift/Kampfabsage) of Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Relying on the words of Stephen Slemon, this study finally questions whether this novel can be read as another “scramble for post-colonialism”. Based on the theoretical framework developed on the concept of culture by Homi K. Bhabha on the one hand and the insights on cultures by Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski on the other, this study demonstrates how it is through the processes of revision and re-writing of literary borrowings, e.g. Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness (1899), that the concept of alterity is redefined and the novel in itself gains a post-colonial voice. Furthermore, this thesis shows how otherness is deconstructed to such an extent that it is not difference that is highlighted, but instead a literary model for the co-existence of cultures. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is ‘n studie van die verskillende fasette van vreemde, die onbekende en alteriteit (“Fremde”) in die Duits-Bulgaarse skrywer, Ilija Trojanow se roman Der Weltensammler (2006). In hierdie roman word alteriteit, soos deur Trojanow uitgebeeld, gelees as bedreigend en unheimlich, en gelyktydig as fassinerend. Die Roman, Der Weltensammler, deur William Hobson vertaal as The Collector of Worlds (2008), beskryf die lewe van die historiese figuur Sir Richard Francis Burton. Hy onderneem as kolonis en ontdekkingsreisiger ‘n reis regoor verskeie kontinente: Brits-Indië, Arabië en Oos-Afrika. Vermom en bekeer tot Islam, onderneem hy as een van die eerste Europeërs ‘n pelgrimstog na Mekka. Soos deur die titel van die roman gesuggereer word, is Burton op sigself ’n ambivalente karakter wat nie net wêrelde nie, maar ook die kulture van die gekoloniseerdes approprieer. Dit is juis hierdie Britse offisier se vreemde leefstyl en buitengewone vermoë om die vreemde toe te eien, wat sekere vrae ten opsigte van die verhouding tussen die kolonisator en die gekoloniseerde laat ontstaan. Van grootste belang vir hierdie analise is veral die uitbeelding van die vreemde. Deurgaans poog die verteller en ‘n skribent (die Lahiya) om uitsluitsel oor Burton se lewe te kry. Soos die verteller alreeds in die voorwoord van sy roman waarsku, bly Burton egter ‘n enigma. Sy teenpole is die ander minder bekende historiese figuur, die gemarginaliseerde en voormalige slaaf Sidi Mubarak Bombay en sy bediende Naukaram. Anders as in onder andere Burton en Stanley se reisbeskrywings waar Bombay slegs ‘n randverskynsel is, kry hy nuwe betekenis in Trojanow se roman. Ofskoon Burton deel van die vreemde blyk te word, word die verhouding tussen die kolonisator en die gekoloniseerde veral bevraagteken deur die verandering van narratiewe perspektiewe. Terselfdertyd word binêre opposisies gedekonstrueer. Die tesis word ingelei deur ‘n algemene oorsig van die roman en sy betekenis binne die konteks van Duitse postkoloniale literatuur. Na afloop van die oorsig, volg ‘n bespreking van die diskoerse rondom die konsep alteriteit. Die klem val hier veral op een spesifieke vorm van alteriteit, naamlik mimiek, ‘n term ontleen aan die teoretikus Homi K. Bhabha. Die grootste deel van die tesis word gewy aan die analise van die roman. In die eerste deel van die analise word die konsep alteriteit onder die loep geneem. Die klem val hier veral op die uitbeelding van die vreemde as bedreigend en fassinerend, mimiek and laastens Burton se gedaanteverwisseling. Die tweede deel van die analise fokus deurentyd op die verhouding tussen die skrywer, skribent en verteller en bestudeer veral die herskrywingsproses (re-writing) wat plaasvind en die wyse waarop alteriteit beskryf word. Deur die loop van die studie volg die meer algemene vraagstuk van hoe Ilija Trojanow se roman Der Weltensammler beskou kan word as ‘n weerlegging (Gegenschrift/Kampfabsage) van Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. Laastens word op Stephen Slemon se algemene vraagstuk gesteun of die roman beskou kan word as ‘n “scramble for postcolonialism”. Hierdie analise word volgens die teoretiese raamwerke van twee outeurs nl. Homi K. Bhabha en die Poolse verslaggewer Ryszard Kapuscinski ondersoek. Dit is veral deur die proses revisie en die herskrywing van literêre ontlenings, bv. Joseph Conrad se Heart of Darkness (1899), dat die begrip alteriteit geherdefinieer word en die roman op sigself ‘n postkoloniale perspektief inneem.Vervolgens word die begrippe vreemde en alteriteit tot so ‘n mate gedekonstrueer deurdat die aandag nie op ongelykheid val nie, maar ‘n literêre model vir die naasbestaan van kulture ontskep word.

