New Zealand Literature Overview

Most important literary characteristic: New Zealand’s remoteness Why remoteness? Small island (1600 km from Australia) Far from the regular shipping lanes and air routes of most nations. These characteristics show in NZ a typical “frontier society” which is reflected in its literature.

European Settlers Early nineteenth century. More interested in making a living off the land than in literature. Early writing: diaries, journals, scientific texts and handbooks. Purpose: to instruct / to impart practical knowledge.

Poetry Alfred Dommet’s (1811-1887) “Ranolf and Amohia” An epic poem Concentrated on the lives of the Maori people. Although the subject matter is NZ, its technique corresponds to the Victorian period of England.

(Sailing off into the sunset)

1890s Writers began to feel that it was possible to develop distinctive indigenous literature. Fiction: Katherine Mansfield She wrote stories about life in NZ. Her reimagining of NZ has strengthen the belief that the country can sustain the literary imagination.

1920s Authentic indigenous literature. Jane Mander (1878-1949) Problems of women Especially in the rural areas.

1930s: worldwide economic depression Writers began to explore the harsh realities of life. A re-examining of society and their own attitudes to it. Critical Realism becomes an important part of NZ literature Critical Realism: reality exists independently from us, yet it cannot be known absolutely. Our knowledge of reality is and can only be an approximation.