Women's rights in puritan society as reflected in the scarlet letter by nathaniel hawthorne (a study radical feminism)
CURRICULUM VITAE
A. Personal Identity
: Lady Sekar Mayang
a. Name : Sukabumi, 10 December 1991
b. Place and Date of Birth : Jl. Letda. T. Asmita no 54, Sukabumi
c. Home Address : 089654444114
d. Phone : Female
e. Sex : Indonesian
f. Citizenship : Moslem
g. Religion : Traveling
h. Hobby : Ladysmayang@gmail.com
i. E-mail
B. Formal Education No Year Institution
1 1995- 1997 TK Dewi Sartika 2 1997 - 2003 SDN Ir. H. Djuanda, Sukabumi 3 2003 – 2006 SMP Negeri 1 Sukabumi 4 2006 - 2009 SMA Negeri 1 Sukabumi
English Department 5 2009 - 2013 Indonesia University of Computer
C. Informal Education
No Year Institution
1 2001- 2003 Alphabet Club (Certified) 2 2001-2003 AIA Arithmetic (Certified)
3 2006-2008 English First (Certified) Translating and Interpreting workshop 4 2010 (Certified) 5 2010 Copywriting Seminar (Certified)
6 2010 AECS UPI speech contest (Certified ) 5 2011 Semiotics Seminar and Workshop (Certified) 6 2011 Public Speaking Seminar (Certified)
Copywriting Seminar and Workshop 7 2011 (Certified)
D. Experiences No Year Organization
Member of Viva Teater SMP Negeri 1 1 2004-2005 Sukabumi Member of Teater Epigonen SMA Negeri 1 2 2007-2008 Sukabumi 3 2009-2010 Himpunan Mahasiswa Sastra Inggris UNIKOM
4 2010-2011 Staff of Menteri Kebudayaan BEM UNIKOM 5 2011-2012 Member of UNIKOM Futsal Campus 6 2012- 2013 Member of Protokoler team UNIKOM
Member of Himpunan Mahasiswa Sastra 7 2012- 2013 Inggris UNIKOM 8 2012 Asst. Translator at Global Linguist
WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN PURITAN SOCIETY AS REFLECTED IN THE
SCARLET LETTER BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
(A Study of Radical Feminism)
HAK-HAK WANITA DI MASYARAKAT PURITAN YANG TERGAMBAR
DALAM THE SCARLET LETTER OLEH NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
(Sebuah Kajian Feminisme Radikal)
SKRIPSI
Submitted to fulfill one of the requirements of Sarjana Sastra Degree
LADY SEKAR MAYANG
NIM. 63709005
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LETTERS
INDONESIA UNIVERSITY OF COMPUTER
BANDUNG
2013
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This skripsi entitled ‘Women’s Rights in Puritan Society as Reflected in the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (A Feminist Radical Approach)’ is accomplished as one of the requirement of Sarjana Sastra Degree of Indonesia University of Computer. First of all I want to thank to Allah SWT who bring all the blessing and joy and because of Him I can accomplish this skripsi. I also want to thank to the people in the following: 1.
Dean of Indonesia University of Computer (UNIKOM), Ir. Eddy Soeryanto Soegoto.
2. Dean of Faculty of Letters UNIKOM, Prof. Dr. H. M. Tadjuddin, M.A.
3. Head of English Department UNIKOM, Dr. Juanda.
4. The Advisors, Asih Prihandini, S.S., M.Hum. and Nungki Heriyati, S.S., M.A.
5. Lecturer of guidance , M. Rayhan Bustam, S.S 6.
Lectures and staffs in English Department UNIKOM.
7. My parents and my sisters, who always support me in everything.
They’re the reason to not to give up when I’m down.
8. My partner in crime Reisa Yunita Caroline who always accompany me from the first time I step my foot to UNIKOM until the last minute we spend in this campus. You’re the best I’ve ever met. I will remember every second we spend together.
9. My dormmate Vicy Adhani, Monica Sari, and Gina Maryam thanks for all the support and thank you for always remind me to finish my skripsi.
