Rivonia

The thesis is entitled ‘Rivonia’ and comprises an epic poem written in the form of ten separate interlinking dramatic monologues and a critical and reflective commentary. The poem is called ‘Rivonia’ and it is about the Rivonia Trial at which Nelson Mandela and six co-accused were sentenced to life imprisonment, and about the fall of the apartheid regime in South Africa. The critical and reflective commentary introduces the idea of the epic-minded poet and the sorts of narratives such a poet might look for. It also discusses how the poem came to be written, why the Rivonia Trial was considered a suitable subject for an epic poem, why dramatic monologue was chosen as a suitable form for an epic poem and various problems which arose as a result of this choice. The commentary concludes with a discussion of the way contemporary epic poets use myth in the creation of heroic figures, problems which arise when using contemporary history as a basis for an epic poem and an argument for the continued relevance of epic poetry.