This thesis seeks to contribute to the conversations in the humanities about the treatment of the physical environment in the context of a global ecological fragility and increased scholarly interest in the poetry of Arthur Nortje, a South African poet who wrote in the 1960s. While previous studies on Nortje concentrate on the political, psychic and technical aspects of his poetry, this study particularly explores the representations of the environment in Nortj e’s poetic imagination. Writing in the dark period of apartheid in South Africa’s history, Nortje’s poetry articulates a strong interest in the physical environment against the backdrop of official racialization of space and his personal nomadic life and exile. The poetry abounds with constant intersections of nature and culture (industrialism, urbanity and the quotidian), a sense of place and a deep sense of dislocation. The poems, therefore, present a platform from which to reevaluate conventional ecocritical ideas about nature, place-attachment and environmental consciousness. Drawing mainly on Felix Guattari’s ideas of three ecologies and transversality along with other theories, I conduct the study through what I call a transversal postcolonial environmental criticism, which considers the ecological value of the kind of assemblages that Nortje’s works represent. The first chapter focuses on conceptualizing a postcolonial approach to the environment based on Guattari’s concept of transversality to lay the theoretical foundation for the whole work. The second chapter analyses Nortje’s poetic imagination of place and displacement through his treatment of the private-public tension and the motif of exile. While the third chapter examines Nortje’s depiction of nature as both an everyday and urban phenomenon, the fourth chapter turns to his direct treatment of environmental crises handled through his imagination of the Canadian urban spaces, exile memory of apartheid geography, war and ecocide and the human body as a subject of environmental degradation. The fifth chapter, which is the conclusion, takes a brief look at the implication of Nortje’s complex treatment of the environment on postcolonial environmentalism.

[From Introduction]. Soos die titel aandui, wil hierdie skripsie bloot verkenninge wees. Dit sal vir die leser duidelik wees dat dieselfde metode van benadering wat ek hier op sekere aspekte van die woordeskat van van Wyk Louw se poësie toegepas het, ook op ander woordsoorte toegepas sou kan word, en ook op die werk van ander digters. As 'n mens die gegewens wat jy so verkry, histories sou beskou, sou jy 'n baie interessante kykie kry op die ontwikkeling van die woordeskat in die Afrikaanse poësie. ln die beste van een skripsie is so iets egter, soos duidelik sal blyk, nie moontlik nie. Later, voel ek, sou miskien met vrug op dié grondslag voortgebou kan word.

PhD / M.E.R. Mathivha Centre for African Languages, Arts and Culture

Shi Hua is an important genre in the traditional Chinese literary criticism. The Qing dynasty (1644-1911) is the prime period of the composition of Shi Hua, the number of which amounts to a total of more than 1,000 works. Compared with other dynasties, this figure is unsurpassable. The study of Shi Hua usually focuses on one author, one school or one dynasty, and a large-scale research from the vision of area is rare. This dissertation aims to study the works of Shi Hua of the Guangdong Province in the Qing Dynasty. Starting to appear in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), the works of Shi Hua of Guangdong became abundant in the Qing dynasty. Even after the founding of the Republic of China in 1911, the composition of the works of Shi Hua was still occasionally observed. During the Qing dynasty, about 100 works of Shi Hua were composed by the authors of Guangdong nativity, while only 30-odd works are still extant. The rich content of these works demonstrates the intimate relationships between the Shi Hua of Guangdong and the poetry of the same area as well as the entire Qing dynasty. / The study of this dissertation is three-layered. Firstly the historical development of the works of Shi Hua of Guangdong in the Qing dynasty is discussed, and the information about the extant works and their authors is investigated. Secondly the development and evolution of the Guangdong poetry are analyzed on the basis of the content of the works of Shi Hua. Thirdly the theories and the value of several important works of Shi Hua in Guangdong are studied. The dissertation is divided into eight chapters: Chapter 1, the development of the works of Shi Hua of Guangdong in the Qing dynasty: in a chronological order, the development of the works of Shi Hua of Guangdong in the Qing dynasty is discussed in order to outline their literary thoughts. Chapter 2, the works of Shi Hua of Guangdong in the Qing dynasty and their authors: the authors' nativities and the background of composition are scrutinized. Chapter 3, the discussions about the Guangdong poetry in the works of Shi Hua of Guangdong in the Qing dynasty: the regional features of the Guangdong poetry discussed in the Shi Hua and their relations with poetry societies, clans, paintings, political background and the compilation of collectanea are studied, and the poetic thought of 'Tang-following' is emphasized. Chapter 4, the study in the works of Shi Hua of Huang Pei-fang: Huang's attitude towards the Qing poetry is studied, his poem creation theory is examined so as to reveal his poetic thought of 'Tang-following'. Chapter 5, the study in the works of Shi Hua of Zhang Wei-ping: Zhang's comments on the Qing poetry is studied, the principles and influence of his works of Shi Hua are deduced, and his poetic thoughts of 'spirit' and 'profoundness' are explored as well. Chapter 6, the study in the works of Shi Hua of Liang Jiu-tu and He Yue-yu: Liang's poetic thoughts of 'temperament' and 'freshness' is studies, and He's eclectic theory of the Qing poetry and the traditional poems is assessed. Chapter 7, the study of Liang Qi-chao's Yin Bing Shi Shi Hua: Liang's idea of literary revolution is studied, and his reforming poetic thought of new ambition and old style is illustrated. Chapter 8, the Study of Huang Jie's Shi Xue: Huang's construction of the history of Chinese poetics and its influence is probed. / 程中山. / 論文(哲學博士)--香港中文大學, 2007. / 參考文獻(p. 406-418). / Adviser: Kuan Io Wong. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-02, Section: A, page: 0601. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Lun wen (zhe xue bo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2007. / Can kao wen xian (p. 406-418). / Cheng Zhongshan.

