DIE ROL VAN DIE DEMONIESE IN DEN SPIEGHEL DER SALICHEIT VAN ELCKERLIJC, MARIKEN VAN NIEUMEGHEN EN SEWE DAE BY DIE SILBERSTEINS: âN VERGELYKENDE STUDIE

• Main Author: Brümmer, Annebelle
• Other Authors: Prof HP van Coller
• Format: Others
• Language: en-uk
• Published: University of the Free State 2013
• Subjects: Drama and Theatre Arts
• Online Access: http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-07182013-093552/restricted/

The researcher looked at the effects of Roman rituals on the Christian faith. After thorough research, it appeared that the Roman influences did not get lost with the introduction of Christianity to the rest of Europe. The researcher went back to old rituals and superstitions and studied how drama (mime) developed from the ritual. However, it is clear that devilish swooningâs and demonic representations played a big role in the ritual. The researcher found that many beliefs were mixed with the Christian faith and later on were transferred into the Church. The demonic character played a big role in the representation of what is evil. Stage designers paid a lot of attention on the details of the demonic character and the hell, they wanted it to look as realistic as possible. The study found that the demonic character, Moenen, in the play Mariken van Nieumeghen, played a very prominent role. The researcher analysed another Medieval text, called Den Spieghel der salicheit van Elckerlijc, analyzed. What was very interesting is that both texts have elements that resemble the demonic characters of the artist Hiëronymus Bosch; as well as his representation of death. The researcher also drew similarities between the story of Den Spieghel der salicheit van Elckerlijc and Buddhist. During these studies, the researcher applied these Medieval elements to a South African sixties novel, Sewe Dae by die Silbersteins. The researcher studied the role gender plays in the portrayal of the evil characters found in the novel. Thorough analysis of the novel shows clear similarities between the portrayal of evil characters in the text and the representations of the demonic characters of the Middle Ages. Similarities between Hiëronymus Bosch's depiction of evil and how it was portrayed in the novel could be drawn.