Thesis (MA) -- Stellenbosch University, 1985. / No abstract available

Thesis (MA) -- Stellenbosch University, 1986. / No Abstract Avcailable

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates Romantic motifs in Postmodernism, especially Romantic motifs in Christian Kracht’s postmodern pop novel Faserland. Although in many aspects the era of German Romanticism (ca. 1798 – 1835) in literary history is seen as completed, Romanticism, as demonstrated in this thesis, still plays a significant role in today's postmodern literature. Even though discussions on this subject already exist, by theorists such as Blanning, Safranski and Lüthe, whose views provide the theoretical foundations for this hypothesis, concrete text investigations were yet still absent until now. Based on a comparison between themes and motifs of well-known Romantic texts, such as Heinrich von Ofterdingen (Novalis) , Aus dem Leben eines Taugenichts (Joseph von Eichendorff) as well as Der Sandmann (E.T.A. Hoffmann), and Christian Kracht’s postmodern Faserland, the continuity of Romanticism is illustrated in this study. The study not only provides an in depth analysis of the mentioned texts, but also, by means of comparison, clearly illustrates and evaluates to which extent Romantic thought has altered in a postmodern context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek Romantiese motiewe in Postmodernisme, veral Romantiese motiewe in Christian Kracht se postmoderne poproman Faserland. Alhoewel in baie aspekte die tydperk van die Duitse Romantiek (ongeveer 1798 – 1835) in die literêre geskiedenis as afgehandel beskou word, speel die Romantiek, soos gedemonstreer in hierdie tesis, steeds 'n belangrike rol in vandag se postmoderne literatuur. Hoewel daar reeds besprekings oor hierdie onderwerp bestaan, deur teoretici soos Blanning, Safranski en Lüthe, wie se sienings die teoretiese basis vir hierdie hiptese bied, was konkrete teksondersoeke egter tot nou toe afwesig. Gebaseer op 'n vergelyking tussen die temas en motiewe van bekende Romantiese tekste, soos Heinrich von Ofterdingen (Novalis), Aus dem Leben eines Taugenichts (Joseph von Eichendorff) sowel as Der Sandmann (E.T.A. Hoffmann), en Christian Kracht se postmoderne Faserland, word die kontinuïteit van die Romantiek in hierdie studie geïllustreer. Die tesis bied nie net 'n in diepte ontleding van die genoemde tekste nie, maar illustreer en evalueer ook duidelik, deur middel van vergelyking, tot watter mate Romantiese motiewe in 'n postmoderne konteks verander het. / GERMAN ABSTRACT: Zusammenfassung: In dieser Arbeit wird auf romantische Motive in der Postmoderne, im Besonderen aber auf romantische Motive in dem postmodernen popliterarischen Roman Christian Krachts Faserland eingegangen. Obwohl in der Literaturgeschichte die Epoche der deutschen Romantik (ca. 1798 – 1835) als abgeschlossen gesehen wird, spielt die Romantik, wie in dieser Arbeit gezeigt wird, eine bedeutende Rolle in der heutigen postmodernen Literatur. Auch wenn es bereits Diskussionen zu diesem Thema gibt, von Theoretikern wie Blanning, Safranski und Lüthe, deren Ansichten die theoretischen Grundlagen für diese Hypothese liefern, sind konkrete Textuntersuchungen bisweilen dennoch ausgeblieben. Anhand eines Vergleichs zwischen Themen und Motiven von bekannten romantischen Texten, wie Heinrich von Ofterdingen (Novalis), Aus dem Leben eines Taugenichts (Joseph von Eichendorff) sowie auch Der Sandmann (E.T.A. Hoffmann), und Christian Krachts postmodernen Faserland , wird die Kontinuität der Romantik in dieser Arbeit dargestellt. Die These liefert nicht nur eine eingehende Analyse der genannten Texte, sondern illustriert und bewertet auch deutlich, mit Hilfe von einem Vergleich, inwiefern sich der romantischen Geist sich in einem postmodernen Kontext verändert hat.

