De geschiedenis van een jonge god : mythe, primordialiteit en de representatie van de archetypische adolescent en jonge man in werken uit de moderne Afrikaanse literatuur en de wereldliteratuur
Doctoral Thesis
2002
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
The characters and narratives depicted in the Greek mythology are all archetypal concepts. They are depictions of the primordial and the unconscious of the human being. Characters in a literary Work. can be interpreted within this primordial framework. Also, a text itself, or the form that a text is presented in, is able to show signs of the archetypal and mythological narrative. This comparative study investigates and tests the assumption that literature from different linguistic and regional backgrounds, can be brought back to the depiction of a corresponding archetypal and primordial being. A literary work of art, in the form of a novel or poem, enjoys the same universal appeal or value as a literary work from a completely different region, language or period, through its use of elements from the mythological archetype. I have chosen for the Greek mythology because of its influence in the Western art. The mythological figure of the adolescent and young man illustrates this hypothesis. The representation is split into different sub-characters, different ids: Ganymede, Apollo, Narcissus, Hermaphrodites and Cyparissus. All conform to different aspects of the archetypal young male character. The classical theme of the adolescent and young man is presented as a connection between literary works that initially seem heterogeneous. Each chapter highlights one specific mythological character, his original mythological context and his representation and influence in and on modern literature. To achieve the contrast between old and new, I have chosen pieces from the 20th century only. Within the framework of one study, a complete and exhaustive research is impossible. Still, to support my argument, I have tried to feature as many different sources as possible. Not only did l use Dutch and Afrikaans authors, but also South African, English, German and American authors and poets, as well as a French, Spanish, Czech and Japanese author. As a conclusion I can state that the archetypal concept of the adolescent and young man, clearly underlines the primordial nature of literature. The same motifs keep returning in art, also in ""new"" literary movements and types of discourse. Secondly, it appears that Cyparissus can be seen as not only a general symbol for the adolescent and young man, but also as a mystical symbol for the universal and primordial nature of art, and the ultimate ideal of the writer as an artist.
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Bibliography: p. 288-290.
Reference:
Schaffer, A. 2002. De geschiedenis van een jonge god : mythe, primordialiteit en de representatie van de archetypische adolescent en jonge man in werken uit de moderne Afrikaanse literatuur en de wereldliteratuur. University of Cape Town.