Driepas (T.T. Cloete) : die digter as dissipel, die taal as katedraal

Abstract

This study was undertaken to ascertain whether the religious beliefs of the poet T.T. Cloete are embodied in his art. This (problematic) interrelationship between literature and view of life was approached from two angles. In the first instance it was necessary to determine whether the beliefs expressed in the poetry were the same as those held by the poet. The assumption was made that a textual figure can be constructed by reading a poet's poetical oeuvre holistically. A volume of T.T. Cloete's poetry, Driepas, was literarily and theologically examined in order to determine hermeneutically whether his poetry indicates him as being a disciple of Jesus Christ. As Cloete clearly stated his intention to build a cathedral when he was compiling this volume, it was secondly necessary to study Gothic cathedrals in order to determine possible structural correlations between the edifice and the poetical artefact. In the course of the second chapter of this study, it was demonstrated that the beliefs of the disciple cannot be separated from his art. Flowing from a grateful soul, the Christian's art will of necessity be utilized to convey his deepest admiration for the Lord, to serve his brethren and to evangelise the lost. The study has found this stated threefold office of the believer to be present in Cloete's poetry. Ten characteristics of the disciple of Jesus Christ were theologically determined and found to correlate with the revealed characteristics and religious experiences of the textual figure. The first hypothesis of the study was confirmed. The second hypothesis was verified in the third chapter of the study. It was found that the structure of Driepas punctually corresponds particularly with that of the Chartres cathedral. The poet presents the layout of the poetical edifice to the reader, as a guide would do for tourists visiting the Chartres cathedral. The symbolism found in the architecture of the cathedral was meant to edify the ignorant and to lead them to a better understanding of creation , redemption and eternal life. In much the same way, Driepas also becomes a poetical quest for the essence of God, progressing through life from birth to old age/death; from being born again to resurrection . The structural links between the cathedral of Chartres and the poems in Driepas were mainly ascertained by aid of Cloete's bountiful usage of enumeration and his meticulous attention to detailed arrangement. This aspect was previously overlooked by most critics of Driepas. By deliberate utilization of his art to create a dwelling for the Lord - a poetical sanctuary - Cloete has established himself as (one of) the most important religious poet(s) in Afrikaans .