Thesis (MA (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The noticeable popularity of contemporary German novels set in Africa, as well as the many similarities between these novels, provided the cause for this investigation. Especially the large number of autobiographies, biographies, novels, television productions and films featuring a white female protagonist raised some questions regarding the cause of the popularity of this character. The aim of this thesis is to try and answer some of these questions based on a close analysis of two particular female characters in two contemporary German novels set in Africa. A short overview of the research done on popular fiction, colonial German literature and the history of the white woman in Africa in literature will be given. Theoretical points of departure involve a discussion of the aims and effects of popular fiction in general, as well as a look at how German colonial Fantasies, as found in colonial Literature, are being propagated by contemporary Literature set in Africa, specifically with regard to the representation of the white female Protagonist. Further theoretical background will be provided by a brief appraisal of Gender Studies and Postcolonial Studies. Furthermore, a considerable part of the research for this thesis involved the reading of several contemporary popular German novels. Ein Land, das Himmel heißt (2002) by Stefanie Gercke and Die weiße Jägerin (2005) by Rolf Ackermann were selected as prime examples for closer analysis. In this thesis the two female protagonists of the selected novels, Jill Court and Margarete Trappe, will be analysed in order to identify and interpret a pattern followed in the representation of the white female protagonist in Africa in general. A central aspect of the depiction of this protagonist is her ability to cross boundaries between stereotypical representations of both masculinity and femininity. Therefore, she is a versatile character, allowing a large number of readers to identify with her. However, her capacity to cross such boundaries is limited to a certain extent and she never oversteps the boundaries far enough in order to surpass her lover when it comes to strength, knowledge, and maturity. The conclusion of this study is that both the versatility and the limitations of this protagonist explain her immense popularity as a new literary stereotype.

Thesis (MA (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / The Deutsche Chronik, a nine volume family saga by the German author Walter Kempowski (1929 – 2007) modelled on Kempowski’s own family parallels the travails of a people seeking to wrench themselves loose from a past that is however always present. In this analysis, two of the novels of these chronicles of the Rostock middle class will be studied according to their portrayal of the question of German guilt. Thus far in secondary literature, the question of Kempowski’s portrayal of guilt in his novels has only been sparsely dealt with. The novel Tadellöser and Wolff (1971) in which the setting is the port city of Rostock in the Second World war and Uns geht’s ja noch gold (1972) in which the post-war years under soviet occupation are detailed lend themselves to an analysis of the question of guilt, as they cover a time period in German history (1939 – 1948) which is decisive in its examination. In this analysis, the question of guilt in the two novels by Kempowski will be examined according to a theoretical framework presented by two important studies on the question of guilt in Germany, firstly the study Die Schuldfrage. Ein Beitrag zur deutschen Frage (1946) by Karl Jaspers and secondly Der lange Schatten der Vergangenheit (2006) by Aleida Assmann.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis investigates counter-voices, counter-gazes and (de-)constructions of German-African identities in contemporary German literature. In extended application of postcolonial concepts it examines the way in which post-colonial views and counter-views on Germany and Africaare produced and how in the process alternative identities are created and negotiated. Analyzing poetry, short stories and novels by Black German authors (May Ayim, Ika Hügel-Marshall, ManuEla Ritz and Olumide Popoola) as well as by African literary voices writing in German (El Loko, Daniel Mepin, Philomène Atyame and Luc Degla), the thesis looks at and evaluates strategies of literary hybridization, responses to and deconstructions of the colonial imaginary, transcultural positioning and world literary perspectives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek enkele teenstemme, teenblikke en (de-)konstruksies van Duits-Afrika identiteite spruitend uit Duitsland en dié uit Afrika in hedendaagse Duitse literatuur. Deurʼn uitgebreide toepassing van postkoloniale konsepte,ondersoek die tesis die wysewaarop die post-koloniale sienings en teenstandpunte oor Duitsland en Afrika geproduseer word en hoe in die proses alternatiewe identiteite geskep en onderhandel word. Deur die ontleding van gedigte, kortverhale en romans deur swart Duitse skrywers (May Ayim, Ika Hügel-Marshall, ManuEla Ritz en Olumide Popoola) sowel as Duitse werke deur literêre stemme uit Afrika (El Loko, Daniel Mepin, Philomène Atyame en Luc Degla), bekyk en evalueer die tesis strategieë van literêre verbastering, antwoorde op en dekonstruksies van die koloniale denkbeeldige, transkulturele plasing en wêreld literêre perspektiewe.