Text in Afrikaans / The concepts of parody and pastiche are oftell employed by leading theoreticians to offer definitions of the elusive term "Postmodernism". One is led to conclude that parody and pastiche are direct1y linked to Postmodernism. This is especially valid in the case of pastiche. Indeed, it appears, therefore, that the continllous assumption of the appellation "pastiche" in the Postmodernist discourse could reveal its link to Postmodernism and Postmodernity in general. While parody and pastiche are not new phenomena, the question is why, ill our time, these concepts should be so acutely present in the discourse of literary theory - especially in theoretic contributions on Postmodernism and/or Postmodernis! texts. However, an investigation of the studies done on Postmodernist drama/theatre reveals a distinct lack of reflection about the role of parody and pastiche and a disturbing absence of publication on the the subject. This state of affairs reveals a conspicuous delay in terms of theoretical deliberation when compared to other investigat1ve practices, i.e. literary criticism and philosophy. This study, then, is essentially interested in transposing the present emphasis on parody and pastiche found in contemporary literary theory to Postmodernist drama/theatre. The final objective of this study is to explore the impact of the concepts of parody and pastiche on twentieth century drama/theatre and their possible contribution to a better understanding of the elusive term "Postmodemist drama/theatre". / Afrikaans and Theory of Literature / D. Litt. et Phil. (Literature)

Considéré comme un continuateur de Chrétien de Troyes, Raoul de Houdenc s’inscrit dans la lignée des écrivains dits « arthuriens ». Avec son roman d’aventures Meraugis de Portlesguez, il retravaille les motifs mis à l’honneur par le maître champenois et bestourne la matière bretonne dans une indéniable intention parodique. Par l’étude comparative de ce récit avec les romans en vers de Chrétien de Troyes mais aussi avec le cycle en prose du Lancelot-Graal, on observe combien le personnage romanesque arthurien se révèle modelable : jouant habilement avec une structure traditionnelle (la Table Ronde avec ses gardiens immuables, l’errance formatrice, les monstres et les coutumes à abattre), l’auteur tourne en dérision l’agencement de ce système si bien policé par Chrétien de Troyes (1ère partie). Nous étudierons ensuite ses mêmes personnages sous l’angle de l’apprentissage : le héros éponyme, ainsi que plusieurs des personnages qui l’entourent, sont des êtres en devenir que l’auteur va faire grandir et mûrir. À travers le regard évolutif de ses créatures, Raoul va livrer sa propre conception de la courtoisie, conception qui s’accorde avec celle qu’il donne du parfait chevalier du Dit et du Roman des Eles, tissant entre ses deux œuvres un remarquable jeu d’échos (2e partie). Enfin, le personnage houdanesque crée un miroir avec la personne de ce début du XIIIe siècle : ses héros contrastés, et la voix de l’auteur-narrateur- personnage du Songe d’Enfer en proie au doute face aux courants de pensée contradictoires de son époque ancrent l’écriture houdanesque dans les œuvres alliant imagination et réflexion (3e partie). / Considered as one of Chrétien de Troyes’ successors, Raoul de Houdenc joins in the lineage of writers known as "Arthurians" writers. Through his adventure novel Meraugis de Portlesguez, he reinvents the motives highlighted by master Champenois and bestourne the Breton material in an undeniable parodic intention. Through the comparative study of this narrative with Chrétien de Troyes’ novels in verse; but also with the cycle in prose of Lancelot-Graal, we observe how much the Arthurian romantic character shows himself flexible: skilfully playing with a traditional structure (the Round Table with its unchanging guards, the formative wandering, the monsters and the customs that need to be destroyed), the author ridicules the organization of this system so well polished by Chrétien de Troyes (1st part). We will study then the same characters under the angle of the apprenticeship: the eponymous hero, as well as some of the characters who surround him, are constantly evolving beings that the author will make grow up and mature. Through the evolutionary glance of his creatures, Raoul will deliver his own conception of courtesy, a conception that agrees with the one that he gives of the perfect knight of the Dit and of the Roman des Eles, weaving between his two works a remarkable game of echoes (2nd part). Eventually, the houdanesque character creates a mirror with the person of the beginning of the 12th century: his contrasted heroes, and the voice of the author-narrator-character of the Songe d’Enfer; which is in the grip of doubt when faced with contradictory currents of thoughts of his time; fixes the houdanesque writing in the works that blend imagination and reflection (3rd part).

