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2023 Prescribed literature

Grade 12

Poem 9: The Hanswors – SJ Pretorius

Pardon for First Additional Language,

page 32-34
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Poem 9. Hanswors – SJ Pretorius

1. Poem form
2. Word meaning
3. Analysis

4. Theme and message 5.

Imagery and figures of speech 6.
Tone and mood
Activity 9
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[Sarel Jacob Pretorius - Wikipedia]

Date and place of birth: Sarel Jakob

Pretorius was born on 7 January 1917 in
Postmasburg. He obtained an Honors degree in
Afrikaans and Dutch literature at the University
of the Witwatersrand in 1954. Later he
also obtained a doctorate at the
Rijksuniversiteit van Utrecht in the Netherlands.

Literary works and achievements: SJ

Pretorius wrote the University of Potchefstroom's
University Song and received an honorary
award for his contribution to the
university in 1993. He was an Afrikaans poet,
journalist, professor of Afrikaans and
Dutch Literature and broadcaster. He
published a total of 15 collections of
poetry during his career.
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The clown
SJ Pretorius

1. Over his deliberate hump, 2.

and crookedness, they mocked him, 3. and
more bitter was their venom 4.
than his congealed spinal pain.

5. Among the animals in a corner

6. he sought solitude: 7. "With clothes
that are constantly being cooked, 8.
what does the guy do with his salary?"

9. He's monthly at the post office 10.

posted a letter or read one 11. at
the animal crates, over and over
there be someone somewhere?" again: HANSWORS 12. "Would
SJ Pretorius
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13. And that eternal smell of drink: 14.

no one would cry if he resigned, 15.
but where in the circus tent 16.
monkey-like against the firmament,
17. high against the rigging, he could climb,
18. defy death, and, little goblin, 19. takes
out his devilish tricks among 20.
that everyone skates for the miracle,
21. is he, how much despised,
abandoned, 22. still considered by the boss as an asset.

23. Then a letter came one day...

24. He bent over the bed, blinded, 25.
while the hunchbacked woman
"
softly, 26. dying whispers:
Thank you my child..."

CLOWN
[From: Album 60, Human & Rousseau, 1960]
SJ Pretorius
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Summary

• If you look at the title of the poem, it looks like it will be a funny
poem that will make you laugh.

• In the first stanza, however, we read that the clown is an adult

spine, which causes him to always be in pain. He is mocked by his
colleagues (the circus people) because of his hunchback. This taunt
hurts the clown more than the pain it causes his spine.

• According to stanza 2, he prefers to be alone. He prefers to be

with the animals that cannot mock him. He is slandered by
the colleagues. They wonder what he does with his salary, because
his clothes are always neglected.
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Summary (continued)

•
In stanza 3 we read that he does receive or send a letter every month, and
his colleagues can believe that somewhere there is someone who cares
about the clown. They still condemn him and slander him, but do not
speak to him.

•
In stanza 4 we see that he may have a drinking problem, but that he is
still very good at his job. His colleagues will not miss him if he resigns, but
the circus boss sees him as an asset that brings in money. The people
come to the circus because the clown makes them laugh/amuse them.

•
In stanza 5, the colleagues and the reader finally get the answer to the
questions. The reader can assume that the letter writer is his mother.
The letters were written from and to him. At the end, she thanks him
in her dying hour. Now the reader knows what the clown did with his
money.
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1. Poem form

The poem, Hanswors, consists of 26 lines. There are 5

stanzas. Stanzas 1, 2, 3 and 5 are quatrains with four lines each.
Stanza 4 consists of 10 lines for emphasis.
Pair rhyme occurs in stanzas 1, 2 and 4. Cross rhyme
occurs in stanzas 3 and 5.
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The title refers to a buffoon.

