Die verwikkeldheid van die vrouebeelding in die poësie van Sheila Cussons

Abstract

The objective of this dissertation is to indicate the importance of the female -persona -in the poetry of Cussons and to analyse unique, complicated way in which the female personas has been created. The influence of Roman Catholicism is emphasised because Cussons is a self acknowledged Catholic and the main female persona in her poetry is the Blessed Virgin Mary. The religious doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church is based on the fact that Mary is the intermediary between Christ and man. She is portrayed by Cussons as the eternal woman, the primordial mother, the archetype of everything female and holy. This Catholic outlook on life definitely influences the way in which the Mary persona is postulated in the poetry oeuvre of Cussons. Another important influence i n the presentation of the female characters is the- Jungian theory on analytical psychology regarding archetypes, the collective unconscious and individuation. I indicate in this study the explicit connection between Jung's view on myth and religion, and the way in which Cussons presents her female personas. I categorize the different female personas and indicate the frequency of portrayal of the main females, namely Mary, Hera, the Greek goddess of marriage, Eve and St Theresa. I also try to indicate and motivate the differences and similarities in the characterization of the different female personalities. Certain aspects of parapsychology are discussed in depth - Jung expresses the theory that the collective unconscious includes the archetypes, archaic types more comprehensible in myths, more evident in dreams and visions. The archetype per se cannot be directly known ; thus the best way of judging whether a thought-content is of archetypal origin is to establish whether it corresponds with universal motifs commonly found in myths, fairy tales and major religions. As the poetry of Cussons has such a vast content of religion, myths and fairy tales, it is quite evident that the theories of Jung have had a definite impact on the female personas in this poetry oeuvre. The interchange ability of the characteristics of the Biblical personas, the mythical and contemporary women, indicates the connection between these female personas. The most important mythical female persona is Hera, goddess of marriage and the family. draw a comparison between the portrayal of the Biblical females and the mythical female personas with the Mary persona in the centre as the total encompassment of what is understood as the female archetype. Cussons has a compelling desire for wholeness, or 'individuation' in Jung's terminology, and it can be explicitly observed in the presentation of the female personas in her poetry. that is side and She is constantly searching for a closeness to God and only possible if the human being is purged from his dark walks in the light of Christ.