10. Epigonen Family such as, Mutiara, Intan, Dio, Dicky, Sugih, Sigit, Rifky embing and Yuda my everlasting high school friends.
Thankyou for always make me laugh when I feel so bored with my life, you guys always there to make me happy.
11. My best friends Aldo, Yuan, Resti, Yolanda, Ferra, Diny, Anggit, Aldi, and all of my friends in English Department UNIKOM, HIMASAIS, UFC, BEM, and Protokoler UNIKOM, thank you for all support and the happiness that you guys bring.
12. Last but not least, to my very best friend Riki Ginanjar, thanks for everything. Without any help, the writer may not finish the skripsi well. The writer fully aware of the mistakes in the writing, therefore the writer will be glad to get advices to improve the writing. It is expected that this skripsi can be useful to the reader.
Bandung, 21 August 2013 Lady Sekar Mayang
REFERENCE
Boettner, Lorraine. 1932. The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination. Accessed at http://www.biblecentre.net Calverton, V.F. 1931. The Puritan Myth. Accessed at http://www.unz.org/Pub/Scribners-1931mar-00251 Campbell, Martha and Malcolm Potts. 2008. The origins and future of patriarchy: the biological background of gender politics. Accessed at
http://bixby.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Origins-and-future-of- patriarchy-2008.pdf
De Beauvoir, Simone. 1953. Second Sex. Translated by H.M Parshley. Great Britain: Lowe and Brydone
Djadjasudarma, T Fatimah. 1993. Metode Linguistik. Bandung: PT. Eresco Millett, Kate. 1970. Sexual Politic. Great Britain: Virago Press. Minderop, Albertine. 2005. Metode Karakterisasi Telaah Fiksi. Jakarta: Yayasan
Obor Indonesia Mingiuc, Andreea. 2010. Key Concepts of Puritansm and the Shaping of the
American Cultural Identity. Accessed at http://www.philologica-
jassyensia.ro/upload/VI_2_Mingiuc.pdf
Murray, Mary. 1995. The Law of The Father. London: Routledge Offen, Karen. 1988. Defining Feminism: A Comparative Historical Approach.
The Chicago Journals. Accessed at http://www.jstor.org/stable/3174664?origin=JSTOR-pdf Tong, Rosmarie. 2009. Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction Third Edition. United States of America: Westview Press. VanBurkleo, Sandra.F. 1995. “Instrument of Seduction” A Tale of Two Woman.
OAH Magazine History. Accessed at
http://faculty.nwacc.edu/abrown/WesternCiv/Articles%5CPuritan%20women .pdf
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION1.1 Background to the study
Some people say women are considered as inferior human being as stated by Jerry Bergman, Ph. D (1994). The cause of inferiority of women has led to debate, especially among the feminists. Feminist liberal focuses on the women’s inferiority based on the system in the society. Feminist radical focuses women’s inferiority which based on the sex and gender system and feminist Marxist focuses on the women’s inferiority based on the economic aspects. Although there are many causes of women’s inferiority, they believe that it causes an oppression to women.
One of the feminists in literature which discusses the inferiority of women is Simone de Beauvoir. In her book, she states women are the second sex. She argues that it seems like ‘a man is in the right in being a man; woman who is in
)
the wrong’ (1949:16 . According to this statement, Beauvoir wants to show that men get more power than women in society. She thinks that the reproductive organs of women such as ovaries, uterus and so on limit women and imprison her. As the result, women don’t take big role so men become superior.
In the scarlet letter, women are also depicted as an inferior human being. Women there do not get their rights same as men. For example, before the trial of Hester, the main character in the novel begins, a group of women in the Hester’s trial argue about the punishment that should Hester get. After that a man tries to stop them arguing by threatening them. It seems that puritan women are not allowed to speak in public. This problem occurs because puritan makes a strict rule. Puritan women may be allowed to lead the community whose members are all women but when they’re in public area such as in a court, they are not allowed to give comments or any opinion.
