Die begrip <i>dramatiese didaskalia</i> (weer) beskou

Abstract

The dramatic didascalies revisited The concept of dramatic didascalies has received little theoretical attention in South Africa. Mouton (1989:166-195) included a chapter on the topic in her published doctoral thesis and Van der Merwe (1992) completed a master’s thesis on the didascalies as sign-system in dramas by M.S. Serudu. Both theses draw on an article by Savona (1982), in which virtually no attention is paid to the etymological influence of the word on the general meanings and interpretations attached to it. Consequently, the purpose of this article is to trace the correspondences between the historical background of the word "didascalies" and its applications to dramatic theory and practice. Historically it is possible to distinguish two main groups of literary didascalies in the published text of a play. Direct didascalies derive from the playwright, but indirect didascalies are supplied by someone else.