Thesis (MPhil (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The classic Victorian tale by Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865), has been enjoyed by adults and children alike in many countries and in many languages. In this book, Carroll parodies the accepted style of children’s books of the Victorian Age by mocking the moralistic and realistic expectations. All the poems in the book are parodies of once familiar nursery rhymes, which often conveyed a moral lesson. Translating Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a challenging task, as it poses culturespecific, text-specific and language-specific problems. Although the book has been translated into more than 70 languages, it seems to be more popular in some cultures than in others. At the same time, some cultures seem to be content with “older” translations, while others need “updated” versions. Cultural differences seem to play a role in these preferences. The aim of this study is to examine the French and Afrikaans translations of a parodied poem (as found in chapter 2 of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland) from an intercultural perspective. In both cases, the translators seem to have found equivalents in their respective cultures that would be acceptable to their target readers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die klassieke Victoriaanse verhaal deur Lewis Carroll, Alice se Avonture in Wonderland (1865), het plesier verskaf aan volwassenes en kinders in baie lande en in baie tale. In hierdie boek parodieer Carroll die aanvaarbare styl van kinderboeke van die Victoriaanse tydperk deur die spot te dryf met die moralistiese en realistiese verwagtinge. Al die gedigte in die boek is parodieë van eens bekende rympies, wat dikwels ‘n morele les bevat het. Die vertaling van Alice se Avonture in Wonderland is ‘n uitdagende taak, aangesien dit bepaalde kultuur-, teks- en taalverwante probleme inhou. Hoewel die boek in meer as 70 tale vertaal is, blyk dit meer gewild te wees in sekere kulture as in ander. Terselfdertyd is sommige kulture skynbaar tevrede met “ouer” vertalings, terwyl ander meer “hersiene” weergawes verkies. Kultuurverskille speel oënskynlik ‘n rol in hierdie voorkeure. Die doel van hierdie studie is om die Franse en Afrikaanse vertalings van ‘n geparodieerde gedig (soos dit voorkom in hoofstuk 2 van Alice se Avonture in Wonderland) te ondersoek vanuit ‘n interkulturele perspektief. Klaarblyklik het die vertalers in beide gevalle ekwivalente in hulle onderskeie kulture gevind wat aanvaarbaar sou wees vir hulle teikenlesers.

This thesis proposes a critical study of the theoretical framework of Urinetown, asking the question of whether or not the show is truly a “Brechtian musical,” utilizing the tenets and beliefs of Bertolt Brecht. Set in a quirky, Gotham-like town where you have “to pay to pee” due to a severe drought, Urinetown follows a cast of absurdist characters as they navigate a society plagued by the perils of big business, ecological devastation, and the inequalities of capitalism. While the show appears to make a relevant social commentary, supporting a righteous rebellion to overthrow the evil Urine Good Company, in the end, by proving that revolution does not always succeed, writers, Kotis and Hollman invalidate these commentaries, proving that despite its Brechtian appearance, the show in its textual form is much more simply a comedic parody. However, Pomona College’s production, in which I played Hope Cladwell, takes on a much more severe tone, creating legitimate commentary by replacing many of the comedic, two-dimensional characters with living breathing, realities. In a text traditionally lacking authenticity, I approached Hope Cladwell with the intention of finding strength and satire in an otherwise vapid character.