In other case, Hester Prynne, also gets the oppression. She gets oppression because she is a woman moreover, she is punished because she does the adultery which is considered as a great sin. As the punishment of doing the adultery, she has to wear the scarlet letter which is put exactly on her breast. The scarlet letter is a sign that her body is such a great sinful symbol. It is because of her scarlet letter then Hester gets different treatment from puritan people. She even does not get her right to take care of her own child because of the scarlet letter. However, the women’s oppression in puritan was portrayed in the novel emerges along with their belief. The phenomenon above raises the idea to the writer to discuss the women’s rights in ‘The Scarlet Letter’ from radical feminist point of view. The writer decides to use feminist radical approach because the data found in the novel closely relate to the phenomenon of radical feminism.
In Sastra Inggris UNIKOM, there is a student who also takes ‘The Scarlet Letter’ as the data source of skripsi. The Skripsi was made by Dwi Maharani in 2008 entitled ‘Analysis of Alienated Character in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Novel The Scarlet Letter (A Study of Psychoanalysis). Other student also uses the Sexual Politic by Kate Millett which the writer takes as the grand theory. It is Rika
Tokoh Utama dalam Novel The Bell Jar karya Sylvia Plath’. The different is in
the usage of the theory. Rika uses the Biological and Sociological in sexual politic, whereas the writer uses four aspects the biological, sociological, economic and education and anthropological aspects to support the analysis in this study. Through this study, it is expected that the reader will more understand the women’s rights offenses in puritan society and the cause of the offense from radical feminism view. Therefore, the writer entitles this skripsi by ‘Women’s rights in Puritan Society as Reflected in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (A Study of Radical Feminism)’.
1.2 Research Question
Problems of the present study are formulated in the following questions:
1. What women’s rights are portrayed in the puritan society in the novel?
2. What does the radical feminism’s view through the women’s rights in the novel?
1.3 Objectives 1. Describing the women’s right in puritan society.
2. Describing the radical feminism’s view through the women’s rights
1.4 Significance to Knowledge
This study is expected to provide the clear explanation about the woman’s
radical. Furthermore, this study is also expected to gain more knowledge for the writer and also for the reader.
1.5 Framework of Theory
In order to support the study, the writer makes the analysis using the feminist radical theory. Radical feminism focuses on the sex and gender system. Tong said in her book ‘Feminist Thought’, the radical femnism insisted that ‘men’s control of both women’s sexual and reproductive lives and women’s self-identity, self- respect, and self-esteem is the most fundamental of all the oppressions human beings visit on each other. (2009: 49).
’
One of the feminist radical that the writer used as the grand theory in this research is Kate Millett. Millett is known as the author of ‘Sexual Politics’. The theory put by Kate Millett is to explain the situation of women especially on their rights in patriarchal society.
Millett explains that the patriarchy occurs in society because the institution or the system constructs it. She also mentions eight aspects of patriarchal system, ideological, biological, sociological, class, economic educational, force, anthropological, and psychological. However, in this study, the writer will just use four aspects in sexual politic based on the data found in the novel. There are biological, sociological, economic educational and anthropological aspects. The writer found that those four aspects reflect the patriarchal system in the puritan society. Those four aspects will be used as the indication to limitation of the
In order to make the research can be more clearly understood, here is the flowchart for the framework of theory:
THE SCARLET LETTER PURITANISM
RADICAL
FEMINISM
SEXUAL POLITIC
BIOLOGICAL SOCIOLOGICAL ECONOMIC AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL:
MYTH AND RELIGIONEDUCATIONAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS
Figure 1
The Framework of StudyCHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW Women’s rights in ‘The Scarlet Letter’ relates to the radical feminist issue. Therefore, in this research, the writer uses a grand theory of sexual politics by Kate Millet. The theory will support the phenomenon of women’s rights examined in the novel.
