Die roman as polifonie: diskursiewe verskeidenheid in Lettie Viljoen se Belemmering

Abstract

This article argues that Mikhael Bakhtin's dialogism provides an appropriate theoretical background against which Lettie Viljoen's Belemmering (1990), a novel in which the polyphony of voices is immediately apparent, can be read. Bakhtin's dialogism presup­poses the heteroglossia of reality, according to which the world is seen as a teeming mass of discourses from which the speaking subject must choose. As the binary opposite of dialogism, monologism mistakenly assumes that one reigning, objectifying, unifying and closed discourse is possible. Bakhtin sees the novel as the literary embodiment of dialogism because of its multivoiced interweaving of speech types and its heteroglot irreverence towards that which is monologically fixed. According to Bakhtin, the carnival­esque origins of the novel contribute towards the subversion of the monologic, because the laughter in the carnival tradition subverts everything that pretends to be essential, universal and natural. The polyphony of Belemmering is manifested by the fragmentation of the novel into three different narrative "strands" as well as the presence of an extraordinary diversity of discourses. The article further argues that events in one of the narrative strands (the story of the men on the mountain) can be read as a subversion of the monologue as well as interpretative closure. The article also shows how the monologic order of the patriarchy, whose power manifests itself in the private as well as the public domain, is finally subverted by transgressive laughter in one of the other narrative strands (Hannah's story).

Opsomming

Die artikel voer aan dat die dialogisme van Mikhael Bakhtin 'n gepaste teoretiese agtergrond verskaf waarteen Lettie Viljoen se Belemmering (1990), 'n roman wat onmiddellik opval vanweë die polifonie van stemme daarin, gelees kan word. Bakhtin se dialogisme veronderstel die heteroglossie van die werklikheid waarvolgens die wêreld gesien word as 'n wemelende verskeidenheid diskoerse waaruit die sprekende subjek moet kies. As biner-opposisionele teenvoeter vir die dialogisme veronderstel die monolo­gisme die wanindruk dat daar een heersende, objektiverende, verenigende en geslote diskoers kan wees. Die roman is vir Bakhtin die literêre verwesenliking van dialogisme in taal vanweë die veelstemmige verweefdheid van die verskillende spraakhandelinge daarin vervat sowel as die heteroglotte oneerbiedigheid teenoor dit wat monologies gevestig is. Die karnavaleske oorspronge van die roman dra volgens Bakhtin by tot die ondermyning van die monoloog omdat die lag van die karnaval alles ondermyn wat op monologiese wyse voorgee om essensieel, universeel en natuurlik te wees. Die polifonie van Belem­mering word gemanifesteer in die fragmentering van die roman in drie verskillende narratiewe lyne sowel as die teenwoordigheid van 'n uitsonderlike verskeidenheid van diskoerse. Die artikel toon voorts hoedat gebeure in een van die narratiewe lyne (die verhaal van die mans op die berg) gelees kan word as 'n ondermyning van die monoloog sowel as die finalisering van betekenis. Daar word ook getoon hoedat die monologiese orde van die patriargie, wat sy mag op die persoonlike sowel as die politieke terrein laat geld, in een van die ander narratiewe lyne (die verhaal van Hannah) ondermyn word deur 'n bevrydende lag.