Beginning with an analysis of Northrop Frye’s concept of modal progression (i.e., the cycle from myth to irony—and back again) and an application of modal theory to an analysis of postmodern narrative forms, the need to revise Frye’s concept of modal progression becomes apparent. Rather than following the cyclical pattern Frye proposes, the course of modal progression appears to be fixed to an axis of experience: a certain normative threshold which describes the narrator’s and/or the narrative protagonist’s power of action relative to an assumed neutral audience. How the narrative depiction of the narrator and/or the fictional protagonist relates to this threshold determines the characteristics of the literary mode. As argued in this dissertation, the increase in the hero’s power of action (typical of late modern and postmodern literature) does not necessarily indicate an abrupt return to the mythic mode (as predicted by Frye). Instead, what is seen to emerge is a decidedly advanced species of narrative irony, or, “high irony” that, while maintaining its distinctly ironic qualities, displays a remarkable tendency to disassemble/reassemble precedent narrative forms (e.g., myth, nonfiction, realistic fiction) into a self-reflexive, highly metafictional form of parody. As the absurd, parodic chaos of the high ironic mode shares several significant traits with both myth and nonfiction, these overlapping, parodic relationships are of great literary importance and theoretical interest. These modal connections and disconnections are what this dissertation attempts to explore and clarify. To that end, this dissertation charts the various ways that myth and nonfictional forms have been put to parodic use in the high ironic metafictions of Donald Barthelme, Robert Coover and Ishmael Reed, three writers whose seminal mid-20th century works did much to shape and direct the course of contemporary American literature. Of special emphasis in this study is the American postmodern preoccupation with revision and the politics of literary subversion that attends this revisionary impulse. The final hypothesis reached by this dissertation is that the literary repercussions of these mid-20th century excursions into ironic, metafictional abstraction have not led to a return to myth, but rather to a discernable tendency among 21st century American writers to return to previously eschewed forms of nonironic narrative. This trajectory thus marks a movement away from forms of narrative irony (as well as away from the mode of myth) and an emerging tendency towards more referential, less fantastic forms of narrative fiction.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines cabaret in South Africa, and more particularly the use of a personation in cabaret. Cabaret employs a variety of comedic forms that combine to comment on social and political issues. The personation is often a manifestation of current social and political values, and the cabaretist uses such personation to deride these values and expose society. Themes such as human nature and life are foregrounded by means of comedy, parody and satire in order to highlighted weaknesses and malpractices. The personation often serves as a shield, affording the cabaretist the freedom of speech to assume a critical stance; it serves as a mouthpiece for enquiring societal mores and norms. The cabaretist not only entertains the audience in a comical way, but also strives to make audiences aware of social and political irregularities. Comedy, parody and satire are found in various forms of entertainment and literature, but in the cabaret genre it is purposefully applied to voice socio-political criticism. The success of cabaret is indebted to each caberetist’s unique style. South African performers such as Pieter-Dirk Uys, Casper de Vries and Hennie Aucamp apply these means successfully to entertain their audiences and encourage reflection. The cabaret persona, drawing upon comedic devices, is used to present reality as opposed to the human ideal, while treating the audience to a lighter view of life. Apart from the fact that cabaret, like comedy, parody and satire, is difficult to define, these forms often overlap, as they serve the same purpose, namely to entertain and to comment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek kabaret in Suid-Afrika en in die besonder die gebruik van ’n karakter in kabaret as sosiale en politiese kommentator. Kabaret gebruik ’n verskeidenheid komiese vorme wat saamspan om sosiale en politieke kommentaar te lewer. Die karakter verteenwoordig dikwels ’n gemeenskap se sosiale en politieke waardes en die kabarettis gebruik so ’n karakter om hierdie waardes te bespot en kommentaar op die gemeenskap te lewer. Temas soos die menslike natuur en die lewe word met behulp van die komiese, parodie en satire in die kalklig geplaas om swakhede en wanpraktyke te beklemtoon. Die karakter dien ook dikwels as ’n skild waaragter ’n kabarettis skuil en waarmee hy sodoende vryheid van spraak verkry met die doel om te kritiseer; dit dien as spreekbuis vir sosiale waardes en norme. Die kabarettis vermaak nie net ’n gehoor op komiese wyse nie, maar probeer ook om die gehoor van sosiale en politieke wantoestande bewus te maak. Die komiese, parodie en satire kom in verskeie vorme van vermaak en die literatuur voor, maar in kabaret word dit doelgerig as middel gebruik om sosio-politiese kommentaar te lewer. Die sukses van kabaret word gemeet aan elke kabarettis se unieke styl. Suid-Afrikaanse kunstenaars soos Pieter-Dirk Uys, Casper de Vries en Hennie Aucamp slaag daarin om hierdie middele aan te wend en sodoende hul gehore te vermaak en tot nadenke te stem. Die kabaret-karakter word met behulp van komiese vorme aangewend om die werklikheid teenoor die menslike ideaal op te weeg en aan gehore ’n ligter sy van die lewe te wys. Buiten dat kabaret en ook die komiese, parodie en satire moeilik gedefinieer kan word, oorvleuel hierdie vorme dikwels en word dit vir dieselfde doel gebruik, naamlik om te vermaak en kommentaar te lewer.

