N. P. van Wyk Louw
Encyclopedia
Nicolaas Petrus van Wyk Louw (June 11, 1906 in Sutherland
, formerly Cape Province
, now Northern Cape Province in South Africa
– June 18, 1970 in Johannesburg
), almost universally known as N.P. van Wyk Louw, was an Afrikaans
-language poet, playwright, and scholar. He is the older brother of Afrikaans-language poet W.E.G. Louw.
One of the Dertigers
, or "Writers of the Thirties," N.P. van Wyk Louw produced among his most famous works his debut 1935 volume of poems, Alleenspraak ("Monologue"), the 1937 poetry collection Die halwe kring ("The Semicircle"), the verse epic Raka, and the 1956 tragedy Germanicus.1
N.P. van Wyk Louw is quoted on the Afrikaans Language Monument
in Paarl
, Western Cape Province; in his quote, he views Afrikaans as a bridge that connects Europe with Africa.
The South African composer Cromwell Everson
composed a song cycle, "Vier Liefdesliedjies", that used three of Louw's poems: "Nagliedje", "Net altyd jy" , and "Dennebosse".
at the age of 14. He earned a Master's Degree in German at the University of Cape Town
, where he later taught. He received an honorary degree from the University of Utrecht in 1948, and was a professor of Afrikaans at the University of Amsterdam from 1949-1958. He finished his academic career at the University of Witwatersrand as head of the Dutch/Afrikaans department.
1Lindenberg, E., et al. "Inleiding tot die Afrikaanse Letterkunde". Pretoria and Cape Town: Fifth edition, 1980.
Sutherland, Northern Cape
- External links :* * *...
, formerly Cape Province
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
, now Northern Cape Province in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
– June 18, 1970 in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
), almost universally known as N.P. van Wyk Louw, was an Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
-language poet, playwright, and scholar. He is the older brother of Afrikaans-language poet W.E.G. Louw.
One of the Dertigers
Dertigers
The Dertigers, or "writers of the thirities," are a group of Afrikaans-language South African poets who achieved new heights of eloquence in the young language's early decades of the 20th century....
, or "Writers of the Thirties," N.P. van Wyk Louw produced among his most famous works his debut 1935 volume of poems, Alleenspraak ("Monologue"), the 1937 poetry collection Die halwe kring ("The Semicircle"), the verse epic Raka, and the 1956 tragedy Germanicus.1
N.P. van Wyk Louw is quoted on the Afrikaans Language Monument
Afrikaans Language Monument
The Afrikaans Language Monument is located on a hill overlooking Paarl, Western Cape Province, South Africa. Officially opened on 10 October 1975, it commemorates the semicentenary of Afrikaans being declared an official language of South Africa separate from Dutch...
in Paarl
Paarl
Paarl is a town with 191,013 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its the third oldest European settlement in the Republic of South Africa and the largest town in the Cape Winelands. Due to the growth of the Mbekweni township, it is now a de facto urban unit with Wellington...
, Western Cape Province; in his quote, he views Afrikaans as a bridge that connects Europe with Africa.
The South African composer Cromwell Everson
Cromwell Everson
Cromwell Everson was primarily known as a composer during his lifetime. He was brought up as an Afrikaner by his mother, Maria De Wit and father, Robert Everson. He continued this tradition and all his children were brought up as Afrikaners....
composed a song cycle, "Vier Liefdesliedjies", that used three of Louw's poems: "Nagliedje", "Net altyd jy" , and "Dennebosse".
Life
The second of four brothers, N.P. van Wyk Louw moved to Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
at the age of 14. He earned a Master's Degree in German at the University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
, where he later taught. He received an honorary degree from the University of Utrecht in 1948, and was a professor of Afrikaans at the University of Amsterdam from 1949-1958. He finished his academic career at the University of Witwatersrand as head of the Dutch/Afrikaans department.
External links
Picture and brief biography1Lindenberg, E., et al. "Inleiding tot die Afrikaanse Letterkunde". Pretoria and Cape Town: Fifth edition, 1980.