Mite, sage, epos en sprokie: die transformasie van tradisionele patrone in twee Afrikaanse romans uit 1991

Abstract

It was more than sixty years ago that Vladimir Propp and Andre Jolles published their formalistic viewpoints on the basic structure of simple tales. Propp researched the fairy tale, or Russian "wondertale"; Jolles tried to describe a typical schematic pattern that is present in simple forms like the "Legende, Sage, Mythe, Ratsel, Spruch, Kasus, Memorabile, Marchen, Witz". Since then, formalism has been replaced by numerous new accents in literary research, and theories related to structuralism, semantics, Marxism and feminism, amongst others, successively gained ground. This article offers a contemporary review of the ideas of Jolles and Propp based on a reading of two Afrikaans novels published during 1991. They are Andre P. Brink's Die kreef raak gewoond daaraan (available in English as An Act of Terror") and Abjater wat so lag by Wilma Stockenstrom. In both novels traditional forms like the saga and the fairy tale were transformed at a narratological and ideological level. Brink constructs a paradigm of respectively simple forms like the saga, the myth, the art form and the epic. In Stockenstrom's novel the fairy tale is deconstructed from a feministic point of view. Evidently, schematism and pattern-like repetition still function in the modern text, albeit within the context of creative transforma­tion and the reaction to a changed social dispensation.

Opsomming

Meer as sestig jaar gelede publiseer Vladimir Propp en Andre Jolles hulle formalistiese beskouings oor die strukturering van volksvertellings. Vir Propp is die ondersoeksgebied die "folktale" of "wondertale"; Jolles weer beskryf die tipiese vorm van die "legende, sage, myte, raaisel, spruch, kasus, memorabile, marchen, witz". Sedertdien is die Formalisme gediskrediteer of na die agtergrond geskuif deur opeenvolgende fokusveranderings binne die literêre teorie, en het benaderings gebaseer op, onder andere, die Strukturalisme, die Semiotiek, die Resepsie-estetika, die Marxisme en die Feminisme toenemend van belang geword. Hierdie artikel doen verslag van 'n eietydse ondersoek na die relevansie van Jolles en Propp se werk en bied 'n herevaluasie van hulle destydse bevindinge. Die tekste wat beskryf word, is twee romans wat gedurende 1991 in Afrikaans verskyn het: Andre P. Brink se Die kreef raak gewoond daaraan en Wilma Stockenstrom se Abjater wat so lag. Die bevinding was dat in albei romans, tradisionele vorme soos die sage en die sprokie op narratologiese en ideologiese vlak getransformeer word. Brink konstrueer 'n paradigma van respektiewelik enkelvoudige vorme soos die sage en die mite, asook die kunsvorm, die epos. In Stockenstrom se roman word die sprokie (feeverhaal) vanuit 'n feministiese perspektief gedekonstrueer. Klaarblyklik funksioneer die verskynsels van skematisering en patroonmatige herhaling – maar dan binne die konteks van kreatiewe transformasie en die reaksie op 'n veranderde sosiale orde – nog steeds in die hedendaagse teks.