Text in Afrikaans / During the past decade various studies have been conducted on the medieval bestiary and simultaneously much has been written on the life and work of the medieval scholar and writer, Jacob van Maerlant. Van Maerlant's famous encyclopaedic work, Der Naturen B/oeme (Book of Nature) has been thoroughly investigated in recent literary studies, though little has been done to identify this work as encyclopaedic narrative. The term, encyclopaedic narrative, is relatively unknown in Western literature and therefore demands the research which is conducted in this thesis. In the course of this study, the genre of encyclopedic narrative is investigated and the Naturen 8/oeme is identified as a member of this exclusive genre. Edward Mendelson's article "From Dante to Pynchon" (1976) serves as the starting point for this study, from where it continues its investigation into the works of Jacob Van Maerlant. Van Maerlant's Der Naturen 8/oeme is compared to a unique set of qualities for the encyclopaedic narrative in which corresponding points are identified. From this investigation it is shown that Der Naturen B/oeme qualifies as a member of the genre, encyclopaedic narrative. / Baie navorsing oor die Middeleeuse Bestiarium is reeds gedurende die afgelope dekade gedoen en baie is geskryf oor die lewe en werk van Jacob van Maerlant. Alhoewel sy natuurboek, Der Naturen Bloeme, baie belangstelling in die liter~re w6r~ld ontlok, is daar nog weinig gedoen om Der Naturen Bloeme as ensiklopediese narratief te identifiseer. Die relatiewe onbekendheid van die begrip ensiklopediese narratief in die Westerse literatuur dien as aansporing tot die ondersoeke wat in hierdie skripsie vervat word. In hierdie studie sal die genre van die ensiklopediese narratlef bespreek word. Der Naturen Bloeme word as voorbeeld gebruik. Die ensiklopediese narratief word bespreek na aanleiding van die artikel "From Dante to Pynchon" (1976) waarin Mendelson die term omskryf en riglyne daarstel vir die tipering daarvan as genre. Uit die ondersoek blyk dit dat die ensiklopediese narratief 'n genre is wat erkenning behoort te kry in die literêre wêreld. Die studie ondersoek ook die lewe en werk van Jacob van Maerlant wat as lnformatikus gedurende die MiddeJeeue groot bekendheid verwerf het. Sy omvangryke ensiklopediese werk, Der Naturen Bloeme, word telkens getoets aan die hand van kenmerke vir die ensiklopediese narratief en die raakpunte word uitgewys. Uit die ondersoek word aangetoon dat Der Naturen Bloeme as ensiklopediese narratief erken kan word. / Afrikaans & Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)

Text in Afrikaans / During the past decade various studies have been conducted on the medieval bestiary and simultaneously much has been written on the life and work of the medieval scholar and writer, Jacob van Maerlant. Van Maerlant's famous encyclopaedic work, Der Naturen B/oeme (Book of Nature) has been thoroughly investigated in recent literary studies, though little has been done to identify this work as encyclopaedic narrative. The term, encyclopaedic narrative, is relatively unknown in Western literature and therefore demands the research which is conducted in this thesis. In the course of this study, the genre of encyclopedic narrative is investigated and the Naturen 8/oeme is identified as a member of this exclusive genre. Edward Mendelson's article "From Dante to Pynchon" (1976) serves as the starting point for this study, from where it continues its investigation into the works of Jacob Van Maerlant. Van Maerlant's Der Naturen 8/oeme is compared to a unique set of qualities for the encyclopaedic narrative in which corresponding points are identified. From this investigation it is shown that Der Naturen B/oeme qualifies as a member of the genre, encyclopaedic narrative. / Baie navorsing oor die Middeleeuse Bestiarium is reeds gedurende die afgelope dekade gedoen en baie is geskryf oor die lewe en werk van Jacob van Maerlant. Alhoewel sy natuurboek, Der Naturen Bloeme, baie belangstelling in die liter~re w6r~ld ontlok, is daar nog weinig gedoen om Der Naturen Bloeme as ensiklopediese narratief te identifiseer. Die relatiewe onbekendheid van die begrip ensiklopediese narratief in die Westerse literatuur dien as aansporing tot die ondersoeke wat in hierdie skripsie vervat word. In hierdie studie sal die genre van die ensiklopediese narratlef bespreek word. Der Naturen Bloeme word as voorbeeld gebruik. Die ensiklopediese narratief word bespreek na aanleiding van die artikel "From Dante to Pynchon" (1976) waarin Mendelson die term omskryf en riglyne daarstel vir die tipering daarvan as genre. Uit die ondersoek blyk dit dat die ensiklopediese narratief 'n genre is wat erkenning behoort te kry in die literêre wêreld. Die studie ondersoek ook die lewe en werk van Jacob van Maerlant wat as lnformatikus gedurende die MiddeJeeue groot bekendheid verwerf het. Sy omvangryke ensiklopediese werk, Der Naturen Bloeme, word telkens getoets aan die hand van kenmerke vir die ensiklopediese narratief en die raakpunte word uitgewys. Uit die ondersoek word aangetoon dat Der Naturen Bloeme as ensiklopediese narratief erken kan word. / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / M.A. (Afrikaans)