Moepatshipi ga a bone ka G.C. Motlhasedi jaaka leboko la epiki mo Setswaneng

Abstract

The aim of this mini-dissertation is to determine the position of the epic poem in Tswana. The relationship between traditional and modern poetry will be investigated and highlighted in cases where it has relevance to the nature and development of epic poems. The structural approach was used to analyse G. C. Motlhasedi's poem Moepatshipi ga a bone. The title is a Tswana proverb which can be recasted as "Love is blind" and in short means love has no obstacles and is not controlled by laws. The features of epical poetry were obtained from various sources. The features were incorporated into a model to determine whether Motlhasedi's poem could be used as a foundation for the future analysis of Tswana epic poems. In conclusion, the analysis demonstrated that the relationship between oral and modern poetry is unavoidable and furthermore that the study of Moepatshipi ga a bone can be used as an introduction to the study of epical poetry in Tswana.