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Masculine identity in Marlene van Niekerk’s Agaat

Bibliographic Data

ID10836235
AuthorsA Pretorius (0000-0003-4442-1926, University of Pretoria, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume51
Issue1
Pages29-43
Publication date2017-03-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTydskrif vir letterkunde (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0041-476X • E-ISSN: 2309-9070
PublisherAcademy of Science of South Africa (PUBLISHER • ZA)
DOI10.4314/tvl.v51i1.3
OpenAlexW2022881215
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited2

Critical commentary on Jak de Wet in Marlene van Niekerk’s Agaat centres on his being a patriarchal stereotype of Afrikaner nationalism. However, while his negative behaviour in the novel is undeniable, the construction of his masculine identity is mediated by the emasculated space in which he enacts it. This article reads his masculinity in relation to the concept of “hegemonic masculinity”, the spatial construction of public and private masculine identities, and masculinity as performative. This highlights the ways in which Jak’s representation reveals transient moments of insight. These moments find expression in the novel’s recurring images of mobility that culminate in his death

Aesthetics · Art · Hegemonic masculinity · Identity (music · Literature · Masculinity · Nationalism · Performative utterance · Political science · Politics · Private space · Sociology · Space (punctuation) · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Gender Studies · Law · Literature, Politics, and Exile Studies · Philosophy · South African History and Culture

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Unique citing works1
Citations per year0,1
Citation span2016 - 2016 (1)
Citation velocityhistorical
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 1
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