3. Analysis The life of the clown is characterized by farce, often also
at the expense of his own physical defects.
This clown is mocked and teased by other people
because his body is abnormal/deformed.
The Hanswors - SJ Pretorius
r. 1: "deliberately" very ugly to him
to look
1. About his willful hump, The "hump" is a growth on his back as
2. and crookedness, they mocked him, 3. a result of spine growth.
and more bitter was their venom
4. as his fused spine pain.
r. 2: His colleagues made fun of him because he
walked crooked.

r.3: "bitterer":
worse/unpleasant/worse
r.4: The clown's spine grew "venom": It's the ugly things they say
crooked and it caused him a lot of to him: poison/evil/slander.
pain.
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Summary of Stanza 1

In the first stanza, the people's reaction to the clown is

described. His colleagues see how ugly he is and
talk about it. This reaction hurts (feels) him more
than the pain he experiences all the time.
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r.5: The clown prefers to be with the animals rather

than with his colleagues.
The animals do not "coggle" him like his colleagues.

r.6: He prefers to be among the

5. Between the animals in a corner animals, lonely and alone.
6. did he seek solitude: 7. "With clothes that are
constantly cooked,
8. what does the guy do with his salary?”

r.7: The colleagues' direct words are quoted.

They talk about his clothes that are always torn.

r.8: "vent": the use of this word emphasizes how

negatively his colleagues feel about him.
It seems that the colleagues talk about the clown
amongst themselves (gossip).
Rhetorical question.
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Summary of Stanza 2

• In the second stanza the clown's

state of mind described. His colleagues see how
torn his clothes are and talk about it.
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r.9: "Hy't" is the abbreviation for he has.

He went to the post office every
month.

r.10: He "posted a letter", or received a

letter.

r. 11: The clown went to read the letter at

the animal cages.
"over and over" means repeatedly.

9. He's at the post office monthly

10. posted a letter or read one
11. at the animal crates, over and over:
12.."Would there be someone somewhere?"

r. 12: Again a rhetorical question. The

colleagues wonder if there could really be
anyone who cares about the clown.
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Summary of STROKE 3
In the third stanza the clown's monthly
described visiting the post office.
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r.13: "eternal" means he always smells

of drink/alcohol.
He may have a drinking problem. Maybe
he drinks too much to forget his pain r.14: His colleagues would not be sad if he
and sorrow. left.

13. And that eternal smell of drink: 14. no

one would cry if he resigned, 15. but r.15: "but" is the twist.
where he in the circus tent When he is busy with his work in
16. ape-like against the firmament, the circus tent, he does it well.
17. high up against the rigging, could climb,
18. taunts death, and, little goblin, 19.
r. 16: The inner roof of the circus tent is
takes out his devilish tricks below
compared to the "firmament", high
20. that everyone skates for the against the rigging. The clown climbs like
miracle, 21. he is despised , a monkey, fast.
abandoned, 22. still considered an asset by the boss.
r.17: All the frames and ropes of the
circus tent He climbs like a monkey high
up against the framework of the circus tent
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r.18: The clown is called a gnome because he is not very big. He

does dangerous stunts. He
defy death

r.19: The clown is full of tricks when he

is down on the ground. He does all
13. And that eternal smell of drink: 14. no one
kinds of things that make people laugh.
would cry if he resigned, 15. but where he in
the circus tent
16. ape-like against the firmament, r.20: The people who went to the circus

17. high up against the rigging, could climb, come, think the clown is very funny.

18. taunts death, and, little goblin, 19. takes out They all laugh out loud
and nice They are amazed
his devilish tricks below
about everything he can do.
20. that everyone skates for the miracle, 21.
he is despised, abandoned, 22. still
r.21: Although he is considered
considered an asset by the boss. an asset by the circus

r 22. For the boss of the circus, the clown is boss, his colleagues detest him.
This causes him to be
very valuable (asset). The people
very lonely.
who comes to the circus enjoys the clown. In this way,
the boss makes money from the clown.
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Summary of STROKE 4