2.1 Feminism
As part of human being, women have the same ability to think as men. The false thought which assumes ‘men are more capable intellectually and physically than women tends to make the discrimination towards women in the academy, forum and the market place’ (Tong, 2009:15). Women subordination tends to make the disadvantages to women. It causes the injustice to the women in their daily activity. For example, in a family, a father as the leader of family is the one who should provide the financial needs and a mother raise the children and cook for whole family. As the result, the mother can’t provide herself in financial needs because economically she depends on her husband. This false understanding of the role of women in family gives bad impact to the society for women such as low paid for women in labor. Whereas, women have capability to work as men do. The passage above is just one of the example of the false belief which brings the movement to get the equality between men and women. Women should make a chance to reach the equal rights to men. Thus, feminism occurs as the movement
Through the feminism it is expected women can get the same role in society with men. In the journal entitled ‘Defining feminism: a Comparative Historical Approach’ by Karen Offen, it is argued that ‘Feminism emerges as a concept that can encompass both an ideology and a movement for sociopolitical change based on a critical analysis of male privilege and women’s subordination within any given society.’ (1988: 151).
2.2 Radical Feminism
Many feminists discuss the issue of equal right but the main focus in this study is radical feminism. Before the radical feminism appears, the woman’s movement begins with liberal feminism. Radical Feminism is the development of liberal feminism and considered as the second wave of feminism. Radical feminism is derived from Radix defined as root. It’s related to the background of radical feminism focuses on the root of women’s inferiority. Although both of them criticize the system based on the male authority, radical feminism sees it from sex and gender system explaining the oppression directed to the woman’s body. According to Tong:
‘Empowered by the realization that women’s fates were profoundly linked, radical feminists proclaimed that “the personal is political” and that all women are “sisters.” They insisted that men’s control of both women’s sexual and reproductive lives and women’s self-identity, self-respect, and self-esteem is the most fundamental of all the oppressions human being visit on each other.’ (2009:49). In the statement above, it can be assumed that the difference of biological reproductive organs are considered as the weakness of women. Thus, when the status of women lower than men it gives the thought that women seem have lower ability than men.
One of the well-known authors of radical feminist is Kate Millett. Kate Millett in her book ‘sexual politic’ defines the inferiority of women. The writer will use this book as the grand theory in order to support the analysis. In sexual politic, Millett first gives the brief explanation based on three passages. Those three passages represent the background of sexual politic. Millett sees that the passages bring the indication of patriarchy system based on the biological form of woman. Patriarchy system gives the men more power to control over women and it can be influenced by the culture. The culture means the society develops the false belief that men are superior than women. She states ‘sexual dominion obtains nevertheless as perhaps the most pervasive ideology of our culture and provides its most fundamental concept of power.’ (1970:25)
Patriarchy is a system where man has the strongest power to control over the rule. In ‘Sexual Politic’ Millett defines two principles of patriarchy, it’s male who dominated female and the age which elder male dominated the younger. Therefore, Millett comprises patriarchy seen from many aspects.
2.2.1 Biological
Patriarchy does grow in human civilization.In a community which uses patriarchal system, women’s body consider to have many lacks and it decreases the productivity. Millett argues that ‘there are some evidences that fertility cults in ancient society at some points took a turn toward patriarchy, displacing and downgrading female function in procreation and attributing the power of life to the phallus alone’ (1970:28). This quotation explains that the biological form causes the women subordination and tends to give fewer roles of women in society. Thus, the patriarchy based on the biological shows the men dominates women because of their biological form.
2.2.2 Sociological
The patriarchal system stem mainly from the family. Millett states ‘the family not only encourages its own members to adjust and conform, but acts as a unit in the government of the patriarchal state which rules its citizens through its family heads’ (1970:33). Family as the unit of patriarchal system puts father as a leader in family.
As the leader, father has more authority to educate the children. It influences the social life. In addition, women’s role in a family is just seen as a reproductive machine. Women give a birth to the children, and they do things in kitchen like cooking. They don’t earn money for living. It makes women live dependent on men. As Millett argues in her book ‘women tend to transcend the education, the female has fewer permanent class association than does the male’ (1970:38). However, even a woman in family takes an important role by taking care of the house keeping and educating the children but still the one who has more authority is a man.
