Summaries in Afrikaans and English / The aim of this dissertation is to analyse those poems in which the image of the knife, el cuchillo, appears in the collection El rayo que no cesa, by Miguel Hernandez. The poet manifests his all-encompassing tragic view of life by means of this recurring negative symbol. The poetry of Miguel Hernandez is autobiographical: The universal themes of nature, love and death reveal a close link between the course of his life and the evolution of his poetry. El rayo que no cesa is central to the evolution of Hernandez's poetry: it is the product of the crisis of conscience that propelled the poet toward a radical change of world-view. The book reveals his frustration with love within the rigid norms of the society of his time. The poet expresses his bitterness by means of destructive images such as knife, sword, and ray/flash, images that project the tragic fate that threatened his entire existence. / Met eietydse denkrigtings oor die literere historiografie as uitgangspunt, word 'n deelgeskiedenis aangebied van die plaasroman as deurlopende en prominente genre in die Afrikaanse letterkunde oor 'n tydperk van nagenoeg sewentig jaar (1926 -1993). Ter inleiding word besin oor die geldigheid van kategorisering van romans en oor die aard van die plaasroman as eiesoortige genre. Orie opeenvolgende periodes word onderskei binne hierdie deelgeskiedenis op grond van bepaalde perspektiefverskuiwings wat in die Afrikaanse literere klimaat opvat. Hierdie periodes word deur die volgende noemers getipeer: Die Afrikaanse gedagte (1920-1940), Die internasionale gedagte (1956-1976) en Die Afrika gedagte (1976-1993). Twaalf plaasromans van literer-historiese betekenis word sinchronies, diachronies en binne ekstratekstuele konteks bespreek. Ten slotte word 'n oorsig gebied van die historiese gang sowel as die veranderende betekenis van die plaasroman in die Afrikaanse letterkunde. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / The aim of this dissertation is to analyse those poems in which the image of the knife, el cuchillo, appears in the collection El rayo que no cesa, by Miguel Hernandez. The poet manifests his all-encompassing tragic view of life by means of this recurring negative symbol. The poetry of Miguel Hernandez is autobiographical: The universal themes of nature, love and death reveal a close link between the course of his life and the evolution of his poetry. El rayo que no cesa is central to the evolution of Hernandez's poetry: it is the product of the crisis of conscience that propelled the poet toward a radical change of world-view. The book reveals his frustration with love within the rigid norms of the society of his time. The poet expresses his bitterness by means of destructive images such as knife, sword, and ray/flash, images that project the tragic fate that threatened his entire existence. / Met eietydse denkrigtings oor die literere historiografie as uitgangspunt, word 'n deelgeskiedenis aangebied van die plaasroman as deurlopende en prominente genre in die Afrikaanse letterkunde oor 'n tydperk van nagenoeg sewentig jaar (1926 -1993). Ter inleiding word besin oor die geldigheid van kategorisering van romans en oor die aard van die plaasroman as eiesoortige genre. Orie opeenvolgende periodes word onderskei binne hierdie deelgeskiedenis op grond van bepaalde perspektiefverskuiwings wat in die Afrikaanse literere klimaat opvat. Hierdie periodes word deur die volgende noemers getipeer: Die Afrikaanse gedagte (1920-1940), Die internasionale gedagte (1956-1976) en Die Afrika gedagte (1976-1993). Twaalf plaasromans van literer-historiese betekenis word sinchronies, diachronies en binne ekstratekstuele konteks bespreek. Ten slotte word 'n oorsig gebied van die historiese gang sowel as die veranderende betekenis van die plaasroman in die Afrikaanse letterkunde. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)