In this stanza we read about the clown's work at

the circus. He does his job well. This may be a
possible reason for his colleagues' "venom".
Even though he is "offensive", he makes people
laugh. The speaker is again using
sensory perception.
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r. 23: There is a letter for the r.24: He went to his mother/relative.
clown came It did He was "blinded" by the tears that
information contains that she he could not see her.
mother/family member is/is very ill
is to die. r.25: This is his mother/family
member. She also has a hump. She
speaks softly, because she is on her
deathbed/is weak/is dying. His mother/
23. Then a letter came one day... family member's last words were to thank h
24. He bent over the bed, blinded, 25.
r.26: She does not say what she
while the hunchbacked woman softly,
thanks him for, but the reader realizes
26. dying whispers: "Thank you my child..."
what the possible reasons are:
the clown was a good son to his
r.26: His colleagues never realized the mother/relative and he took
truth, because they wanted to care of her; he sent her his salary
gossip/talk badly about him instead. They and he took care of her.
didn't bother to get to know him.
The people of the circus judged
him.
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Summary of stanza 5 The

fifth stanza tells of a letter that was delivered.
Here are the possible reasons for the clown's
strange behavior.
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Theme and message

•The theme of the poem is the prejudice of the clown's

colleagues/exploitation of people with disabilities.
However, it is also about the love of a son for his mother/
family member, as well as the mother's/family member's love
for her son.

•The message of the poem is that people should not judge

each other. There may be a reason for their funny
performances.
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Speech and figures of speech

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r.2 : Alliteration: repetition of the h sound. r.3 and 4: Contrast: Their venom stands in
contrast with the clown's pain.
Function: emphasizes the they and the Function: It emphasizes that the
clown, the two groups of people in the poem. colleagues' gossip hurts him more than the pain.

r. 7-8: Quote: Direct words of his

1. About his willful hump, colleagues.
2. and crookedness, they mocked him, 3. and Rhetorical question: They wonder
more bitter was their venom among themselves what the clown
4. as his fused spine pain. does with his money. They don't ask for
him.
5. Between the animals in a corner
The rhetorical question again points to their
6. did he seek solitude: 7. "With clothes that spitefulness.
are constantly cooked,
8. what does the guy do with his salary?” r.9: Elision: shortening of he has.

r. 12: Rhetorical question: They

9. He's at the post office monthly
wondering among themselves if there
10. posted a letter or read one is someone somewhere who loves the
11. at the animal crates, over and over: clown can be. They can do it
12. "Would there be someone somewhere?"
don't believe The rhetorical question once
again points to their spitefulness.
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r.16: Metaphor: The clown

"climbs like a monkey" against the rigging.

13. And that eternal smell of drink: r. 17 - 19

cry if he resigned, dangerous stunts when Contrast: He does 14. no one would
he 15. but where he in the circus tent
monkey-like against the firmament, "high" in the air climbs, but 16.
"below" he lets the people again 17. high against
the rigging, could climb, laugh out loud.
18. taunts death, and, little goblin, 19. takes out
his devilish tricks below r.18: Metaphor: The clown reminds one of
20. that everyone skates for the miracle, 21. a goblin who is small and funny.
he is despised, abandoned, 22. still
considered an asset by the boss.
r.23 The place has changed: He
23. Then a letter came one day... 24. found a letter at the post office,
He bent over the bed, blinded, 25. possibly near the circus.
while the hunchbacked woman softly, 26. In the next line, the clown
dying whispers: "Thank you my child..." may be in the mother's/
family member's room or in the
hospital.
r.21-22: Ironic: His colleagues
despise him, but for the boss he is an asset.
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r.23: Inversion: Inverted

13. And that eternal smell of drink: 14. no one
word order
would cry if he resigned, 15. but where he in
Function: It highlights the letter
the circus tent
the clown got and makes the words
16. ape-like against the firmament, 17. high
rhyme
against the rigging, could climb, 18. defy death, and,
little goblin, 19. take out his devilish tricks below (rhyme force).

