CHARACTER
OF TINI AS A FEMINIST IN
“BELENGGU”
Freedom of woman, still become the most interest topic, either for woman
or man. It makes woman become the center of attention, from feminism era until
now. Woman always has interest topic to discuss, such like about their problem,
their education, their dreams which always contrast with their obligation as a wife
and as a mother. In this case, freedom of woman becomes the main topic which is
always success makes many people talking about that, and give more attention.
Woman’s political rights are conspicuous by their absence from official
proclamations and from pronouncements by those who came to power during the
revolution. Nevertheless, certain individuals were deeply concerned with this
issue at the time, connecting it directly to the debate over slavery and
natural rights, (Bell and Offen, 1983:97). It shows to people that freedom of
woman still become the main topic and the main problem of woman. Actually,
freedom of woman almost nothing and never found about 17 or 18 century. It made
some woman like in Africa, made an organization which is has a purpose to get
their rights as woman. One of the organizations in that era is The African
Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), which means a pan
African organization working to promote women’s rights and development in
Africa, (Hambuba, 2009:10). It means that in that era, woman has not a freedom
like a man, cannot get good education like a man, which also found in Belenggu (1938).
Marry
Wollstonecraft as the first modern feminist, who give theory about feminist
through her book (1792) basically explain that woman has the same right with
man. In her book, she described about feeling, love, and anything which makes
woman look like different with man. In her book also, Mary Wollstonecraft
explain how woman’s life in her era, anything about woman, like education.
Power, and their idea which is sometime never hear with everyone, because they
thought that the thinking of woman, almost using feeling, not logic like a man.
So, woman in that era, never get the best learning about knowledge, they learn
from the book that they read. This statement same with (Abrams, 1999:110),
which explain that one emphasis, has been to alter the way a woman reads the
literature of the past so as to make her not an acquiescent.
In Belenggu (1938), will advocate Marry
Wollstonecraft’s book about feminist, because in this novel, describe of
woman’s life, woman’s problem, their education, their position for man, and for
sure, about their freedom, which almost never found in this novel. In Belenggu (1937), the author describe
about the weakness of woman which have not marry yet, which considered queer.
But when the woman is marrying, and has a husband, they still do not do
anything. This novel, tell to the reader, about modern woman, who want to has
the same right with man, has good education like a man, exactly could not free,
because she look so queer on their view. In this case, it same with what Marry
Wollstonecraft explain in her book (1792), so this theory and this problem
revealed based on Marry Wollstonecraft theory about feminist.
Armijn
Pane as the author of Belenggu, (1938),
explain clearly about modernism of woman in that story. According to Wrenn
(2010:1), Modernism embraced the issues of class, gender, the struggle for
knowledge, and the senselessness and alienation of the time. It means that modernism
is solution to far away from the time which emphases people from freedom. In
this case especially, is the emphasizing of woman. Women, their intelligence and their judgment
had always been regarded with contempt by a maleoriented society (Marsden). Women
had been seen and treated more as complements to the men in their lives than as
individuals or spiritual entities; they were depicted in literature as womanly,
weak, dutiful, and stupid. It same with Mary Wolllstonecraft theory, in her
book (1792:chapter 1) that women educated in the enervating style recommended
by the writers whom I have been animadverting and not having a chance, from
their subordinate state in. society, to recover their lost ground, is it
surprising that women everything appear a defect in nature?.
In Belenggu, (1938), the author show
modernism and feminism through the figure named Tini. She is Sukartono’s
wife, who works as the doctor. Because
of that, Tono has not much time for Tini, it made Tini so bored, and though to
do the same with Tono, like go out, leave her home, and find her happiness to
forget her boring. But it made Tono’s mother did not agree with what Tini did,
that is why, she try to give an advise to Tini
“Memang
Tini, kita berlainan paham”.
“Seperti
langit dan bumi, ibu!”
“Aku bukan
terlalu kolot.”
Tini
tertawa: “Saya yang terlalu modern.”
“Memang,
Tini!”, kemudian disambungnya dengan sungguh: “Kalai dimata kami, tiada baik
kalau seorang istri banyak-banyak keluar malam, tidak ditemani suaminya!”.