Beginning with Plato's expulsion of the poets in the Republic, this dissertation looks at the often hostile, yet also symbiotic, relationship between poetry and philosophy. Aristotle's 'response' to Plato is regarded as a significant origin of literary theory. Nietzsche's critique of Western philosophy as being an attempt to suppress its own metaphoricity, leads to a revaluation of truth and consequently of the privileging of philosophy over poetry. Post-structuralism sometimes overemphasizes this constitutive force of metaphoricity, at the expense of conceptual modes. However, Derrida's notion of philosophy as play retains a balance between concept and metaphor: there is no attempt to transcendentally ground philosophy, but neither is it reduced to a merely metaphorical discourse. Finally, Wittgenstein's notion of meaning as determined by use can help us distinguish pragmatically between poetry and philosophy by looking at the contexts in which they function. / English Studies / M.A. (English)

The new dawn that brought about democracy in South Africa in 1994 and the social and political experiences have since changed the expectations of women’s roles in society. Literature is the important part of this experience because it mirrors and interprets the experience from the point of view of those who write about it. This study, therefore, attempts to examine the image of women in Xitsonga literature, to investigate whether there is a link in the expected cultural roles of Vatsonga women and their roles as characters in Xitsonga literature; and whether there is a shift in the way women characters are portrayed to represent the current social and political reality. The study employs African feminist literary criticism as a tool in critically analysing the various literary genres. It also adopts purposive sampling of Xitsonga novels, poetry and proverbs that have women characters in them and analyse how these women characters have been portrayed. The naming of female characters is examined in relation to their roles in the texts and the titles of the texts are also investigated and critically analysed to establish whether they portray any gender stereotypes. The themes of the selected texts are also examined to establish if there is any gender biasness. Both male and female-authored texts have been investigated to explore whether male authors depict women differently from their female counterparts. The study concludes that there is gender-biasness in the manner in which women characters are depicted that do not reflect the current political and social order, however, some women authors, unlike their male counterparts do not reflect gender-biasness in their depiction of female characters. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

This study pursues the quest and struggle for total liberation in post-independence Shona poetry. The study also relies on views of key respondents obtained through interviews and questionnaires. Couched and guided by Afrocentricity and Africana womanism, the study elucidates the politico-economic and socio-cultural factors that militate against Africa’s total liberation in general as well as women’s liberation, respectively. Simultaneously, critical judgments are passed on the extent to which poets immerse their art in African existential philosophy. The study is energized by the idea that pursuing the quest for authentic liberation provides a lens through which one can understand threats to Africa’s true liberation. It observes that poets and key informants largely attribute ersartz independence to internal problems. The researcher holds that it is problematic to hold a domesticated vision of the African condition to the extent that poets and other literary workers need to widen their canvas beyond fighting internal oppression and internationalise the struggle. The researcher argues that it is myopic and self-defeating to protest against Africa itself without giving adequate attention to the incapacitating hegemonic world system. Therefore, the poetry is lacking on its critique on domination. The centerpiece of the thesis is that in order to be purposeful and functional, poets need to grapple with both endogenous and exogenous factors that obstruct the march towards genuine liberation. The study also observes that in some instances poets produce cheap literature which is marked by a narrow and moralistic approach and this is attributable to the fact that poets lack a scientific vision in understanding reality. Concerning women’s authentic liberation, the commonly identified obstacles to women’s freedom are the male counterpart, self-depreciation, lack of education and culture. The study observes that women poets in Ngatisimuke (1994) and key respondents seem to approach gender relations from a feminist perspective and hence fail to situate women’s condition in the context of the history and culture that shape African gender relations. Women poets in Ngatisimuke fall short of internationalising their struggle in concert with the male counterpart such that their poetry degenerates into sponsored and misguided activism. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

