This study is about examining some changes to conventions and culture in selected Xhosa drama plays. Conventions are general agreements on social behaviour. They are the customary methods of presenting the elements of the text. There are no strict rules followed in the writing of plays, but there are conventions which vary from one playwright to another and from time to time. Conventions are the devices and the features of a literary work by which its kind can be recognized. Change creates anxiety, uncertainty and stress. Adaptation of culture to some changes plays a role as time passes by. To adapt to change is to be able to manage change. Managing change demands three levels of human response namely: the individual, the group and the cultural or social context. No matter how many changes are brought, different cultures should survive the changes for the nation to remain with its nationality. Industrialisation, urbanisation, religion, politics and economy are the agents of change. Also the social environment, human intelligence and culture play to a greater extent a role in the evolution process. Among other things, this study portrays that the changing times are reflected in Xhosa plays. This is the reflection of how people live, behave or do things, and think as time comes and passes. Pattern of development is traced through time, with the history being involved in the development. Change and development are unavoidable products of human thought. Development is traced from the primitive to the modern way of doing things. A modern or developed society is viewed as being capable of handling a wide variety of internal as well as external pressures. Every time a society manages a new pressure, its modernity improves. Thus, the word ‘modern’ has no time frame, as long as there is a new development, this term ‘modern’ features in. Though the study employs Evolutionary, Structuralist, Stylistic, Formalism and Marxist approaches, the branch of the Semiotic approach, Pragmatism, plays the major role in that the meaning of the texts is one of the semiotic categories. Again Semiotics deals with the writing and the interpretation of the text. Thus communication, adaptation and relating are fundamental to human existence and survival. It is easy to notice that there are old conventions that are continuing in the writings of the new generations of playwrights. This study compares and contrasts the similar conventions of dramatic texts, especially those that have the same theme and meaning. This study shows how the existing dramatic conventions are affected by time, history, economy, education, technology and some other changes. Though the dramatic conventions are said to be continuing, they also adapt to the changing time. There are conventional and cultural aspects that seem to be continuing, but it is a ‘changing continuity’. The developments or changes discussed in this study are in Xhosa drama conventions, those of culture of amaXhosa, dramatic construction of the Xhosa plays and in the interpretation of the plays.

Olu phando luza kucubungula ifuthe lentetho ntshukumo yovakalelo kubalinganiswa. Kuza kungqalwa kwindlela ethi intsingiselo yamkeleke ngayo kutoliko novakalelo lomphulaphuli ngokuxhomekeka kwimeko ethile yentetho. Intetho njengesenzeko esinokusetyenziswa ekuyileni nasekuchukumiseni inyaniso, nethi ngokuvakaliswa kwayo idale utshintsho kubomi babalinganiswa iza kucubungulwa kuza kugocwagocwa iincwadi zedrama yesiXhosa ezichongiweyo.

Olu phando luza kugxila kuphononongo lobume bengqondo ephazamisekileyo yabalinganiswa, lujonga kananjalo izimo zabalinganiswa ngakumbi abatsha, indlela abacinga nabenza ngayo izinto. Olu phando luza kuphicotha obu bume bengqondo baba balinganiswa kusetyenziswa iincwadi zedrama ezilandelayo: uBuzani Kubawo, kaTamsanqa, uAmaza, kaQangule, uLiseza kutshona kaMbobo, u-Uthembisa noMakhaya kaMtywaku, Isikhwakhwa noBessie kaMtywaku kunye noNdiyekeni kaJongilanga. Olu thotho lweencwadi zedrama zikhethiweyo luza kusetyenziswa kwakhona ukubhentsisa ubungqondo-lukhuni lwababhali ekuzobeni abalinganiswa abatsha njengoongantweni nolwamvila lolu zobo kwindlela ulutsha oluziphethe ngayo. Olu phando lutshayelelwe ngesahluko sokuqala esiqulathe iingxaki zophando, iinjongo zophando, ukubaluleka kolu phando, okusele kubhaliwe ngophando olu, nalapho olu luza kwahluka khona. Isahluko sesibini sibonisa isithako sobuNzululwazi bume- ngqondo nezinye ezikhaphayo ezifana nenkcubeko apho kujongwa ukuba ingaba inkcubeko ayisetyenziswa na ngendlela ebangela ukuba abalinganiswa abatsha bazibone bekwimo emandla yoxinzelelo. Esi sithako senkcubeko sihambelana neso semo yokuziphatha apha kujongwa ukuba ingaba ukuziphatha kwaba balinganiswa batsha akuqhutywa yindlela uluntu olubabona ngayo bephenjelelwa nayindlela abazotywa ngayo ngababhali. Ezinye izithako ezikhapha esi sobume bengqondo seso sobudala apho kugxilwa kwindlela abajongelwa phantsi ngayo ngenxa yeminyaka yabo luluntu nabazali abaphela bebathathela izigqibo ezikhokelela kuxinzelelo nokuziphatha okungekuhle. Esokugqibela seso seOnomastiki apho kujongwa ukuba ingaba indlela abathiywe ngayo abalinganiswa ayinagalelo kusini na kwindlela oluziphethe ngayo ulutsha. Iimeko zoxinzelelo abazibhaqa bephantsi kwazo abatsha azibangelwa ngamagama abawanikiweyo na nekuye kulindeleke ukuba bawalandele ngenkani nokuba imeko ayivumi. Isahluko sesiThathu sakugxila kwizimo zabalinganiswa ze esesiNe sigxile kubalinganiswa nezigulo zengqondo.