2.2.3 Economic and Educational
Economic and education are still related to the form of patriarchy which we have been discussed in the previous, sociological. Here, women are seen as the human who has restrictions in work. Financially, woman couldn’t earn much money because of their natural body. If a woman gets married and gives a birth, she has no time to work and earns money for living because she needs to take care the children and the house. Millett argues that
‘Since woman’s independence in economic life is viewed with distrust, prescriptive agencies of all kinds (religion, psychology, advertising, etc.) continuously admonish or even inveigh against the employment of middle-class women, particularly mothers. The toil of working-class women is more readily accepted as “need” if not always by the working-class itself, at least by middle class. (1970: 39)
Therefore, economically, women can’t be self-sufficient, especially for those who already get married because they’re dependent on their husband although it’s all because the restriction of woman in work. The restriction emerges because the lack of education in women. Millett defines patriarchy permitted occasional minimal literacy to women while higher education was closed to them
2.2.4 Anthropological: Myth and Religion
Patriarchal system can occur in a society with myth and religion around them. The culture with the myth and religion as the basic belief is actually male design. Millett assumes that ‘as both the primitive and the civilized worlds are make world, the ideas, which shaped culture in regard to the female, were also of male design.’ (1970: 46). This system actually tends to give disadvantages to women.
Millett gives an example here to make the brief explanation of how patriarchy with myth and religion. For example the myth of Adam and Eve which is also used in this study related to the Puritan belief. Eve is considered as the sinful creature because she tempts Adam to eat forbidden fruit. Thus, the Puritan believes women as the source of sin and Puritan makes the rule which cause the oppression to women. Millett states that ‘patriarchal circumstances and beliefs seem to have the effect of poisoning the female’s own sense of physical self until it often truly becomes the burden it is said to be. (1970: 47). It means that the patriarchal system in society and the belief tends to make women as the marginal creature.
Puritanism
2.3 th th
Puritan era was started in the end of 16 century and in the beginning of 17 century. As stated by Andrea Mingiuc (2010) puritan itself is the nickname which Christian is divided into many sects. Puritan has three groups when they enter New England. First is the largest one under the authority of commonwealth, Oliver Cromwell, second which may call as the separatist, smaller group than the other, and they refer to the first Christian communities, the third one is the immigrant from Massachusetts colony bay.
As its name which means 'pure', puritan wants to purify his followers from sin. Therefore puritan is really faithful to the religion and has a strong fear to their God. Sinful person in puritan may get severe punishment. Puritan may give the burn or even death penalty to the sinful person.
They also believe to the story of Adam and Eve. Andrea Mingiuc (2010) states in her essay ‘As a consequence of Adam and Eve’s fall, everyone was essentially marked by corruption and perversity.’ At this point, puritan believes that human is like the source of sin. It is told that Eve asks Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. They know it is a sin and God forbid the act. However, Adam still ate the fruit. Puritan believes Adam is persuaded by Eve. The belief brings the thought that women are very sinful creature. It is also stated by Sandra F. VanBurkleo in her essay ‘Instrument of Seduction’ cites ‘On one side, women were potential Saints equal to men in God’s eyes; on the other side, they were Eve-like temptresses, peculiarly susceptible to satanic temptation’(1995:1). According to this statement, women in Puritan were seen as the sinful creature. This belief brings the disadvantage to the women.Thus, women in puritan don’t take big role in society. It can be seen that there are some rules in puritan which limit woman’s act.
For example,women in Puritan are not allowed to speak in public. They may be allowed to lead the community which members are all women but when they are in public area such as in a court, they will not be allowed to give comments or anything else. It can also be seen in the case of Anne Hutchinson. Hutchinson speaks against John Winthrop because she disagrees of his political ambition and because of that Hutchinson and her followers walk out the church. These women should face the trial because of they act. As stated by Sandra F. Vanburkleo‘they
’
had qualms about female voices in public spaces (1995:2).This problem shows us that Puritan makes a strait rule as women has no right to speak in public. The state above tends to make the women inferior under men. They get the oppression as the effect of puritan rules system and it gives lot of disadvantage to women.
