Thesis (MA (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the representation of the female subject in Marlene van Niekerk’s
novel, Agaat (2004). The female subjects, Milla and Agaat, are the focus of this study.
Both women are subjected to drastic situations, which not only influence their
relationship, but also their respective identities. This turn of events lead up to a power
struggle between Milla and Agaat, which eventually gets reversed throughout the course
of the narrative. The focus is essentially on the complex structure of the novel, where a
prologue and epilogue serve as a framework for the four different story lines, each with
its own narrative technique.
A number of theoretical approaches will be employed in order to explore the discussion
of the female subject. The novel, which is presented throughout by a single narrator,
leads the study to concepts such as representation, subjectivity and identity. In an attempt
to understand “the other”, the central role of language and mirrors with regard to
representation is explored. Van Niekerk’s reinvention and even subversion of the farm
novel of the late twentieth century involves ideologies of the Afrikaner such as land and
religion, gender, politics and culture. This strategy results in the focus on concepts like
subjectivity and identity. Both these processes will be explored in an attempt to gain
insight into the characters.
Key elements such as displacement, substitution and revenge give momentum to the
chain of events in the story and lead up to introspection by both women. It is especially
Milla’s terminal illness that induces introspection and preparation, for both Milla and
Agaat, towards death. The influence of all these events, Milla and Agaat’s mutual
dependence on each other, as well as the way in which they position themselves in the
face of death, prompt this study. This study explores the influence of these events on
women, the power struggle that developed out of this and the way in which their
respective roles are reversed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die representasie van die vroulike subjek in Marlene van
Niekerk se roman Agaat (2004). Daar word gefokus op die twee vroue in die verhaal,
Milla en Agaat. Beide vroue word aan ingrypende situasies onderwerp, wat ʼn invloed op
hulle verhouding sowel as hulle onderskeie identiteite het. Hierdie gebeure lei tot ʼn
magspel tussen Milla en Agaat, wat tydens die verloop van die verhaalgebeure volledig
omgekeer word. Die fokus val eerstens op die roman se ingewikkelde vertelstruktuur
waarin daar sprake is van ʼn pro- en epiloog as raamwerk waarbinne vier verhaallyne, elk
met sy eie verteltegniek, gebruik word.
ʼn Verskeidenheid teoretiese uitgangspunte word nagegaan ten einde die representasie van
die vroulike subjek te ondersoek. Die roman, wat deurentyd uit die perspektief van een
verteller aangebied word, lei die studie na ondersoekterreine soos representasie,
subjektiwiteit en identiteit. Die sentrale rol van taal en spieëls ten opsigte van
representasie en in die poging om die “ander” te kan verstaan, word nagegaan. Van
Niekerk se herskrywing van die plaasroman in die laat twintigste eeu betrek op subtiele
wyse die ideologieë van die Afrikaner rondom grond en religie, gender, politiek en
kultuur. Dit lei tot die fokus op subjektiwiteit en identiteit. Beide hierdie prosesse word
in die studie ondersoek ten einde begrip vir die karakters te probeer vind.
Elemente soos verplasing, plaasvervangerskap en vergelding gee stukrag aan die
verhaalgebeure en lei tot besinning by albei vroue. Dit is veral Milla se terminale siekte
wat aanleiding gee tot bestekopname en voorbereiding op die dood. Die invloed van al
dié gebeure en hoe twee vroue wat op mekaar aangewese is, hulleself posisioneer ten
opsigte van die dood, gee aanleiding tot hierdie studie. Die studie onderneem om
ondersoek in te stel na die invloed van gebeure by beide vroue, die magspel wat hieruit
ontwikkel en hoe die rolle stelselmatig omruil in die verhaalgebeure.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4248 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Henn, Maryke |
| Contributors | Viljoen, Louise, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Afrikaans and Dutch. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | Afrikaans |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 282 p. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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