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The Deconstruction of Afrikaner Mythology in Marlene Van Niekerk’S Triomf

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The Deconstruction of Afrikaner Mythology in Marlene Van Niekerk’S Triomf “BETWEEN THE WALLS OF JASPER, IN THE STREETS OF GOLD”: THE DECONSTRUCTION OF AFRIKANER MYTHOLOGY IN MARLENE VAN NIEKERK’S TRIOMF by ALETTA CATHARINA DU PLESSIS submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject ENGLISH at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: DR D N R LEVEY JULY 2009 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Writing a dissertation is a privilege and a rewarding undertaking. I would like to thank the following: My patient, wonderful husband of many years, who spent countless lonely hours while I ‘triomfed- triomfed’. The two daughters of the house who rushed over at all hours to fix the intractable computer, giving encouragement and advice, with only now and then a small mutter of: ‘What did you do?’ Marlene van Niekerk, whose wonderful texts mark her as a brilliant author with a wicked sense of humour: thank you for Triomf. Leon de Kock, whose remarkable translation led to my revived interest in Afrikaans literature and an enduring admiration for Triomf. Dawie Malan, whose help in finding articles of any kind is miraculous, and for teaching me how to use the library’s computer system. The English Department for its open-mindedness in having Triomf as a prescribed work. Last but not least, Dr. David Levey, the best supervisor imaginable. I would like to thank him for his patience, his diplomacy, his gentle suggestions and subtle hints that guided me out of the forest of words I often found myself in. ABSTRACT: Triomf explores the distortion of the national Afrikaner identity as a result of apartheid. This dissertation aims to demonstrate how van Niekerk deconstructs the Afrikaner through myths, stories, symbols, intertextuality and Derridean deconstruction. The Benades represent the Afrikaner on three levels: the personal, the national and the primordial. Since the Benades are primordial, Van Niekerk is able to use the archetypes of Jung’s collective unconscious to deconstruct the archetypal mythological structures Afrikaner nationalists used to develop identity and unity. The archetypes deconstructed are Spirit, the Great Mother, Re-birth, the Trickster, the Physical Hearth and the Sacred Fire. Afrikaner myths deconstructed include the Great Trek, the family, the patriarch, the matriarch, the future of a white Afrikaner nation and the binding character of Afrikaans as white national language. Van Niekerk undermines the plaasroman of the 1920s and 1930s, as the Afrikaner’s national identity was constituted and deconstructed in literature. Key words: Afrikaner Deconstruction Myths Identity Intertextuality Apartheid Plaasroman Patriarchy Triomf Marlene van Niekerk ABBREVIATIONS: TRIOMF (ENGLISH): T TRIOMF (AFRIKAANS): TA TRIOMF (NETHERLANDS, DUTCH): TN OPSOMMING: Triomf ondersoek die verwringing van die nasionale identiteit van die Afrikaner wat veroorsaak is deur apartheid. Die doel van hierdie proefskrif is om te wys hoe Marlene van Niekerk die Afrikaner dekonstrueer deur mites, stories, symbole, intertekstualiteit en Derridiaanse dekonstruksie. Die Benades verteenwoordig die Afrikaner op drie vlakke, naamlik die individuele, die nasionale en die oermens. Omdat die Benades gesetel word in die mens (oermens) kan Van Niekerk gebruik maak van argetipes wat spruit uit Jung se konsep van die kollektiewe onbewuste. Sy dekonstrueer die argetiepse mitologiese strukture wat die Nasionaliste gebruik het om identiteit en eenheid te ontwikkel. Dié argetipes sluit in die Gees, die Groot Moeder, Herlewing, die Triekster, die Fisiese Haard en die Heilige Vuur. Die Afrikaanse mites wat spesifiek dekonstrueer word is die Groot Trek, die familie, die patriarg, die matriarg, die toekoms van Afrikaners as ʼn wit nasie en Afrikaans as bindingsmiddel en wit nasionale taal. Van Niekerk meld veral die plaasromans van die 1920s en 1930s omdat die Afrikaner se nasionale identiteit vasgelê en ondermyn is in literatuur. Sleutelwoorde: Afrikaner Dekonstruksie Mites Identiteit Intertekstualiteit Apartheid Plaasroman Patriargie Triomf Marlene van Niekerk ABBREVIATIONS: TRIOMF (ENGLISH): T TRIOMF (AFRIKAANS): TA TRIOMF (NETHERLANDS, DUTCH): TN TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Aim and method of this study ………………………………………… 1 1.2 Deconstruction ………………………………………………………… 4 1.3 Postmodernism ………………………………………………………… 9 1.4 Intertextuality ………..………………………………………………… 19 1.5 Archetypes …….……………………………………….……………… 27 1.6 Translation ……..……………………………………………………… 28 1.7 Style …………………………………………………………………… 32 1.8 Binary oppositions …………..………………………………………… 34 1.9 Summary ………….…………………………………………………… 35 CHAPTER 2: WALLPAPER: MYTHS, STORIES AND SYMBOLS 2.1 Introduction .