(Pane,
1938:56)
This quotes
showed that something that Tini did, was wrong in Tono mother’s view. She never
asked to Tini before why she did it. Whereas, actually Tono knew that Tini
often do that, and Tono never angry or forbid her. On mothers Tono’s view, like
she said that “kita berlainan paham”, she want to say that Tini’s thinking
about freedom is wrong. In that era, a woman who go without her husband
considered as a bad woman. Although they have important something but it still
considered as bad attitude also on their view. Woman is a weak person, they can
not do anything without a man, woman is weak, so, woman has to be guarded by a
man, especially her husband, wherever they go, especially at the night. Tono’s
mother words made Tini angry as a woman
“Bukankah
lakiku juga pergi sendirian? Mengapa aku tiada boleh? Apakah bedanya?.”
(Pane
1938:56)
In
that quotes, showed that here, Tini is as modern woman. Feminism is showed also
by this quotes. Although as a woman Tini though that she can do the same
something with her husband, and she can do that without his husband. But, Tini
as modern woman, has not someone who has the same view with her, it made her
look as bad woman in people’s view
“Memang
tini suka berpesta, suka berdansa, seperti rama-rama. Tiada pernah tetap,
pesolek, .. pelagak.”
(Pane, 1938:72)
It this quotes, the author want to show that something
like party, dance, friendly to everyone, also using full makeup is bad
something for woman. In that era, party and dance show that that woman has bad
attitude, and friendly, is such unfaithful wife. But Tini as modern woman has
different view. For Tini especially, dance just as her hobby, and party, just
to make her boring lost. Like what she said to Tono’s mother when she as giving
an advice to Tini,
“Aku berhak
menyenangkan fikiranku, menggembirakan hatiku. Aku manusia juga, punya kemauan
sendiri. Kalau pendapat ibu, kemauanku mesti tunduk pada suamiku. Bukan ibu,
bukankah demikian? Kami masing-masing berkemauan sendiri-sendiri.”
(Pane,
1938:56)
In this quotes, consolidate that dance or party, just
something to entertain. She said that everyone has the different wish, (kami masing-masing berkemauan
sendiri-sendiri). It means that she want to explain that verybody has
different hobby, which will has a connection with what something that they will
do or they had would done. As modern woman, Tini though that it was not bad
something. Tini felt so confused also when her friendly to everyone made people
though that she was bad woman. In her mind, friendly is good character, the
most importand, everything what she done, like party, dance, friendly to
everyone, using full makeup or etc, she still faithful to her husband.
Actually, she want to Tono, angry to her, or sometimes forbid her like another
one, she want to know, does her husband care to her?. But Tono never do that.
So, it made her as a bad woman in people’s view.
Another
quotes which showed by the author, about how woman’s life, explained also
through Tini’s friend, named Tati. She sent a letter to Tini, and told to her
that Tini is lucky woman, she was married, and she got a good man, as a doctor.
But Tati, she has not marry yet, it made her worry, and told about her feeling
to Tini, then, Tini said
“Siapa yang
keras hati, akan mendapat kehendaknya. Kita perempuan masih segan diejek orang,
tiada taan diperkatakan orang dikatakan tiada laku. Apakah perlunya kita takut?
Kata saja, tidak akan membinasakan. Pertetaplah hatimu, tentulah asmara
jaya!.”.
(Pane,
1938:74)
The quotes above showed that woman in that era, will
worry if she has not yet marry. It will make an issue around the people. But
Tini’s advice to Tati, consolidate that Tini is as modern woman, she though not
only with her feeling but also with her logic that she got and learned through
education. So, it same with Marry Wollstonecraft theory (1792:chapter XII),
that woman more rationally educated, could they take a more comprehensive view
of things. It means that with education, it will change rationality of human,
also take more comprehensive things, and will influence how that human take the
solution for their problems, especially education woman.
REFERENCES
Abrams, M.H 1999. A
Glossary OF Literary Term. Massachusetts: Heinle & Heinle
Bell, Susan Groag & Karen M.Offen 1983. Woman, The Family and Freedom. University
Press, California.
Hambuba, Carlyn 2009. Freedom of Information (FOI) & Women’s Rights in Africa. United
Nation
Wreen, Heike 2010. The Woman in Modernism. ELF
Wollstonecraft, Marry 1972. A
vindication of The Right of Woman. US
Pane, Armijn 1983. Belenggu.
Dian Rakyat
No comments:
Post a Comment