Literary history is a problematic and shifting discourse, especially in the multilingual, post-colonial South African situation. In this book, the author draws on his intimate knowledge of documents written in Dutch during the 17th century and the texts that were produced in this language and its variations as it gradually became Afrikaans by the end of the 19th century. A History of South African Literature: Afrikaans Literature 17th–19th centuries brings an important expansion and regeneration of Afrikaans historiography within the context of South African literary history.
A History of Afrikaans Literature?
Problematising South African Literary Historiography
The Afrikaans Language
Literary Historiography
The Dutch Language and Afrikaans Literature
Dutch, Afrikaans and South African Writings
The Inclusive Approach
The Inclusive Approach in the Present Study
Afrikaans Literature and Language Emancipation
How Should the Story of Literature be Told?
I. THE BEGINNINGS OF LETTERS IN SOUTH AFRICA (from 1652 to the mid-19th century)
The Dutch period (1652–1795)
General Overview
The Register
Diaries
Journals
The Oral Tradition
The English Period (First Half of the 19th Century)
General Overview
Song in Honour of the Heroes of Swellendam (Lied ter ere)
Anglicisation and the Revival of the Dutch Tradition
Marten Douwe(s) Teenstra
Voortrekker Writings
Theatre in the Cape
Early Journalism and the First Printed Texts in Afrikaans
II. EMANCIPATION OF LITERATURE:
THE PERIOD OF LANGUAGE MOVEMENTS (Second Half of the 19th Century)
Introductory Remarks
Eastern Border Language Movement (Oosgrenstaalbeweging)
Cape Town Muslims’ Language Movement (Maleier-Afrikaanse Taalbeweging)
The Moravian Brethren Mission Movement and Genadendal Dutch
The Afrikaner Language Movement
Phase One – The Bible Movement (Bybelvertalingsbeweging):
Religious Inspirations
Phase Two – The Association of True Afrikaners
(Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners): Language Propaganda
Phase Three – The Afrikaner League (Afrikanerbond):
Domination of Political and National Factors
The Dutch Movement (Hollandse Beweging): Reviving Dutch Traditions
Conscious Formation of Afrikaans Literature: Organising and Standardising
Introductory Remarks
Major Representatives
A Chronology of South African History up to the Beginning of the 20th Century
Selected Bibliography
Index of Names