…………………………………………………………… 36 2.2 Myths and stories …….……….………………………………………… 37 2.3 Incest and the plaasroman ……………………………………………… 42 2.4 Jung’s dream ……….…………………………………………………… 43 2.5 Graeco-Roman myths in Triomf …..……………………………………. 44 2.6 Biblical myths and biblical discourse ……...…………………………… 48 2.7 Death and regeneration ….. .………………………………………….… 49 2.8 Symbols …………………………………………………………………. 52 2.9 The myth of Afrikaans …..……………………………………………… 54 2.10 Conclusion: ‘Voor die poorte. Noordeloos’ …......……………………… 54 CHAPTER 3: THE MAN IN THE STARS: THE DECONSTRUCTED PATRIARCH 3.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………… 56 3.2 The plaasroman ...………………………………………………………. 56 3.3 The patriarch: The man in the stars .……………...…..………………… 58 3.4 The collective unconscious and the archetype of spirit ………………… 66 3.5 Stones ……....…………………………………………………………… 70 3.6 Conclusion .……………………………………………………………… 71 CHAPTER 4 THE YELLOW ROSE OF TEXAS: THE DECONSTRUCTED MATRIARCH 4.1 Introduction ...…………………………………………………………… 73 4.2 Martha Benade …..……………………………………………………… 74 4.3 Baba Yaga …….………………………………………………………… 76 4.4 Sexuality and the headless porcelain cat ...……………………………… 77 4.5 The Rose ...……………………………………………………………… 79 4.6 The preserver of the nation’s culture …………………………………… 81 4.7 The goddess ..…………………………………………………………… 84 4.8 Identity crises …………………………………………………………… 88 4.9 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………… 91 CHAPTER 5 THE SAVING PERSPECTIVE: TREPPIE 5.1 Introduction: The Apocalyptic Beast …….……………………………… 92 5.2 The trickster …..…………………………………………………………. 93 5.3 The anal phase …………………………………………………………… 98 5.4 Philosophical issues ...…………………………………………………… 99 5.5 Wallpaper ...……………………………………………………………...103 5.6 Conclusion: The saving perspective …………………………………… 107 CHAPTER 6 THE SINS OF THE FATHERS: LAMBERT 6.1 Introduction .…………..………………………………………………… 109 6.2 The disintegration of the subject …..…………………………………… 111 6.3 Ampie …...……………………………………………………………… 113 6.4 The Lacanian phallus and the mirror phase ………………………….... 114 6.5 Birth ………....…….…………………………………………………… 117 6.6 The mirror ……………………………………………………………… 119 6.7 The hero ...….…………………………………………………………… 121 6.8 The archetype of rebirth .…………….……....………………………… 125 6.9 Rubbish …...…………………………………………………………… 126 6.10 Conclusion: The coming of the Angels …...…………………………… 129 CHAPTER 7 SAAI DIE WAATLEMOEN: DIE BENADES 7.1 Origins …….………….………………………………………………… 131 7.2 Racism …..……………………………………………………………… 133 7.3 The family ……..…..…………………………………………………… 134 7.4 The Volksmoeder ….…………………………………………………… 136 7.5 The Great Trek …………………………………………………………. 137 7.6 Raka ……….…………………………………………………………… 138 7.7 History …………..……………………………………………………… 140 7.8 Conclusion …...………………………………………………………… 141 CHAPTER 8 CONCLUSION: TO END WITHOUT AN ENDING 8.1 Introduction …...………………………………………………………… 142 8.2 Will the Afrikaner and Afrikaans survive under a democratic government? …...………………………………………………………… 143 8.3 What is the worst thing that could happen to South Africa and its people under the new democratic government? .………………………… 144 8.4 Will the New South Africa prosper, or decline like other African countries? .………..............………………………………………………146 8.5 What options are open to Afrikaners in the future? …………………….. 149 8.6 Symbols of hope present in Triomf …...………………………………… 149 8.7 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………… 151 FOOTNOTES …...…………………………………………………………… 152 REFERENCES ……….……………………………………………………… 176 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Revelation 1:3 (1) Or to put it another way: if you’re lucky you’ll come to a crossroads and see that the path to the left leads to hell, that the path to the right leads to hell, that the road straight ahead leads to hell and that if you try to turn around you’ll end up in complete and utter hell (2). Mol stands behind the house, in the backyard. As the sun drops, it reaches between the houses and draws a line across the middle button of her housecoat. Her bottom half is in shadow. Her top feels warm. Triomf: 1 1.1 Introduction: Aim and method of this study Highlighted by the sun and dulled by the shade, Mol represents the plight of the Afrikaner nation on 27 April 1994. Is she emerging from a dark past into a bright future – or is she leaving the light behind to enter the uncertain realms of the Afrikaner’s stygian nightmares? For many Afrikaners a black majority government embodies their darkest fears, the descending into the pit; the dissolution of their creation myth, the Great Trek and the confirmation of the Nationalist Party’s gloomiest predictions. The Benades in Triomf can be read as a ‘metaphor for (and protest against) the insularity of the Afrikaner’s cultural universe, a result of the confluence of Afrikaner nationalism and apartheid’ (3). The dramas in Triomf take place in the seven months preceding the first democratic election that leads to the death
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