2.3.1 Doctrine of Predestination Doctrine of predestination is the belief which is kept by the puritan.
Lorraine Boettner in his book entitled ‘Reformed Doctrine of Predestination’ stated ‘the scriptures are to be accepted as the sole authority in matters of doctrine the Calvinistic system will stand as the only one which adequately treats of God, man, and redemption.’ (1932:42). Puritan which comes from the follower of Calvinism believe that they live to serve their life to God. They may not born in sin, but human does the sin. Therefore, every person who does the sin deserves the punishment. It can be seen in Hester Prynne’s case in the Scarlet Letter.
2.4 Character Character is part of literary element and can’t be separated in the novel.
Minderop quoted from Hornby that:
‘karakter atau dalam bahasa Inggris, character berarti watak, peran, huruf (Echols dan Shadily). Karakter (character) bisa berarti orang, masyarakat, ras, sikap mental dan moral, kualitas nalar, orang terkenal dalam
karya sastra, reputasi dan tenda atau huruf (2005:2)
Whereas, characterization as stated by Minderop is ‘pemeranan, pelukisan watak.’ (2005:2). Method of characterization in literary work is the method to describe the character in a fiction work.
In determining the character, usually the author uses two methods in his work. There are two methods in characterization by Minderop, telling method and showing method.
2.4.1 Telling Method
Method of telling focuses on describing the exposition and the direct comment of the author toward the character.
‘Metode ini mencakup karakterisasi melalui penggunaan nama tokoh, karakterisasi melalui penampilan tokoh, dan
karakterisasi melalui tuturan pengarang’ (2005:8)
According to the quotation above, telling method includes the characterization using the name of the character, characterization through the performance of the character, and characterization based on the speech act of the author. Telling method is usually used by the author in the earlier era to describe the character.
2.4.2 Showing Method
Showing method is usually called as the indirect method in characterization. Minderop quotes from Pickering and Hoeper:
‘metode showing (tidak langsung) memperlihatkan pengarang menempatkan diri di luar kisahan dengan memberikan kesempatan kepada para tokoh untuk menampilan perwatakan mereka melalui dialog dan action. (2005:6)
According to the quotation above, showing method shows the author outside the story by giving the opportunity to the figure in literary work to show their character through the act or dialogue. It is possible to the author to use both of method, telling and showing.
CHAPTER III RESEARCH OBJECT AND METHOD
3.1 Research Object
3.1.1 Data Source
A novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne entitled ‘The Scarlet Letter’ is used as the source of data in the research. The object of this research is women’s rights in ‘The Scarlet Letter’. The writer uses the theory of feminist radical focuses on the sexual politic by Kate Millett to support the data analysis in the study.
3.1.2 Synopsis
The scarlet letter is a novel set in puritan era. It tells about Hester Prynne who has to face the judgment because of adultery. She does the intercourse with the man which is not her husband then she gives a birth to a baby girl named Pearl. Ironically, the father of her child is her pastor named Arthur Dimmesdale.
However, the people of puritan don’t know who’s the biological father of her child because Hester refuses to confess the truth. As the result, Hester should wear the scarlet letter ‘A’ embroidered on her breast for 7 years. The scarlet letter gives the effect for her social life. The people around her treat her differently. She doesn’t get paid for the needling work which she does to help the governor. She even doesn’t get her right as mother because of the scarlet letter. However, the reverend decides to give Hester fully right of taking care her
Dimmesdale finally confesses that he is the biological father of Pearl, however Dimmesdale doesn’t get any punishment after the confession. In the end, they live together happily.
3.2 Research Method The method used in this research is analytic descriptive method. Prof. Dr.
T Fatimah Djajasudarma defines ‘the analytic descriptive is the method which aims to make the description systematic, factual, and accurate related to the data, character and the phenomenon which are examined in the study’(1993:8). Based on the above method, the writer elaborates the data related to the issue of women’s rights and analyzes it systematically and comprehensively.
