and deeds. In the end, he becomes a poorman. He’s not only lost all his materials but also people he beloved evenworse he dies alone in the countryside.
This drastic changes becomes the reason why I am interested in analyzing the main character by applying character theory. It will reveal how the tragic
character is presented in the novel. Therefore the writer would like to know how the the tragic character is presented in the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge.
2. Focus of the Research
The research will be focused to see and explore how the tragic character is presented in the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge.
3. The Research Questions
To make more convenient and simply in analyzing the novel, the writer focuses on the content of the novel which deals with the tragic character and then
construct it into the following questions: 1. How is the tragic character presented in the novel The Mayor of
Casterbridge? 2. How does overwhelming pride lead to the downfall of Henchard in the
novel?
4. The Significance of The Research
The writer expects the research findings will uncover the tragic character’s life, efforts and also obstacles that lead to the downfall.
5. The Methodology of The Research 5.1 The Objectives of Research
The research is conducted to achieve purposes as the following: 1 Knowing how the tragic character presented in the novel The Mayor
of Casterbridge. 2 Knowing how overwhelming pride leads to the downfall of Henchard
in the novel.
5.2 The Method of Research
The method of this research is descriptive-qualitative. It describes how the tragic character presented in the novel.
5.3 Data Analysis
The writer attempts to analyze The Mayor of Casterbridge with the following steps; 1 the writer reads the novel accurately 2 noting the contents of
the novel that deal with the research data 3 concerning to the contents of the novel that become core of the data 4 the data are analyzed by tragic character
theories.
5.4 Unit of Analysis
The unit analysis of the research is The Mayor of Casterbridge published by London Penguin Books1994 which is written by Thomas Hardy
5.5 Instrument of the Research
Instrument of the research is the writer himself. The writer in finding data uses himself and correlates them with research object as well as the tragic
character theories.
5.6 Place and Time
This research is accomplished in July 2009 in Adab and Humanities Faculty of Syarif Hidayatullah, State Islamic University, Jakarta.
CHAPTER II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
1. Definition of Character
Character is an essential element in a literary work. It makes story happen and support string of the events as well as help people who read it to know the
whole of story. Stories happen to people. If there is ever a story chiefly concerned with a
tree, or a stone, or an ape the story will exist only because these things will be treated as if they were human rather than as what people know they are in nature.
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Something such as tree, box or son that can speak out and act like human being in a story is considered as character since character refers to people. People or
characters play the most essential role in forming a story. It can be said no character no story.
Many writers insist that character is the single most important element in the short story. Theme may be misinterpreted, plot may seem disjointed, setting
may be superficial, but the author who depicts intriguing characters is successful on mayor level.
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It will be a big problem if there is no an intriguing character in the story but if the author makes a wrong move in determining theme or making
an irreguler plot it will not be a big one. The intriguing character will support or spur them to begin making a fantastic story and help establish a string of other
3
Robert W.Baynton. Introduction to the short story New Jersey : Hayden Book Company, Inc.,1972, p. 26.
4
Larry M. Sutton. Journey : An introduction to literature Boston : Holbrook Press, Inc., 1971 , pp. 4-5.
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elements. It will also prompt readers to follow the story till the end. The different attitudes, mannerisms, and even appearances of characters can greatly influence
the other major elements in a literary work, such as theme, setting, and tone. With this understanding of the character, a reader can become more aware of other
aspects of literature, such as symbolism, giving the reader a more complete understanding of the work. For those, the authors make intriguing character as a
top priorty of other elements to be achieved. Character creates an individual who is involved in the events of story.
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Characters that inhabit in the story support the string of events in that story through what they say, do, think and so on.
Character is a person who is responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story, poem, or other literature. Characters are extremely important
because they are the medium through which a reader interacts with a piece of literature. Every character has his or her own personality, which a creative author
uses to assist in forming the plot of a story or creating a mood. The character is one of the most important tools available to the author.
There are some definitions about character. The following definitions of character are used in literary work as directed below:
1. Character is of interest for very personal reason that people want to see how other people live, how they make decisions and react to
responsibility, how they persue their goal.
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Many reasons why readers want to know character in the story. One of them is they can obtain
5
Panuti Sudjiman. Memahami Cerita Rekaan Jakarta : Pustaka Jaya, 1988, p.65.
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Leo Hamalian Karl. The Shape of Fiction USA: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1967, p.238.
lesson on how to cope with difficult circumstances in life without get through it.
2. A character is someone in a literary work that has some sort of identity, it doesn’t have to be strong, an identity which is made up by
appearance, conversation, action, name and possibly thoughts going in the head.
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Thus character is someone stays in the story eventhough his role just supporting main character. People can disclose or know
his character through conversation,deeds and so forth. 3. Character is the term for the people in fiction, the heroes and villains,
allies and enemies, love interest and comic reliefs.
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Character is imaginary person in the story and each character has its own role in the
story
From all definitions above, the writer has a conclusion that character is a person that inhabits in a story which is not only create the plot of story but also
helps the reader know the totality of story.
2. Kinds of Character