Le ngxoxo iza kuthetha ngengcingane yokuchubeka. Phantsi kwengcingane yokuchubeka kuza kuthi kuxoxwe ngezi zinto ziladelayo: ukuchubeka lungileyo kunye nokuchubeka gwenxa, ubuso (imvakalelo), izaci zokuchubeka, ukuchubeka nesini kunye nokuchubeka namandla okanye igunya. Ezi zihloko zingaphantsi ziza kubonakaliswa phantsi kwecandelo lesibini ukuya kwelesine ze isahluko sesihlanu ibe sesokukuqukumbela. Ukuchubeka kufumaneka phantsi kwezifundo zesoshiyolingwistiki. Ingxoxo iza kuthi iqale icacise ngesoshiyolingwistiki. Ukuchubeka kuphuhla kakuhle xa isithethi sisebenzisa amagama entetho-ntshukumo anje ngokuncoma, ukuhlekisa, ukuxolisa njalo-njalo. Ingxoxo iza kuthi inabe nzulu ngengcingane yentetho-ntshukumo. Iza kuphinda ingene nzulu icacisa igama elinentshukumo ngalinye. Le ngxoxo ithi ijonge kwaye iphendule umbuzo othi ingaba ngoobani abachubekileyo kukho amadoda nabantu ababhinqileyo. Lo mbuzo uthi ukhokhelele ingxoxo ekuxoxeni ngesini. Ingcingane yesini iza kuthi isetyenziswe ekuphenduleni lo mbuzo kwaye iza kucaciswa nzulu. Kuyabonakala okokuba apha ekuchubekeni bakhona abantu abachubeka ngenxa yezizathu ezithile. Izizathu ezifana nokuthobela amagunya, ukoyika lo mntu athetha naye, ukuhlonipha njalo-njalo.

Olu phando luza kuphendla ubugcisa bokusetyenziswa kwezicengo ekutshintsheni izimvo, iinkolo nokuziphatha kwabantu. Kuza kugxilwa kakhulu kwiinjongo noxinzelelo lwazo kuba zingunozala wezicengo. Kuza kugocwagocwa ‘Amaza’ kaQangule kwakunye no ‘UDike noCikizwa’ kaMmango. Apha kwezi ncwadi kuza kuhlutywa ukuba ulwimi olucengayo luyasetyenziswa ngabantu abantetho isisiXhosa, nokuba imingangatho eyinqobo (values), inkcubeko, nengqeqesho (socialization) zidlala indima enkulu kulwimi olucengayo. Isahluko sokuqala salo msebenzi siza kunika amagqabantshintshi ngolu phando. Esi sahluko siqulathe: Intshayelelo; Iingxaki zophando; Iinjongo zophando; Ukubaluleka kolu phando; Okusele kubhaliwe ngezicengo; Ingcaciso magama. Isahluko sesibini siqulathe iingcingane zolwimi olucengayo, abasunguli bazo, nemisebenzi yabo. Isahluko sesithathu siqwalasele ukusetyenziswa kwezicengo kwiincwadi ezichongiweyo. Isahluko sesine sijonge ubugcisa bokusetyenziswa kolwimi olucengayo kwizihlobo nakwiintsapho. Kwalapha, kujongwe nokusetyenziswa kolwimi oluchubekileyo ngamadoda nabafazi, igunya, umyalezo ocalanye kwakunye nokunikezela. Isahluko sesihlanu nesisesokugqibela – sishwankathela iziphumo zophando kukwanikwa neengcebiso.

