Oedipus and Afrikaans Theater (L.J. Du Plessis, Theo Wassenaar, Athol Fugard and Andre Huguenet on the Classical Play of 'Sophocles: Oedipus Tyrannus'‪)‬

Since antiquity Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus has enjoyed the reputation of one of the greatest achievements of Greek dramatic art. (1) The fame of this tragedy must to a large extent be due to the regard in which it was held by Aristotle, (2) and in modern times its renown has been enhanced by the widespread knowledge of Freud's theories. In South Africa it is probably the most widely known of the Greek myths among the general public; yet Oedipus has not lent itself easily to political interpretation there. While Aeschylus's Oresteia, Sophocles' Antigone, and Euripides' Medea have been adapted and performed not only to reflect the intricacies of sociopolitical realities in South Africa, but also to raise awareness of injustice and inhumanity, Sophocles' Oedipus has largely preserved its status as the quintessential representative of Greek tragedy. (3) It has stood for what is best, most admirable, and elevated in the Western classical tradition. Productions of Oedipus have thus taken on a different political dimension, implicitly declaring that they stand as evidence for equality with the greatest achievements in Western culture. It is in this light that I shall first investigate two different Afrikaans translations of the tragedy made in South Africa in 1927 and 1938, respectively. Then the links between Afrikaner cultural pride, nationalism, and identity, and the role of the theater will be examined in light of their exposure in Exits and Entrances. This 2004 play by Athol Fugard (b. 1932), who made his name in the theater of protest, has for protagonists the greatest exponent of the role of Oedipus in mid-twentieth-century South Africa--the Afrikaans actor Andre Huguenet (1906-61)--and an aspiring, unnamed young playwright. Afrikaans, the language that developed in South Africa among the descendants of the Dutch colonists and Malay slaves, was a "new" language that had received official recognition only in 1925 and its literature was thus at that time in its infancy. A complex web of educational and cultural ideals, nationalistic pride, and rivalry with their former colonial overlords lay behind the translations and productions of plays in Afrikaans. The Afrikaans language was a key component in the Afrikaner movement that was to be the dominant force in South African politics for most of the twentieth century.