20. that everyone skates for the miracle, 21. he

r.23 Ellipsis: Words are
is despised, abandoned, 22. still considered
omitted.
an asset by the boss.
Function: It indicates passage of
time and change of place.
23. Then a letter came one day...
24. He bent over the bed, blinded, while the
25. hunchbacked woman whispered,
26. softly, dying: "Thank you my child..."
r.26: Ellipsis: Words are omitted. Function: The mother/family member does not give
the specific reasons for which she thanks her son. The reader is made part of the
poem and must give the reasons himself. The mother/family member may say
thank you for the money, thank you for the monthly letter / thank you for being such
a good son.
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Tone and mood

Tone: In this poem, the speaker feels negative/ sad/

depressed towards the clown's colleagues. The reader
feels sorry for the clown because of his unhappy life
and because he is condemned in this way.

Mood: There is a sad mood in the poem even though it

is about a clown in a circus.
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Activity 9

Complete activity 9 in the Study Guide: Foundation for Afrikaans First Additional
Language, Grade 12 EAT Prescribed text.
Read the poem again and answer the questions:
9.1 Complete the sentence.

This clown worked in a... (1)

9.2 What negative effects did the "intentional hunchback" (line 1)
have on the clown's life? Give TWO facts. (2)
9.3 Choose the CORRECT answer to complete the sentence.
Just write down the question number (9.3) and the letter (AD).
In verse 3 the word "bitterer"... is used.
A literally
B ironically
C figuratively
D sarcastic (1)
9.4 Quote a WORD from stanza 1 that suggests that the
people teased the clown. (1)
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Activity 9

9.5 Choose the word from COLUMN B that matches the statement in COLUMN A.
Just write down the question number (9.5.(a)-9.5.(d)) and the letter (AE).

COLUMN COLUMN B
A (a) The … showed appreciation for A circus boss
talent.
B mother
(b) The … was biased.
C clown
(c) The … was only focused on profit.
D colleagues
(d) The … is ostracized and slandered.
E crowd
(4)

9.6 What did the clown do monthly at the post office? (1)
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Activity 9

9.7 "With clothes that are always cooked,

"What does the guy do with his salary?" (line 7-8)
9.7.1 Say in your own words what was wrong with the
clown's clothes. (1)
9.7.2 What did the clown do with his money? (1)
9.8 "defying death, and, little goblin," (line 18) (1)
Name the underlined half-rhyme.
9.9 Quote a RULE that tells us that the clown
saddened by the news of his mother/relative. (1)

9.10 Give an example of irony from the clown's life. (2)

9.11 Do you agree that people in everyday life too
behave towards people with disabilities like the
circus people versus the clown? Give a reason for you (1)
answer.
9.12 What life lesson can you learn from this poem? (1)

[18]
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PICTURE QUESTION IMAGE WEB ADDRESS

https://image.shutterstock.com/image-vector/sad-cartoon
Poem no. 9 Hanswurst
vector-hunchback-design-600w-1315835135.jpg

https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/man-worried-about
Poem no. 9 Hanswurst
his-monthly-payments-picture
id843252724?k=20&m=843252724&s=612x612&w=0&h=kcfY
P-Cu-Y560H6TZMb7xzPZ9A2EO_Iibo-4V6fymXU=

https://image.shutterstock.com/image-vector/vector
Poem no. 9 Hanswurst illustrationcircus-silhouettes-600w-93324187.jpg

https://c8.alamy.com/comp/BMR112/elderly-woman
Poem no. 9 Hanswurst crossing-street-france-BMR11
https://c8.alamy.com/comp/BMR112/elderly-woman
crossing-street-france-BMR112.jpg 2.jpg

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2F2.zoppoz.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttps%2Fww
Poem no. 9 Hanswurst
w.dreamstime.com%2Fphotos-images%2Flion
cage.html&psig=AOvVaw2uv3yaSLpaKuobeCVRFH40&ust=16
66273786515000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAwQjRxqF
woTCPjim9u37PoCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
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