Negentiende-eeuse Realisme: Hildebrand, Conscience, Cachet

Abstract

To date literary historians have not reported extensively on the connection between Dutch and early Afrikaans prose texts of the nineteenth century. This paper endeavours to verify definite intertextual links between an Afrikaans prose text, “Die geldduiwel” (1882-1889) by Jan Lion Cachet and two comparable Flemish and Dutch texts, namely De geldduivel (1856) by Hendrik Conscience, and “De familie Kegge” (1839) by Hildebrand. The most important characteristics of nineteenth century Realism serve as basis for comparison. The resemblances extend far beyond the common themes exhibited by these texts and also include the tendency of artistic texts to approximate reality by representing a total and objective view of particular the bourgeois-centered orientation of the prose in general and the representation of a specific society in particular. The paper opens up a perspective on the mode of representation in prose during the period dominated by Realism, and also illustrates and defines the close relationship that existed between nineteenth century Dutch, Flemish and Afrikaans prose art.