17
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The novel analyzed in this study is A Kiss at Midnight, a Historical Romance novel written by Eloisa James in 2010. The setting of this novel is in
British in the 1813, the main character, Katherine Daltry, having lived under her stepmother, Mariana. Mariana is cruel and selfish since the death of
Kate’s father. Kate father left her stepmother all of his wealth, such as the house, the land, and
the money. The stepsister, Victoria engaged to a Viscount, Lord Dimsdale. A Kiss at Midnight
was published after Eloisa James success writing 21 novels and got 12 New York Times and 16 USA Today bestsellers books. This
novel was first published in August 2010 by Avon Book, an Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers. A Kiss at Midnight consists of 372 pages that divided into
chapters. A Kiss at Midnight
was nominated as Finalist 2011 RITA Awards. The purpose of RITA award is to promote a good novel in the romance genre by
recognizing outstanding published romance novels and novellas. The story in the novel begins when Victoria cannot see Lord Dimsdales
uncle, Prince Gabriel Aschenberg of Warl-Marlburg-Baalsfeld, because her lips has been bitten by her dog and swollen. She cannot go, so Kate
, Victoria’s stepsister must disguise herself
as Victoria and see the Prince. Victoria’s marriage
to Lord Dimsdale depends on the approval of his uncle, Prince Gabriel. Victoria needs to marry immediately because she is already pregnant. The Prince itself is a
poor one who must be married to a rich heiress to save his castle and all the occupant, so he is betrothed to a rich Russian princess.
When Kate and Prince Gabriel meet, the Prince falling in love with Kate and he is able to reveals
Kate’s real identity. The problem is that Kate is a poor lady and Gabriel needs money, so he cannot marry her.
In this novel, the obsession to reach higher social status highly represented by Mariana who will do anything to see her daughter married to a Lord. Money is
also the main issue in the novel. It is represented by Prince Gabriel who wants to marry a Russian Princess that he does not even know, instead of Kate because of
money. At the end of the story, the Russian Princess reveals the relationship
between Gabriel and Kate. Princess Tatiana asks Gabriel to leave her and marrying Kate because Tatiana does not wants to marry a man who loves another
woman. After that, Gabriel asks Kate to marry him. At that time, Kate already got fortune from her late mother. Gabriel and Kate live happily ever after with some
money from Kate’s mother.
B. Approach of the Study
Sociocultural-historical approach is applicable to analyze this work because to analyze the author’s views toward 19
th
century British in the novel, one must have good understanding about the society at that time.
Sociocultural-historical background is suitable in analyzing this novel because this study investigates the civilization, Rohrberger and Woods states that:
They [literature] define civilization as the attitudes and actions of specific group of people and point out that literature takes this attitudes and actions
as its subject matter . They feel therefore; that it’ necessary that the critic
investigate the social milieu in which a work created and which if necessary reflects. 1971: 9.
Literature also preserved the most picturesque and expressive representation of manners; primarily literature is about a treasure of customs,
costumes, and a history civilization source book Wellek and Warren, 1956: 102- 103
Society will also influence the author in making the literary works, as what Rohrberger and Woods states in their book:
Critics whose major interest is the socio-cultural historical-insist that the only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilizations of a
specific group people and point out that literature takes this attitudes and actions of that produced it 1971: 9.
Kategori