Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 1998. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Elsa Joubert initially acquired her reputation for her travel writing which is mainly about Africa
during the fifties. In her texts she not only focusses on the curiosities and visually attractive sites of
the countries she tours, but also conveys her extensive knowledge of the history and her special
interest in the intimate human aspects of the people.
Ons wag op die kaptein (1963) established her name as startling novelist of Southern-African
themes. Missionaris (1988) and Die reise van Isobelle (1995) are based on identifiable SouthernAfrican
historical information and subtly place historiography under scrutiny. In these texts
Joubert thematizes and problematizes historiography, which she finds lacking in its ability to
convey a true representation of events. Photo's, recorded visions or other images of an experience
of reality still only remain representations of that "reality". Through the process of fictionalization
(as in a novel) "a truth" comes to the light, but at the same time the one-sided and relative nature
of canonised history is exposed.
Through this critical glance at the status quo and canonised white history, which originated under
the pressure of anti-colonialism, Joubert has sided with writers such as Jan Rabie and Andre P.
Brink in their opposition to Apartheid and desire to contribute toward the constitution of a new
South-Africa.
In Die reise van Isobel/e Joubert comments, through the use of characters in a family cronicle, on
the manner in which people are affected and shaped by their context. The author, through the use
of Leonora as sceptical narrator, focalisator and manipulator, ironises for example the steadfast
convictions of the patriotic Josias and Agnes, and thereby confers a critical view of politicalideological
problems. The romance between Belle, as group bound Afrikaner girl, and the
interesting foreign Indian Hussein Badir, which ends in his death, illustrates the discord when
racist prejudice clashes with personal experience. Leo serves as a model of freedom and hope
which coincides with detachment from conventional political convictions.
Different kinds of journeys can be identified in coherence with the characters, e.g. physical, literal
journeys, religious journeys and political journeys. The family chronicle eventually becomes an
example of Afrikaner society's emancipation or journey from a patriarchal to a free independent
way oflife. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Elsa Joubert het aanvanklik bekendheid verwerf vir haar reisverhale oor veral Afrika uit die
vyftigetjare. Sy is in die tekste nie slegs toeristies ingestel op die wetens- en besienswaardighede
van die Iande wat sy besoek nie, maar toon, naas 'n omvattende kennis van die geskiedenis, ook
aandag vir die intiem menslike doen en late.
Ons wag op die kaptein (1963) het haar naam gevestig as opspraakwekkende romanskrywer oor
Suider-Afrikaanse temas. Ook Missionaris (1988) en Die reise van Isobelle (1995) is op
herkenbare gegewens gebaseer en plaas geskiedskrywing op 'n subtiele manier in die soeklig. In
hierdie tekste tematiseer en problematiseer Joubert die geskiedskrywing, wat volgens haar
tekortskiet om 'n oortuigende beeld te gee. Foto's, opgetekende visioene of andersoortige
weergawes van 'n werklikheidsbelewing bly steeds representasies. Deur die_ proses van
fiksionalisering (soos in 'n roman) kom minstens "'n waarheid" aan die lig, maar dit bevestig
terselfdertyd die eensydige en relatiewe aard van die gekanoniseerde geskiedenis.
Deur hierdie kritiese blik op die status quo en die gekanoniseerde wit geskiedenis, wat onder
andere weens die druk van die anti-kolonialisme ontstaan bet, sluit Joubert haar aan by skrywers
soos Jan Rabie en Andre P Brink se opposisie teen Apartheid en versugting om by te dra tot die
totstandkoming van 'n miwe Suid-Afrika.
In Die reise van lsobelle lewer Joubert, deur die gebruik van karakters in 'n familiegeskiedenis,
kommentaar oor die wyse waarop mense geraak en gevorm word deur bulle konteks. Die skryfster
ironiseer deur die gebruik van Leonora as skeptiese verteller, fokalisator en manipuleerder,
byvoorbeeld die vaste oortuigings van die patriotiese Josias en Agnes en gee sodoende 'n kritiese
blik op polities-ideologiese vraagstukke. Die liefdesverhouding tussen Belle as groepsgebonde
Afrikanermeisie en die vir haar interessant-vreemde Indiese Hussein Badir wat op sy dood uitloop,
illustreer die tweespalt wanneer rassistiese vooroordele bots met eie ervaring. Leo dien as
voorbeeld van vryheid en hoop wat gepaardgaan met die losbreek uit konvensionele politieke
oortuigings.
Verskillende soorte reise kan in samehang met die ยท karakters onderskei word, naamlik fisiese,
letterlike reise, geestelik-godsdienstige reise en politieke reise. Hierdie familiegeskiedenis word
uiteindelik eksemplaries van die Afrikanersamelewitig se emansipasie of reis van 'n patriargale tot
'n vrye, onafhanklike tipe leefwyse.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/55863 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Smith, Mathilda C. (Mathilda Cecilia) |
| Contributors | Van Zyl, D. P., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Afrikaans & Dutch . |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 65 pages |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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