Vrouefigure in Reza de Wet se drama-oeuvre

Abstract

The central problem of this thesis is the situation of women in Reza De Wet's dramatic-oeuvre, and their yearning to escape from unacceptable circumstances. Chapter 1 deals with the historical background of the changing position of women in South African history, and indicates De Wet's dramatic oeuvre as the climax of this genre in the eighties. Chapters 2 and 3 deal with the female characters of Vrystaat-trilogie and Trits: Mis, Mirakel, Drif. Within the central problem, this study focuses on an ongoing liberation process which reaches its climax in Trits. Chapter 4 (A Russian trilogy) investigates the inner liberation process of female characters before and after the Russian Revolution, and focuses on their yearning for a better future. The conclusion of this thesis is that De Wet, by making use of concepts like intertextuality and fantasy, succeeded in deconstructing the image of a mythical Afrikaans countryside portrayed in earlier literature. Simultaneously the ongoing theme of an inner liberation takes place in the lives of most of the female characters throughout De Wet's dramatic oeuvre