Jungiaanse argetipes in die poësie van Ingrid Jonker, Sylvia Plath en Anne Sexton
Poets are able to express symbols in words by way of what C. G. Jung called "archetypes". This is an investigation of the feasibility that poets who wrote independently worldwide, were able to use the same imagery in their poetry without being able to copy it from each other. There are several similarities between the poets discussed. In the first place they lost a parent when they were still children. Secondly they all committed suicide and (thirdly) they were excellent poets. Their lives were characterised by a search for something they believed they could only find in death. These there issues could almost be put into a mathematical formula where [loss of significant other] + [artistic ability] = depression & suicidality/certain poetic elements (e.g. the use of "ek"/"I"). The focus of the study is the symbolism in the discussed poems, especially water, stone and moon imagery, and Jungian theories are used to explain these. Biographical information is also used to gain a better understanding of the poetry. Ingrid Jonker, Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton's poetry is initially analysed (as well as that of Eugène N. Marais and Sara Teasdale). Later more poets enter the discussion, such as Attila József, Cesare Pavese and Marina Tsvetaeva. The therapeutic value of writing poetry is investigated as well as the possibility of plagiarism, Antjie Krog's Die sterre sê 'tsau' enters the argument in order to substantiate Jung's hypotheses was well as to balance Stephen Watson's accusations of Krog. Finally the approach of this thesis gets a closer look.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
Department of English Language and Literature