The dog is a universal, archetypical symbol of fidelity and loyalty. However, in literature—and especially in South African literature—the dog (as well as the hyena and the wolf) often symbolises the diabolical. In some instances the dog is also symbolic of the dark side of human nature, of dehumanisation and even of death. The canine symbol in Afrikaans literature has both European and African origins. When canines appear in their natural (literal) form in Afrikaans poems and narratives, they are for the most part portrayed in a positive (compassionate) way. As soon as they appear in a figurative (allegorical) capacity though, as a symbol or metaphor, they mostly represent something ominous. The ambivalent nature of dogs—they are both caring and brutal—is reflected in Afrikaans literature. In this article the contradictory (symbolic) depiction of canines will be explored in various Afrikaans poems and novels. This article thus falls within the framework of animal studies, the interdisciplinary field which analyses how nonhuman animals are portrayed and viewed within literature.

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P.P. Fourie se debuutroman, ’n Hart is so groot soos ’n vuis (2021), besit verskeie eienskappe wat dié teks as bildungsroman kenmerk. Die bildungsroman se bemoeienis met die sentrale figuur se inisiasie tot volwassenheid, sy konstruksie van die eie “ek”, asook die trauma wat met identiteitsvorming gepaard gaan, maak hierdie romansoort ideaal vir psigoanalitiese ontleding. In hierdie artikel gaan ’n Hart is so groot soos ’n vuis psigokrities geïnterpreteer word deur gebruik te maak van beide Freudiaanse en Lacaniaanse psigoanalitiese teorieë. Die ek-verteller in Fourie se teks verset hom op Oedipale wyse nie slegs teen sy “kastrerende” pa wat hom en sy ma mishandel nie, maar ook teen verskeie ander patriargale instellings. Hy besef dat sy persoonlike ervaring van huishoudelike geweld uitkring na die groter sosiaal-politieke agtergrond waarteen sy lewensverhaal afspeel. Derhalwe kom hy in opstand teen die gesinspatriargie, teen die patriargie van geweld teenoor vroue en kinders, die apartheidspatriargie, die heteroseksuele patriargie, en die patriargie van die kerk. Wanneer die verskeie subtekste volgens die Lacaniaanse psigokritiek as die “onbewuste” van die teks nagespeur word, word dit duidelik dat die verteller hom ook verset teen die samehangende “manlike” teks, die taal van Lacan se Wet van die Vader, en die patriargie van die pa-as-skrywer. Die doel van hierdie artikel is dus om ’n Hart is so groot soos ’n vuis te interpreteer aan die hand van die psigoanalise, veral betreffende die skrywer se ondermyning van dit wat Klages (2006:118) “phallogocentric Western discourse” noem. Die volgende werkswyse sal in dié artikel gevolg word: Eers word ’n teoretiese oorsig van die psigokritiek gegee; dan word die Freudiaanse en Lacaniaanse psigokritiek se onderskeie opvattings oor die rol van die fallus met mekaar vergelyk; waarna daar na die bildungsroman gekyk word. Ten slotte word Fourie se teks psigokrities geïnterpreteer, en word afleidings daaruit gemaak. Trefwoorde: bildungsroman; fallosentries; Freudiaanse psigoanalise; kastrasiekompleks; Lacaniaanse psigoanalise; literatuurpsigologie; maternale taal; Oedipuskompleks; onbewuste; patriargale strukture; psigokritiek; reële orde; semiotiese taal; simboliese orde; spieëlfase; subteks; traumabelewenis; Wet van die Vader

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The term ‘kerkhofgedig’ (‘churchyard poem’) does not feature in academic discussions on Afrikaans poetry, neither does it appear in Cloete’s authoritative work of reference, Literêre terme en teorieë (1992). There are mainly three reasons for this omission in Afrikaans literature. In the first place the Afrikaans word ‘elegie’ (elegy) has become a superordinate for most poems dealing with grief or melancholy about a certain event or condition, for example, a lamentation, obituary poem, dirge, requiem, et cetera. Secondly, graveyard poetry is associated with (English) poems and poets from the 18th century, not with more contemporary Afrikaans poets. In the third place, the elegy and the churchyard poem are related poetic forms which share many characteristics, making it difficult to distinguish between the two genres. In Afrikaans literature the churchyard poem is therefore not regarded as an independent poetic form with unique features, as is the case with churchyard poetry in English, French, German and Dutch. Nevertheless, a number of Afrikaans poets have written churchyard poetry over the decades. In this article it will be determined whether Afrikaans graveyard poetry does in fact exist. This will be accomplished by providing a historical background to graveyard poetry and by comparing traditional graveyard poems to modern poems. Then churchyard poetry will be compared to the elegy. In conclusion a clear definition for graveyard poetry will be formulated. The following questions will consequently be answered: What is graveyard poetry and does it exist in Afrikaans?