Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A persona is a definable literary technique that all authors necessarily use. This thesis tries to show how Catullus, with the use of six personae (amator acceptus, amator reiectus, hospes urbanus, poeta doctus, fabulator en sacerdos), persuades the reader of the emotional “authenticity” and the accessibility of his poems. This is done firstly by investigating the literary process of which a persona forms part. By comparing this process with the three phases of a conversation (thought, expression and utterance), it is possible to see how a persona can be “discovered”. The thought represents the historical author and his literary context. The expression represents the literary persona itself. The utterance represents the unemotional, “unloaded” elements of the text manifested as the collective function of characters, speakers and narrators. By identifying this process in Catullus’ poetry, the relevant personae are illuminated.
Catullus, as a Latin poet who was familiar with “Roman performance poetry” and the ancient theatre mask, also understood this complex process. This thesis argues that Catullus used the persona – like a theatre mask – as a so-called “totem of perspective”. The careful use of persuasive techniques that provide the momentum, are analysed in some of his poems, keeping the function of this “totem of perspective” in mind. The result is that the poet succeeds in creating sophisticated, diverse and accessible personae, which readers through the ages readily accept as “authentic”. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ’n Persona is ’n definieerbare literêre tegniek wat alle outeurs noodwendig gebruik. Hierdie tesis beoog om aan te dui hoe Catullus, met die gebruik van ses personae (amator acceptus, amator reiectus, hospes urbanus, poeta doctus, fabulator en sacerdos), die leser van die emosionele “egtheid” en die toeganklikheid van sy werk oortuig. Dit word eerstens gedoen deur die literêre proses waarvan ’n persona deel is, te ondersoek. Deur hierdie proses te vergelyk met die drie fases van ’n gesprek (gedagte, uitdrukking en uiting) is dit moontlik om te sien hoe ’n persona “ontdek” kan word: die gedagte verteenwoordig die werklike outeur en sy literêre konteks, die uitdrukking verteenwoordig die literêre persona self en die uiting verteenwoordig die onemosionele, “ongelaaide” elemente van die teks, soos vergestalt deur die gesamentlike funksionering van karakters, sprekers en vertellers. Deur hierdie proses te identifiseer in Catullus se gedigte, word die betrokke personae verhelder.
Catullus, as Latynse digter wat bekend was met “Romeinse performatiewe poësie” en die antieke toneelmasker, het ook hierdie ingewikkelde proses begryp. Hierdie tesis argumenteer dat Catullus die persona – soos ’n toneelmasker – as ’n sogenaamde “perspektieftotem” gebruik het. Die sorgvuldige gebruik van oorredingstegnieke wat die momentum voorsien, word in van sy gedigte geanaliseer met hierdie perspektieftotem-funksie in gedagte. Die resultaat is dat die digter dit regkry om gesofistikeerde, diverse en toeganklike personae te skep wat lesers deur die eeue as “eg” aanvaar.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17902 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Du Toit, Pieter Francois |
| Contributors | Thom, Sjarlene, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Ancient Studies. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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