M.A. / This dissertation investigates the work of black women poets in South Africa during the period 1970 - 1991, within the context of race and gender politics. The period 1970 - 1991 represents the approximately two decades in which black poetry became recognised as an important development in South African literary studies. Although several studies of the work of black male poets have been written, hitherto no substantial study of the writings of black women poets, in particular, has been undertaken. Although relatively few black women poets published their work during this era, when compared to their male counterparts, this critical survey will attempt to give a broad overview of the poetry black women produced. Focusing on poetry written in English, this dissertation will argue that the majority of black women poets writing during this period harnessed their writing to the anti-Apartheid or liberation struggle in South Africa. Many of these poets regarded their writing as a 'cultural weapon' which could contribute to political transformation, and although few regarded themselves as 'feminist' poets, their poetry reveals a deep concern with gender oppression as well as racial and class oppression. Chapter one, the introduction, focuses on the way in which black South African women poets have been largely ignored, neglected and 'silenced' by the majority of critics. This chapter will also consider some of the factors that may have prevented more black women from producing and publishing poetry: social factors such as education, literacy and access to publication will be explored. The second chapter explores the emergence of South African 'protest poetry', and focuses on the poetry of Jennifer Davids and Gladys Thomas in relation to the 'protest' tradition. It will be argued that while poet Gladys Thomas defined her writing in terms of 'protest' literature, Jennifer Davids produced a more introspective, personal poetry that was primarily concerned with the difficulties of 'finding an individual voice' in the South African environment. The third chapter focuses on the more intensified phase of 'protest poetry' which was produced after 1976 by the growing culture of literary activism in the black townships, and will show how women poets write of the suffering specific to township women. This chapter will also focus on an analysis of gender oppression within the poets' own homes and communities, as well as celebrations of political activities by women. In particular, this chapter concentrates on women's poetry published in the literary magazine, Staffrider, established to promote the work of black writers. The Trade Union Movement was a major influence on literary production during this time, as we shall see from the 'worker poetry' produced by many women in the 1980s. Chapter four will concentrate on the poetry produced by black South African women in exile, most of whom were active in the ANC. It will be argued that rather than producing introspective poetry about the condition of exile, these women harnessed their writing to `the struggle'. This poetry can broadly be defined as 'resistance' or 'liberation' poetry. Some of these poets also explore the issue of gender in relation to liberation politics.

I uppsatsen undersöks sju psalmer som alla har text skriven av Britt G. Hallqvist (1914-1997). De sju psalmerna är ”Vem är det som kommer på vägen?” (1955), ”De skall gå till den heliga staden” (1976), ”Lär mig att bedja av hjärtat” (1970), ”Han gick den svåra vägen” (1975), ”Sackeus var en publikan” (1958), ”Ett litet barn av Davids hus” (1966) samt ”Graven ligger tom” (1970). I uppsatsen ges en bakgrund kring psalmer som fenomen och psalmerna är placerade in i en psalmbokskontext och psalmboken i en nutida kontext. Därtill är författaren, Britt G. Hallqvist, presenterad, vars psalmer är studerade i uppsatsen. Därefter är en analys av de valda psalmerna gjord, psalmerna är i sin tur jämförda med de nytestamentliga texter som är kopplade till den psalmen. I diskussionen gås alla psalmerna igen utifrån några punkter som förenar psalmerna med varandra, eller för dem längre ifrån varandra. I slutsatsen sammanfattas resultatet i analysen och i diskussionen och förtydligas vad svaret på uppsatsens frågeställning blir.