Olu phando lugqale kubalinganiswa abafunzele ukuzibulala kwimidlalo ekhethiweyo yesiXhosa. Kwisahluko sokuqala ngumkhombandlela wolu phando, intshayelelo, injongo yophando, ubume besifundo namagqabantshintshi ngentyila bomi zababhali endicaphule kwiincwadi zabo namagama angundoqo. Kwezinye izahluko ingcingane ezahlukeneyo nalapho endingabalula ekaFreud isayikho-analisisi ndinaba ngokubanzi kumabakala awabekileyo afana nokuzalwa, isini, odiphasi khompleksi nephupha nenxaxheba yakhe ekugubhululeni okuyimfihlakalo ngokuthi aphande ubomi bomntu obadlulayo ukuze kubenokunyangwa impixano ekuye ngaphakathi. Enye ingcingane esetyenzisiweyo yile ingokuzibulala nalapho kuphononongwa ukuba ngobani abazibulalayo, abaqinisekileyo ngokufa kwabo, ukuzibulala ngesivumelwano nembalelwano abazishiyayo xa umntu ezibulala. Kwezinye izahluko ndiyibeka icace intsusa neziphumo zokuzibulala kwamaxhoba, ndayiphicotha nendlela ekuxhatshazwe ngayo amalungelo abalinganiswa ngabazali babo kuba benyanzela le mitshato yebhaxa ngenjongo yokuzuza ikhazi ngentombi zabo, nayo imixholo enxulumene nolu phando ndiyicaphule imixholo efana neyothando noqhankqalazo nomxholo wokutshatiswa kwabantwana ngebhaxa. Isahluko sesihlanu ngumqukumbelo jikelele nophononongo ngolu phando.

This study aims at highlighting some crucial aspects of Xhosa drama. These aspects are of great significance for the understanding of Xhosa drama. It also aims to historicize and contextualize examinations of traditional Xhosa drama and modern Xhosa drama.

This research expresses female character portrayal in various drama works written by males. Chapter one is a general introduction that gives the key to this study, the motivation that leads to the selection of this topic; a literary review on the portrayal of female characters in literary works written by males; the scope of study, the basic composition of the ensuing chapters and the definitions of terms that are of paramount importance for this research. Various literary theories are used in Chapter two for the analysis of the research texts. These literary theories include womanism, gender and feminism which expose the social effects caused by the negative perception of females in social life and the negative portrayal of female characters in male dramatic writings. Other literary theories include onomastics as a literary theory, which exposes the relationship between the name giver of a person and the power the name gives to its bearer, as well as psychoanalysis as a theory which proved to be unavoidable, since this study analyses the personal behaviour of the individual characters within their literary environment. Chapter three depicts the general victimization of female characters in male drama works and exposes the various effects of the attitudes of male writers towards female characters in terms of gender role. Chapter four shows a general stereotypical portrayal of female characters in male written drama texts. This chapter shows the impact of stereotyping on female characters from drama works that puts them in a vulnerable position, showing that it is risky to become a victim of ill-treatment in their communities and the literary world. Chapter five deals with the psychological literary review of female characters, showing them as being suicidal and murderers who easily take their own lives and those of other people. Chapter six is a general conclusion of the works which includes observer remarks from other literary researchers of the literature.

Thesis (MA (African Languages))--Stellenbosch University, 20008. / The goal of this study is to investigate the speech act of persuasion in the Xhosa drama text Isisila sehobe by Satyo and Gwashu. The investigation into persuasive communication in Isisila sehobe takes as a starting point the persuasive strategies of Larson (1999). The study's main aim is to establish the linguistic realisation through which social aspects of isiXhosa persuasion are expressed in Isisila sehobe. The core persuasive message in this text is concerned with marriage. This study shows that some people take as their reasons for marriage materialistic things such as wealth and as a result such marriages seldom materialise or become stable, because people merely stay together for convenience and not love. In Isisila sehobe the results of such a marriage are disastrous, even leading to death. In addition, this study aims to present an account of how characters in Isisila sehobe realise premises and strategies of persuasion in authentic communication, using the framework of persuasion theory (O’Keefe, 1990).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1969. / Vita. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.