Sabinet | Waardepeilings van die digkuns van C.M. van den Heever : research article
n Literator : Journal of Literary Criticism, Comparative Linguistics and Literary Studies - Waardepeilings van die digkuns van C.M. van den Heever : research article
Author Bernard Odendaal
Source : Literator : Journal of Literary Criticism, Comparative Linguistics and Literary Studies, Volume 24, Issue 1, Apr 2003, p. 19 - 36
Keyword(s) : Bekendstelling Nederlandse poesie-elemente - wending 19de eeu, Evaluations C.M. van den Heever&apos;s poetry, Introduction of elements of Dutch poetry - turn of 19th century, Oorgangsfiguur in Dertiger-vernuwing, Shifts dominant literary approaches, Simbolisme in die letterkunde, Symbolism in literature, Transitional figure in Afrikaans poetry renewal in 1930s, Verskuiwings heersende literatuuropvattings and Waardepeilings C.M. van den Heever se poesie
Evaluations of the poetry of C.M. van den Heever
This article traces the assessments of the value of the poetic work by the Afrikaans author C.M. van den Heever since the second quarter of the twentieth century. Appreciation of him as poet mainly revolves around his role as transitional figure in the important renewal of Afrikaans poetry in the 1930s, as can be seen from two rather divergent critiques by D.J. Opperman (completed in 1946 and 1952, respectively). An outstanding contribution by Van den Heever in this regard is the introduction of elements of Dutch poetry from around the turn of the nineteenth century to the Afrikaans literary world. A critic such as T.T. Cloete, in an article dating from 1957, convincingly argues that aspects of Van den Heever&apos;s poetic style and technique, which other critics had sometimes judged harshly, are largely functional in co-communicating the specific (passively transcendental) attitude towards life and reality conveyed in Van den Heever&apos;s work. Local and international shifts in the dominant literary approaches, however, have caused singularly confessional poetry - such as the bulk of Van den Heever&apos;s poetic output - to be increasingly marginalised since the mid- 1930s. In this respect he shares the fate of Dutch poet A. Roland Holst, whose poetry was influential in shaping the characteristics of Van den Heever&apos;s.
In dié artikel word die waardepeilings van C.M. van den Heever se poësie sedert die tweede kwart van die twintigste eeu nagespeur. Waardering vir sy digterskap berus hoofsaaklik op sy rol as oorgangsfiguur in die belangrike vernuwing van Dertig in die Afrikaanse poësie, soos blyk uit die nogal uiteenlopende twee resepsies deur D.J. Opperman (onderskeidelik voltooi in 1946 en 1952). &apos;n Uitmuntende bydrae deur Van den Heever in hierdie verband is sy bekendstelling van Nederlandse literêre strominge van rondom die wending van die negentiende eeu in die Afrikaanse letterkunde. Die kritikus T.T. Cloete het in &apos;n artikel uit 1957 oortuigend geargumenteer dat aspekte van Van den Heever se digstyl en -tegniek, wat soms onder ernstige kritiek moes deurloop, grootliks funksioneel is om die bepaalde (passief-transendentale) lewens- en werklikheidsingesteldheid in sy werk te ko-kommunikeer. Plaaslike en internasionale verskuiwings in heersende literatuuropvattings het egter tot gevolg gehad dat eensydig belydende poësie, soos dié van Van den Heever, toenemend gemarginaliseer geraak het sedert 1930. In hierdie opsig deel hy die lot van die Nederlandse digter A. Roland Holst, wie se digkuns &apos;n belangrike rol gespeel het in die vorming van die aard van Van den Heever s&apos;n.
Persistent Link : http://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC61724