3.3 Data Collection
According to the research object discussed earlier, the writer uses the novel ‘The Scarlet Letter’ as the data source. The Scarlet Letter is the novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne was set in the puritan era. Before doing the research, the writer reads the whole novel ‘The Scarlet Letter’. Then the writer collects the data related to the women’s rights. The writer limits the problem of the women’s oppression. Therefore, after collecting the data, the writer classifies the data relates to the women’s oppression. The women’s oppression is classified based on the radical feminism approach which then will be analyzed using the theory of sexual politic. In this study, the writer also uses various sources from books, e-
3.4 Data Analysis
After collecting and classifying the data, the writer then analyzes the data using one of radical feminism theory that is sexual politic by Kate Millett. Sexual politic also elaborates women’s oppression from various aspects. There are Ideological, Biological, Sociological, Class, Economic and Educational, Force, Anthropological, and Psychological. The data found in the scarlet letter has four of those aspects such as biological, sociological, economic educational, and Anthropological. Those 4 aspects reflect the oppression of women that limits the puritan women’s rights in the scarlet letter. Therefore the writer will just use that four aspects in sexual politic.
CHAPTER 4
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION th The novel takes place in puritan era. Puritan era begins in 16 century.Puritan has a strong faith to their God. Therefore, in many rules, they usually attach the rule to the belief of their religion. In Puritan, a church is not only a place of worship but also as the center of government. In addition to conduct spiritual activities, the implementation of the trial was conducted in the church.
The highest authority belongs to a Pastor because Pastor considered as the holiest and merciful person in the world and surely sinless. However, the authority owned by men raises the oppression to the women. Therefore, there are many cases which show the oppression to the women because of the patriarchal system in puritan as reflected in the Scarlet Letter.
In the Scarlet Letter, many puritan women get an oppression which makes them do not get the same right as men. Puritan women in the novel have no right to give the opinion. It can be seen in the event when Hester is judged in a trial. In the trial of Hester Prynne, there are a group of women who are arguing about Hester’s punishment before the trial begins. As seen below:
“This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. Is there not law for it? Truly there is, both in the scripture and the statue-book. Then let the magistrates, who have made it of no effect, thank themselves if their own wives and daughters go astray!” “Mercy on us, goodwife,” exclaimed a man in the crowd, “Is there no virtue in woman, save what springs from wholesome fear of the gallows?” (TSL:44) The data above shows a woman who is arguing about Hester’s punishment is stopped by a man because it is inappropriate for women to give an opinion in public. The man in the data above mentions the gallows to emphasize that the women will get the punishment if they keep on talking. The data above also show the oppression which is given by the women to Hester. The belief influences them to how they think about the punishment. It can be seen in their statement which oppress the other woman.
As human being, women should be free to give an opinion since they have the same ability to think as men. However, based on the data, the women there have no right to give an opinion. Men take full authority to decide that women there cannot give the opinion. As the church member, when puritan women are in public area they have to be a listener only. Although women have a good reputation, they are not allowed to be the judges of malefactor. As seen in the following data:
“Goodwives,” said a hard-featured dame of fifty, “I’ll tell ye piece of my mind. It would be greatly for the public behoof, if we women, being of mature age and church members in good repute, should have the handling of such malefactresses as this Hester Prynne.” (TSL: 43)
This data shows one of the old women who also gather in the trial believes that women are actually capable of handling such cases, but the law does not allow it.
Thus as the church member they really have to keep their words and attitude. It is clearly shows the patriarchal system in puritan. Patriarchal system in puritan gives an authority for men to make a decision to solve the problem. It shows the unfair when the women who are actually having the same ability to give an opinion as men do not get an opportunity in expressing their mind.
The thought that women have no right to give an opinion cannot be separated with the belief of puritan. The belief does influence their thought about women. As pointed out by Kate Millett in anthropological aspect, myth and religion affect the way women are thought and treated.
In puritan, women are seen as the sinful creature. It is influenced by the story of Adam and Eve in puritan belief. It is told that Adam is persuaded by Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. It makes God so angry and then throws them away to the earth. Puritan believes in this myth that woman is the source of sin. Thus, they should be forbidden to take a big role such as become the one who conducts the trial or even just gives an opinion about it. Women are the “other” and men are a “human norm”. It is unnecessary to hear women’s opinion.