This thesis is a critical examination of the poetry of S. M. Bums-Ncamashe. In his poetry Bums-Ncamashe handles poems of different categories; namely praise poetry, elegiac poetry, didactic poetry and protest poetry. He also employs a number of devices that determine amongst others, the form and imagery of his poetry. They are also used to add clarity to the meaning of his poetry. All this is discussed in the chapters numerated below: Chapter one outlines the basic guidelines to be followed in this study. It presents the aim of the study, scope of the work and method of research. A definition of the concept poetry is also provided in this chapter. The biography of Bums-Ncamashe and the influence of his background on his poetry are also part of this first chapter. Chapter two discusses the characteristics of Bums-N camashe' s praise poetry and the functions this poetry fulfils. Chapter three is a discussion ofBums-Ncamashe's elegiac, didactic and protest poetry. Chapter four discusses the devices that determine the form ofBums-Ncamashe's poetry. These include repetition, contrast, compounding, ideophones, and interjectives. Chapter five concentrates on imagery and other aspects of Bums-Ncamashe's poetry. Imagery is discussed from the viewpoint of simile, metaphor, personification and symbolism. Also included in this chapter is euphemism, hyperbole, idiomatic expressions, humour, satire and adaptation. Chapter six is a concluding chapter in which some findings and recommendations from the entire study are reflected upon. / African Languages / D.Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

Thesis (MA (Afrikaans and Dutch))—University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / The Northwestern Cape enjoys prominence in George Weideman’s comprehensive oeuvre. Weideman, who was raised in this area, explains that it is a region with which he has a strong emotional connection. In this study the representation of space will be examined with specific reference to Weideman’s portrayal of the Northwestern Cape in the volume of poetry 'n Staning onder sterre (1997). The focus will be on Weideman’s depiction of the Northwestern Cape and more specifically his portrayal of it as both a geographical space and a space of the landscape. Not only does Weideman represents the geographical space of the Northwestern Cape in great (objective) detail, he also presents the reader with a very personal (subjective) depiction of a landscape with which he has strong personal ties. In fact, it is the premis of my study that Weideman’s depiction of this space is more personal than objective. Rather than just a geographical space, it becomes a metaphysical domain with spiritual, creative and intertextual dimensions; a landscape that is accessed through memory and the imagination. Although 'n Staning onder sterre is filled with geographical markers and functions as a cultural and historical document which gives an account of an unique region and its people, this volume of poetry should rather be read as a petit histoire in which the poet’s personal convictions continuously surface during the representationprocess.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: “A verse might be complete, but then I fiddle with it again and it is not complete anymore,” Ina Rousseau says in an interview. When one compares poems from her Versamelde gedigte 1954-1984 and Die stil middelpunt with their predecessors in magazines and in her volumes of poetry, one sees that Rousseau often made revisions. Over the years her poetry has come into being like a “living organism”. It reminds one of the rewritings of Martinus Nijhoff. This study aims to discuss the variants in the poetry of Ina Rousseau, by means of a variant system that unlocks the printing history of all 253 published poems. My discussion focuses on 17 poems (at least one from each volume of poetry) that is printed in full in the variant edition. I’ve used supplement material and reception texts to give the reader a perspective on Rousseau as poet, and the involvement of other roll players. By bringing in these secondary texts I aim to situate the poem discussions and try to show that theme and textgenesis should not be viewed as separate entities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: “’n Vers kan miskien afgerond wees en dan gaan peuter ek weer aan hom en dan is hy nie meer afgerond nie,” sê Ina Rousseau in ’n onderhoud. Wanneer ’n mens dan gedigte uit haar Versamelde gedigte 1954-1984 en Die stil middelpunt vergelyk met vroeër weergawes in tydskrifte en in bundels, sien ’n mens dat sy lief was daarvoor om veranderinge aan te bring. Haar poësie, wat deur die jare soos ’n “lewende organisme” tot stand gekom het, herinner aan die verbete herdigtings van Martinus Nijhoff. Hierdie studie het ten doel om die variante in die poësie van Ina Rousseau van naderby te beskou aan die hand van ’n variante-apparaat wat die volledige drukgeskiedenis van 253 gedigte ontsluit. My bespreking fokus op 17 gedigte (minstens een uit elke bundel) wat volledig in ’n variante-edisie afgedruk staan. Ek gebruik ook aanvullende materiaal en resepsietekste om die leser ’n perspektief op Rousseau se digterskap en die betrokkenheid van ander rolspelers te gee. Deur die byhaal van hierdie sekondêre bronne probeer ek om die gedigbesprekings te situeer en te toon dat tematiek en teksontwikkeling nie losmaaklik van mekaar is nie.