Guy Butler

Guy Butler was a substantial public figure in South Africa over the second half of the twentieth century: professor, poet, playwright, autobiographer, historian and cultural politician. Nevertheless, his is not a familiar name to the majority of South Africans and - where he is known - Butler remains a problematic figure. Even before his death in 2001, he was seen as a 'grand old man' in South African literature rather than as a writer for a new generation of readers. Yet much of Butler's work was (and still is) subversive and intellectually compelling; it has enduring literary value. His response to the South African situation presents us with a challenge: to acknowledge frankly those elements in his oeuvre that distance him from us, without losing sight of the significance it holds. This title makes use of Butler's private correspondence and unpublished archive material, combining biographical insight with criticism of his publications in various genres to offer a balanced explication of his life and work.