Afrikaans literature
Quick Summary
Afrikaans literature, originating in South Africa, developed from 17th-century Dutch spoken by colonists and enslaved people. It has experienced an identity crisis, caught between its Dutch roots and its place within South African literary traditions.12
The First Afrikaans Language Movement in 1875 aimed to establish Afrikaans as a distinct language from Dutch. Following the South African War (1899-1902), Afrikaans gained prominence as a written language, with early notable works including poems by EugĆØne Marais and Jan Celliers. The language was officially recognized in 1925.21
Throughout the 20th century, Afrikaans literature evolved, moving from didacticism to realism and experimentation. Poets like C. Louis Leipoldt and Breyten Breytenbach sought to broaden its scope. Writers later explored universal themes and eventually opposition to apartheid, with significant movements like the Dertigers (1930s) and Sestigers (1960s) pushing literary boundaries.23
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- Stephanus Jacobus du Toit
ā¦groundwork for the establishment of Afrikaans (the South African dialect of Dutch) as an official language in South Africa.
Read Moreā¦groundwork for the establishment of Afrikaans (the South African dialect of Dutch) as an official language in South Africa.
Read More - C. Louis Leipoldt
ā¦doctor, journalist, and a leading poet of the Second Afrikaans Language Movement.
Read Moreā¦doctor, journalist, and a leading poet of the Second Afrikaans Language Movement.
Read More - Daniel FranƧois Malherbe
ā¦dramatist whose work helped establish Afrikaans as the cultural language of South Africa. He published many volumes of poetry and drama but is known primarily as a novelist for such works as Vergeet nil (1913; āDonāt Forgetā), an extremely popular novel about the South African (Boer) War; Die Meulenaar (1936;ā¦
Read Moreā¦dramatist whose work helped establish Afrikaans as the cultural language of South Africa. He published many volumes of poetry and drama but is known primarily as a novelist for such works as Vergeet nil (1913; āDonāt Forgetā), an extremely popular novel about the South African (Boer) War; Die Meulenaar (1936;ā¦
Read More