Amazonen en volksmoeders: overeenkomsten in representaties van vrouwen in Zuid-Afrikaanse en Poolse nationale mythologieën

Abstract

This paper discusses similarities in the working of mechanisms responsible for the creation of idealized representations of women in South African (or Afrikaner) and Polish national mythologies. It is argued that in both cases two realisations of a patriotic attitude can be observed. The first of them, South African volksmoeder or Polish Matka Polka, is perceived as the dominant and neutral one. It defines the embodiment of female virtues as prescribed by social norms. The other one, the Amazon, refers to a rebellious woman warrior who constitutes a disturbing mixture of both stereotypically female and male features. The attention is drawn to the role of literature in the forming and preserving of these models. Furthermore, the discussion focuses on the question whether the Amazon can be perceived as a model of a proto-feminist.