Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis analyses Zakes Mda’s The Madonna of Excelsior from three different
points of view, namely post-colonial, feminist and satirical. The latter constitutes the
main interpretation of the novel and serves as a link with the other two discourses –
the key argument being that satire is not a solipsistic form of art, and thus a satirical
text should not be considered on its own, but should rather be interpreted in
conjunction with other cultural discourses. This thesis is of the opinion that one needs
all three of the named viewpoints in order to fully comprehend and appreciate the
depth of Mda’s satire and his comments on South African society. His novel contains
several candid comments on the political situation of South Africa in both the
apartheid and the democratic eras, and his tongue-in-cheek observations force the
reader to consider his novel from a political and a satirical angle. As apartheid is a
form of colonialism and South Africa carries several scars from colonial times (such
as diasporic conditions and multi-cultural identity crises, to name a few of those
discussed), this thesis analyses Mda’s political commentary in terms of post-colonial
discourse. Due to Mda’s use of female protagonists, this thesis also considers a
feminist interpretation as necessary for a better understanding of the novel: through
the use of feminist discourse, the violence that is committed against some of the
female characters in the novel is interpreted as a way of enforcing colonial power
relations. Chapters two, three and four respectively each discuss one of these
interpretations: post-colonial, feminist and satirical, whilst chapter one is devoted to
defining the art of satire. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis analiseer Zakes Mda se The Madonna of Excelsior vanuit drie
verskillende oogpunte, naamlik die postkoloniale, feministiese and satiriese.
Laasgenoemde konstitueer die hoofinterpretasie van die teks, en vorm ook ‘n skakel
met die ander twee diskoerse. Die hoofargument van die tesis is dat satire nie ‘n
kunsvorm is wat alleen bestaan nie, en dus behoort ‘n mens nie ‘n satiriese teks in
isolasie te oordink nie, maar so ‘n teks moet geïnterpreteer word in verbinding met
ander diskoerse. Hierdie tesis glo dat al drie van die genoemde oogpunte noodsaaklik
is om Mda se satiriese kommentaar en aanmerkings oor die Suid-Afrikaanse
gemeenskap werklik te verstaan en waardeer. Daar is etlike openhartige aanmerkings
in die teks wat die politiese situasie van Suid-Afrika in beide die apartheid en die
demokratiese eras aanspreek, en Mda se skertsende kommentaar dwing die leser om
die teks te oordink van ‘n politiese, asook ‘n satiriese, gesigspunt. Aangesien
apartheid ‘n vorm van kolonialisme is, en Suid-Afrika verskeie littekens van koloniale
tye dra (soos disporas en multi-kulturele krisisse, om maar ‘n paar te noem), analiseer
hierdie tesis Mda se politiese aanmerkings in terme van ‘n postkoloniale interpretasie.
Mda se gebruik van vroulike hoofkarakters veroorsaak dat hierdie tesis ook a
feministiese interpretasie benuttig vir ‘n betere begrip van die teks: deur die gebruik
van ‘n feministiese diskoers kan ‘n mens die geweld wat teen sommige van die
vroulike karakters gepleeg word sien as ‘n manier om koloniale magsverhoudinge af
te dwing. Hoofstukke twee, drie en vier bespreek elk een van hierdie oogpunte:
postkoloniaal, feminisme en satiere, terwyl hoofstuk een die satiriese kuns probeer
definieer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/16455 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Van Vuuren, Sonja |
| Contributors | Goodman, Ralph, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of English. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 68 leaves |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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