Thesis (MA)-- Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The establishment of literary festivals as a type of event that is presented both nationally
and internationally has expanded tremendously in recent years, but it has not as yet
received the necessary attention to fully understand its impact on and sociocultural function
in a host community. This thesis attempts to formulate a working definition for the
phenomenon, in order to gain more insight in its sociocultural function and impact in a host
community and thus to contribute towards a more substantial discourse on the subject. The
hypothesis is firstly that literary festivals come into existence due to specific needs in the
host society and secondly that the strategic application of rhetorical strategies have a
positive sociocultural impact.
It is argumented that literary festivals function according to the principles of Aristotle’s
rhetoric, by convincing festival visitors that books, reading, writing, debating and freedom of
speech are of great aesthetic, moral and educational value. The eventual aim is to cause
festival visitors to show greater appreciation for literary texts, as illustrated by their
increased participation in reading, writing and other literary activities. The following theories
serve as points of departure: the system theory as expounded by Itamar Even-Zohar, Gerard
Hauser’s application of rhetorics to the public sphere, the ritual theories of Victor Turner and
Jeremy Boissevain, as well as festival theories by Mikhail Bakhtin, Donald Getz, Henri
Schoenmakers, Paul Kaptein, William Sauter, Don Handelman, Temple Hauptfleisch and
Michael Kamp.
The programmes, festival contents and other relevant texts that form part of two selected
literary festivals, i.e. the Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Wordfest (Woordfees) and the
Amsterdam Weerwoordfestival, are scrutinised in order to prove that these festivals are
strategically constructed to have a persuasive effect on festivalgoers. A festival’s survival and
sustainability is determinated by its establishment of a strong own character; good
management (also in times of crisis); effective networks; and the persuasion of both target
groups and interest groups that supporting the festival is to their own advantage. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die literêre fees, as tipe gebeurtenis wat toenemend nasionaal én internasionaal aangebied
word, het tot dusver min aandag van navorsers geniet. Ten einde die sosio-kulturele funksie
en krag daarvan in ’n gasheergemeenskap te probeer vasstel en te omskryf, asook om by te
dra tot ’n meer omvangryke diskoers oor hierdie fenomeen, word bestaande teorieë oor
feeste in die algemeen dus in hierdie studie as vertrekpunt gebruik en aangepas by literêre
feeste. Die hipotese is eerstens dat literêre feeste ontstaan in reaksie op behoeftes in die
gasheergemeenskap en tweedens dat die aanwending van retoriese strategieë in literêre
feeste ’n positiewe sosio-kulturele impak tot gevolg kan hê.
Na aanleiding van Aristoteles se uitgangspunte oor die retorika word voorgestel dat die
funksie en werking van literêre feeste retories van aard is: Die organiseerders wil
feesdeelnemers oorreed dat lees, skryf, debattering en vrye meningswisseling esteties,
opvoedkundig en moreel waardevol is, om sodoende ’n groter belangstelling in en deelname
aan literêre aktiwiteite te probeer bewerkstellig. Die volgende teoretici se uitgangspunte
word veral gebruik: dié van Itamar Even-Zohar oor die sisteemteorie, Gerard Hauser se
toepassing van die retorika op ’n openbare sfeer, ritueelteorieë deur Victor Turner en Jeremy
Boissevain, sowel as feesteorieë van Mikhail Bakhtin, Donald Getz, Henri Schoenmakers,
Paul Kaptein, William Sauter, Don Handelman, Temple Hauptfleisch en Michael Kamp.
Deur ’n vergelykende studie van die ruimer konteks, feesprogramme en ander relevante
tekste wat deel uitmaak van twee literêre feeste, naamlik die Universiteit Stellenbosch
Woordfees en die Amsterdamse Weerwoordfestival, word nagegaan hoe hierdie feeste
strategies en oorredend funksioneer deurdat beide literêre én nie-literêre elemente
geselekteer (inventio) en gekombineer (dispositio) is om ’n sterker positiewe eventiserende
betekenis oor te dra as in die alledaagse lewe. Die gevolgtrekking is dat effektiewe retoriese
strategieë sterk afhanklik is van die konteks waarbinne feeste plaasvind. Die voortbestaan en
volhoubaarbaarheid van literêre feeste word veral bepaal deur die vestiging van ’n sterk eie
identiteit; goeie bestuur (ook in krisisse); doeltreffende netwerke, asook deur die oorreding
van beide teikengroepe én belanghebbers dat hulle wen deur die fees te ondersteun.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20063 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Lotter, Jacoba Catharina (Karin) |
| Contributors | Van Zyl, D. P., Hauptfleisch, T., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Afrikaans and Dutch. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 238 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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