Meditations in a churchyard: An exploration of Afrikaans graveyard poets and graveyard poetry
Literator
| Field | Value | |
| Title | Meditations in a churchyard: An exploration of Afrikaans graveyard poets and graveyard poetry Meditasies in ’n begraafplaas: ’n Verkenning van Afrikaanse grafdigters en kerkhofpoësie | |
| Creator | Taljaard-Gilson, Gerda H. | |
| Description | The term ‘kerkhofgedig’ (‘churchyard poem’) does not feature in academic discussions on Afrikaans poetry, neither does it appear in Cloete’s authoritative work of reference, Literêre terme en teorieë (1992). There are mainly three reasons for this omission in Afrikaans literature. In the first place the Afrikaans word ‘elegie’ (elegy) has become a superordinate for most poems dealing with grief or melancholy about a certain event or condition, for example, a lamentation, obituary poem, dirge, requiem, et cetera. Secondly, graveyard poetry is associated with (English) poems and poets from the 18th century, not with more contemporary Afrikaans poets. In the third place, the elegy and the churchyard poem are related poetic forms which share many characteristics, making it difficult to distinguish between the two genres. In Afrikaans literature the churchyard poem is therefore not regarded as an independent poetic form with unique features, as is the case with churchyard poetry in English, French, German and Dutch. Nevertheless, a number of Afrikaans poets have written churchyard poetry over the decades. In this article it will be determined whether Afrikaans graveyard poetry does in fact exist. This will be accomplished by providing a historical background to graveyard poetry and by comparing traditional graveyard poems to modern poems. Then churchyard poetry will be compared to the elegy. In conclusion a clear definition for graveyard poetry will be formulated. The following questions will consequently be answered: What is graveyard poetry and does it exist in Afrikaans? Die term ‘kerkhofgedig’ word selde in akademiese gesprekke oor die Afrikaanse poësie gehoor en dit kom nie voor in T.T. Cloete se Literêre terme en teorieë (1992) nie. Daar is drie redes vir hierdie leemte in die Afrikaanse literatuur: In die eerste plek het ‘elegie’ ’n sambreelterm geword vir die meeste gedigte waarin die digter sy smart of weemoed uitspreek oor ’n bepaalde gebeurtenis of toestand; dit wil sê, die klaaglied, grafrede, treursang, treurlied, in memoriam-gedig, dodeklag, lyksang, ensovoort. In die tweede plek word kerkhofpoësie geassosieer met (Engelse) agtiende-eeuse digters, nie met moderner Afrikaanse digters nie. Derdens is die ‘gewone’ elegie en die kerkhofgedig verwante digvorme wat heelparty kenmerke deel sodat dié twee genres soms moeilik onderskeibaar is. Die kerkhofgedig word met ander woorde nie soos in Engels, Frans, Duits en Nederlands as ’n onafhanklike digsoort met unieke eienskappe gesien nie. Nietemin is daar ’n paar Afrikaanse digters wat dié digvorm deur die dekades heen beoefen het. In hierdie artikel sal daar bepaal word of Afrikaanse kerkhofpoësie wel bestaan. Dit sal gedoen word deur middel van ’n historiese verkenning van kerkhofpoësie. Daarna sal tradisionele kerkhofgedigte met moderner gedigte vergelyk word. Dan sal die kerkhofgedig met die ‘gewone’ elegie vergelyk word. Ten slotte sal ’n duidelike definisie vir ‘kerkhofpoësie’ geformuleer word. Die volgende vrae word dus in hierdie artikel beantwoord: Wat is kerkhofpoësie en bestaan daar so ’n digvorm in Afrikaans? | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2017-03-27 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/lit.v38i1.1315 | |
| Source | Literator; Vol 38, No 1 (2017); 11 pages Literator; Vol 38, No 1 (2017); 11 pages 2219-8237 0258-2279 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1315/2288
https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1315/2287
https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1315/2289
https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/1315/2282
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