Steampunk : 'n Beskrywende studie en analise van die neerslag van die begrip op die teks Clint Eastwood van Wyk en die Moordenaarsklok

Abstract

Steampunk is ʼn nuwe sub-genre van wetenskapsfiksie wat sy oorsprong in 1987 gekry het toe skrywer KW Jeter die term vir die eerste keer gebruik het. Vandaar het Steampunk as ʼn subkultuur ontwikkel in ʼn magdom manifestasies wat onder andere literatuur, grafiese werk, musiek, politiek, kuns, ontwerp, mode, kulturele teorie, strokiesverhale, films en virtuele realiteit insluit, veral deur die gebruik van die internet. As gevolg van die uiteenlopende manifestasies van die Steampunk-subkultuur, is daar tans nog geen klinkklare definisie van Steampunk nie. Daar ís egter ʼn menigte beskrywings van wat Steampunk is, asook verskeie opinies binne die Steampunkgemeenskap van wat Steampunk behoort te wees, maar geen duidelike riglyne waardeur Steampunk gedefinieer kan word nie. Hierdie verhandeling se doel is om duidelike riglyne daar te stel waardeur Steampunk gedefinieer kan word. ʼn Kort oorsig word verskaf oor die chronologie van Steampunk, die oorsprong van die term self, die heersende wêreldbeskouings en definisies, die Steampunk-gemeenskap, asook die invloed van die internet op die subkultuur. Daar word verwys na oorhoofse temas soos politieke en sosiale kwessies, alternatiewe geskiedenis en teenkultuur, invloede vanuit die Victoriaanse era en veral elemente soos neo-Victorianisme, tegno-fantasie en retro-futurisme wat eie is aan die Steampunk-subkultuur. ʼn Oorsigtelike beskrywing word verskaf ten opsigte van die verskillende manifestasies van Steampunk, en sluit die literatuur, strokiesverhaalboeke, kuns, kunstenaars, skeppers, mode, musiek, byeenkomste, films, televisie en ander verwante manifestasies van die Steampunk-subkultuur in. Daar word ook gekyk hoe die begrip Steampunk manifesteer in die teks Clint Eastwood van Wyk en die Moordenaarsklok, en ten laaste word ʼn definisie vir Steampunk daargestel en word ʼn Afrikaanse woord vir die term Steampunk geskep.

Steampunk is a new subgenre of science fiction that can be traced back to the coining of the term in 1987 by writer KW Jeter. From that point forward, Steampunk developed as a subculture through a wide variety of manifestations including literature, graphic design, music, political issues, art, design, fashion, cultural theories, comic books, films and virtual reality, to name a few, and mostly through the use of the internet. Due to the many manifestations of the Steampunk subculture, there is, at present, no clear definition of Steampunk. There are however many descriptions of what Steampunk is, and especially opinions within the Steampunk community of what Steampunk should be. There are, however, no clear guidelines to define Steampunk. This dissertation looks at creating definite guidelines to define Steampunk. The dissertation investigates the chronology of Steampunk’s history, the origin of the word itself, the current worldviews and definitions of Steampunk, the Steampunk community, as well as the role of the internet on the Steampunk subculture. Particular attention is given to certain Steampunk themes such as political and social issues, alternative histories, influences from the Victorian era and especially Steampunkspecific elements such as neo-Victorianism, technofantasy and retrofuturism. Furthermore, the dissertation investigates, in short, the various manifestations of Steampunk, including the literature, comic books, art, artists, makers, fashion, music, conventions, films, television as well as other lesser-known manifestations of the Steampunk subculture. Attention is also given to the manifestation of Steampunk in the text Clint Eastwood van Wyk en die Moordenaarsklok, and finally, a definition is presented for Steampunk, as well as a possible Afrikaans translation for the word Steampunk.