Η μελέτη αναφέρεται στα βασικά σημεία της ποίησης και της ποιητικής του Νάσου Βαγενά, όπως αυτά εγγράφονται από την έκδοση της πρώτης του ποιητικής συλλογής "Πεδίον Άρεως" (1974) μέχρι τη συλλογή "Στη νήσο των Μακάρων" (2010), στη διασαφήνιση των όρων παρωδία και διακειμενικότητα και στη μεταξύ τους σχέση. Το μεγαλύτερο μέρος αυτής αφορά την εξέταση της επανεγγραφής των ειδών, την παρώδηση προγενέστερου ποιητικού λόγου και μύθου, τον εντοπισμό των κειμένων-προτύπων και τη μελέτη της λειτουργίας τους. Σκοπός της μελέτης είναι να αναδείξει ποιες από αυτές τις διακειμενικές σχέσεις λειτουργούν ανατρεπτικά, αναδεικνύοντας την ειρωνική και παρωδιακή διάσταση της ποίησής του από κοινού και σε συμφωνία με τη διαλογική. / The study refers to the main points of poetry and poetic of Nasos Vayenas, as registered by the publication of his first poetry collection "Πεδίον άρεως" (1974) to "Στη Νήσο των Μακάρων" (2010), to clarify the terms parody and intertextuality and their relationship. Most of this concerns the examination of the rewriting of species, the parody of poetry and myth, identifying the text-patterns and study their function. This study aims to show which of these intertextual relations operate subversively, highlighting the ironic and burlesque dimension of his poetry together and in agreement with the interactive.

This paper examines the use of humor in the foreign language classroom. Humor is an essential part of culture and a sociolinguistic phenomenon that speaks to the uniqueness of a language and culture. Thus, I argue that an application of humor as an educational objective as well as an educational strategy in the foreign language classroom is valuable in order to lower learners' anxiety and to foster language learning through an increase in culture and humor competences and critical thinking skills. First, I define humor and explore its linguistic functions as well as psychological features and effects that need to be understood to make humor an integral part of a foreign language learning setting. My theoretical research is primarily based on Raskin's Semantic Sript-based Theory of Humor and general theories of incongruity and ambiguity. I further illustrate the effects of using humor in the classroom with psychological research and Krashen's affective filter theory. I then relate the effects of humor to the National Standards of Foreign Language Learning (1996). Eventually in a case study I demonstrate how parodies, as a specific type of humor, can be implemented in the foreign language environment. This is done through the examination of the German film parody "Sieben Zwerge" and it supports my argument that humor deserves an autonomous place in foreign language education as an educational objective and strategy. Finally, I discuss pedagogical recommendations. This paper explores the opportunities and effects of an incorporation of humor in the foreign language classroom. / text

En metastudie som använder sig av en specifikt anpassad tolkning av grounded theory för att undersöka The Daily Shows satiriska kritik och funktion, samt hur detta relaterar till det sociologiska perspektivet. Fynden visar på en problematik som väl överrensstämmer med mer allmänna sociologiska teorier hos Foucault, Bourdieu och Habermas. Satiren visar sig utöva en serie meningsfulla funktioner som har potential att verka som en populistisk samhällskritik med stort inflytande. Satiren visar sig dock inte vara en problemfri diskurs och ett antal problem identifieras som behöver adresseras för att diskursen ska kunna åberopa någon form av legitimitet. / A meta-study which uses a specifically tailored interpretation of grounded theory to explore The Daily Shows satiric critique and function, as well as how it relates to the sociological perspective. The findings show a complex of problems that well corresponds to the more general sociological theories of Foucault, Bourdieu and Habermas. The satire is found to perform a series of meaningful functions with potential to act as a populist form of social criticism with a large influence. However, satire is also found to be a problematic discourse and a series of problems are identified that needs to be addressed for the discourse to invoke any form of legitimacy.

In recent years, through the process of narrative and literary criticism, scholars have begun suggesting that satire is present in specific texts of the Old Testament. Thus the primary function of this thesis is to analyse the validity of these arguments alongside suggesting different places where satire may be found. To achieve this goal, the thesis begins by analysing and defining satire as a concept. A clear definition provides the thesis with the method needed to identify satire in texts which predate any defined understanding of the concept. The thesis also uses satirical works from throughout history as templates for understanding similar types of satire within the biblical works. Once this methodology has been established, different genres of the Old Testament form the different chapters of the thesis. It identifies four different places where satire is deployed. Thus it examines satire in narratives, the book of Jonah, prophetic texts and wisdom literature. Each chapter combines new ideas with the analysis of previous scholastic arguments concerning the presence of satire. Within each genre a different type of satire with a range of complexity is deployed. The idol critiques in prophetic texts show simplistic satire. Narrative satire shows both situational and character-based satire. The book of Jonah is an example of hypocritical satire. Finally, satire in the wisdom literature contains a range of different satirical styles. The thesis concludes that satire is present within the texts of the Old Testament. This has implication to the field of satire. It affirms the existence of pre-Hellenistic satire. Alongside this, it shows that satire is a subconscious human technique, deployable even when the proponent has no defined understanding of the concept. In the field of Old Testament studies it provides an alternative reading of many familiar texts. A satirical reading provides clear insight into authorial intent as well as offering different interpretations of the texts which are examined.