Although Lekgothoane's collection of traditional praise poems as well as those of
Phala and Ramaila appeared in the late 1930's, these works have never been
thoroughly investigated and described. As a result, Lekgothoane becomes the
object of study in this thesis. It is, however, impossible to discuss his entire oeuvre
within the parameters of this study, and therefore attention is focussed on only one
of his poems.
The emphasis in the metrical analysis of the above mentioned work is on the fact
that this poem is a traditional praise poem. Special attention is paid to the problem
identified by Opland in connection with this type of poetry in Xhosa, namely that the
metrical arrangement of the traditional Xhosa praise poem must be related to its
performance. This hypothesis is however unacceptable for poetics. This study also
confirms that the metrical arrangement of the traditional Sepedi/Northern Sotho
praise poem is not determined by its performance.
The Lekgothoane praise poem as a literary work is analysed from the following
angles: (a) the author (b) the text (c) the reader. The biographical details collected
with regard to Lekgothoane confirm the (later) discovery that he did not write nature
poetry.
The poem as text was described according to content, composition (structure) and
style. The topic is an important concept in the analysis of the content, and it is
distinguished from the theme which is a central concept in the analysis of the
structure. Special attention was devoted to the title in the analysis of the poem's
compilation. Various structural strategies, which indicate that the owls which are
described could possibly be more than just birds, were then scrutinized. This
suspicion with regard to the owls is confirmed by various structural segments which
are then discussed, and the final interpretation, namely that this work is, amongst
other things, also a satire, is confirmed thematically. The particular style of the work is described according to a theoretical framework
developed by Kerkhoff. This is later developed into a practical model.
Finally, the poem is also examined from the angle of the reader. In this section, the
reception-aesthetics theory is however widely deviated from, and key concepts used
by Jauss and Iser respectively, namely "expectation horizon" and "open places", do
not feature here. The Lekgothoane poem is thus not assessed in terms of the
above concepts; this investigation is conducted in an interpretive manner.
Consequently, an attempt is made to indicate how the experience and/or the
knowledge of the reader can deepen his understanding and interpretation of the
poem. The owl poem of Malebana and of Van Wyk Louw, the secretary-bird poem
by Leipoldt, as well as a statement made by Paul in the New Testament are all
consequently included in this investigation.
In the concluding chapter it is shown that Lekgothoane occupies a unique position
within the traditional praise poem art, as he deviates from accepted practice, and
as his work is a prediction of the poetry of the modern praise poets.
Afrikaans: Ofskoon die versameling van tradisionele prysdigte deur Lekgothoane gedurende
die laat dertigerjare verskyn het, is sy werk, soos oak die Phala- en Ramailaprysdigversamelings,
nag nooit behoorlik ondersoek en beskryf nie. Hierdie proefskrif
sander Lekgothoane daarom vir sy ondersoek uit. Dit is egter onmoontlik om sy
hele oeuvre hierby te betrek. Daarom word die aandag slegs op een van sy gedigte
toegespits.
In die metriese analise van die werk word dit as tradisionele prysdig ontleed.
lnsonder word die aandag op die probleem toegespits wat Opland ten opsigte van
hierdie digsoort in Xhosa ge"identifiseer het, naamlik dat die metriese versorgingswyse
van die tradisionele Xhosaprysdig met die voordrag in verband gebring
moet word. Die hipotese is ewenwel vir die versleer onaanvaarbaar. Wat die
metriese geleding van die tradisionele Sepedi/Noord-Sothoprysdig betref, bevestig
hierdie ondersoek dat dit nie deur die voordrag bepaal word nie.
As literere werk word die Lekgothoaneprysdig vanuit die hoek van (a) die auteur,
(b) die teks, en (c) die leser ontleed. Die biografiese besonderhede wat omtrent
Lekgothoane versamel is, strook met die (latere) bevinding dat hy nie natuurpoesie
geskryf het nie.
Die gedig as teks is na inhoud, samestelling (struktuur) en stilistiese inkleding
beskryf. By die inhoudsanalise is die onderwerp 'n belangrike begrip, en word dit
van die tema onderskei wat 'n sentrale begrip by die struktuuranalise is. By die
ontleding van die gedigsamestelling is besondere aandag aan die gedigbetiteling
geskenk. Daarna het verskeie strukturele strategiee onder die loep gekom wat
daarop dui dat die uile waarvan daar geskryf word dalk meer as voels kan wees.
Verskeie struktuurgrepe wat hierna bespreek word, bevestig die vermoede by die
navorser, en die finale interpretasie dat die werk onder andere 'n satire is, word
tematies verantwoord. Die stilistiese inkleding van die werk word aan die hand van die teoretiese
raamwerk beskryf wat Kerkhoff uitgewerk het, en wat later tot 'n praktiese beskrywingsmodel
verfyn word.
Laastens is die gedig oak vanuit die hoek van die leser ondersoek. Hier word
ruimskoots van die resepsie-estetiek afgewyk, en die sleutelbegrippe wat navorsers
soos Jauss en Iser onderskeidelik gebruik, naamlik "verwagtingshorison" en "oop
plekke" kom hier dus nie ter sprake nie. Die Lekgothoanegedig word dus nie in
terme van bogenoemde begrippe beoordeel nie; hierdie ondersoek gaan interpreterend
te werk. Daar word derhalwe getrag om aan te dui hoe die ervaring en/of
kennis van die leser sy begrip en interpretasie van die gedig kan verdiep. Met die
oog hierop word die uilegedig van Malebana en van Van Wyk Lauw, Leipoldt se
gedig oar die sekretarisvoel, en 'n Paulusuitspraak uit die Nuwe Testament by
hierdie ondersoek betrek.
In die samevattende en slothoofstuk word daarop gewys dat Lekgothoane binne die
tradisionele prysdigkuns 'n unieke posisie inneem, daar hy van die erkende
samestellingspraktyk afwyk, en sy werk na die poesie van die moderne prysdigters
vooruitwys.