The puritan people have a huge fear to god. Therefore puritan applies strict rules to his follower. Sinners will receive severe punishment. In Hester case, she has to get the punishment because she did an adultery. However, since she refuses to confess the truth who is the father of her child, she has to accept the punishment by herself. The sinful act is revealed because Hester get pregnant. According to the fact about Hester’s pregnancy which is described above, women get more disadvantages since women who will bear a child. If a woman does the intercourse, she has a chance to get pregnant and it will give significant change in her biological form. As it happened to Hester Prynne in the following data: from the too vivid light of day; because its existence, heretofore, had brought it acquainted only with the gray twilight of a dungeon, or other darksome apartment of the prison.’ (TSL: 45)
Hester gave a birth to a baby girl named Pearl as the result of doing the intercourse with Reverend Dimmesdale. The pregnancy seems obvious evidence of their sin, however, only Hester who should get the effect of the sin since Dimmesdale has no evidence after doing the intercourse with Hester and none of them split it out. When Hester gets pregnant, her body shows the pregnancy and people can see stomach gets bigger everyday. It raises the curiosity to the people, because they know her husband is out of town.
After the truth about her pregnancy is revealed, Hester is being trialed. She is judged after she gives a birth to a baby girl. However, Dimmesdale doesn’t get any punishment because both Dimmesdale and Hester hide it. Moreover, there’s no evidence to prove that he has done the adultery as it seen in Hester. As the result of her sinful act, Hester should wear the scarlet letter which is put exactly on her breast.
‘Man had marked this woman’s sin by a scarlet letter, which had such potent and disastrous efficacy that no human sympathy could reach her, save it were sinful like herself.’ (TSL:75)
Based on the quotation above, it can be clearly seen that the man gives Hester punishment because of the sinful act she did. The scarlet letter itself is put as a sign that she has done a sinful act. It puts exactly on her body to show the shame of her because she does the adultery. The badge that put on her body oppression to the biological form of women. The oppression that women get is directed to Hester’s body.
Besides the punishment that she has to endure, Hester is also forbide to take care her own child. Hester can’t take care of her own daughter because she considers a bad mother as can be seen in the quotation below:
“I feared the woman had no better thought than to make a mountebank of her child!” (TSL: 96) The quotation above shows the situation in the middle of the trial.The minister, Mr. Wilson, argues about person that should take care Hester’s child. Mr. Wilson refuses to give Hester the right of her own child’s custody. Hester is considered as a bad mother which will give a bad influence to her own child. Thus, the ministers decide not to give Hester’s right as a mother. It also can be seen in the following data:
“My poor woman,” said the not unkind old minister, “The child shall be well cared for! Far better than thou canst do it.” (TSL: 95)
Still in the trial, Hester considers that her daughter is a gift from God, her happiness, and she really want to stay with her daughter. However, based on the data above, the old minister considers Hester as a bad mother because of her sin. The injustice consideration showed in the earlier data explains that men authority gives the disadvantage to the woman. Just because of one mistake she committed, Hester is judged as a bad mother. A bad mother means Hester is unable to educate her daughter. However, the fact is she has the capability to take care of her child.
The puritan law makes the disadvantage to her by limiting her right as a mother.
The law which made by puritan is basically in authorization of men. In sexual politic it is explained in sociological aspect. The limiting of Hester’s right to take care of her child because Hester has the scarlet letter on her breast also can be related to the biological aspect in sexual politic.
As a sinful person, Hester also gets a bad treatment from the others. It can be seen in the following data of how the people of puritan threat Hester like a stranger because she brings a shame to the society
‘If she entered a church, trusting to share the Sabbath smile of the Universal Father, it was often her mishap to find herself the text of the discourse. She grew to have a dread of children; for they had imbibed from their parents a vague idea of something horrible in this dreary woman, gliding silently through the town, with never any companion but one only child. Therefore, first allowing her to pass, they pursued her at a distance with shrill cries, and the utterance of a word that had no distinct purport to their own minds, but was none the less terrible to her, as proceeding from lips that babbled it unconsciously.’ (TSL: 72)
According to the data above, it can be seen that the people of puritan seen Hester like a total stranger. They ignore her and stay away from her. Moreover, they yell from the distance that she is a shameful person.
However, even Hester gets bad treatment from the people around her, her skill in needling makes her more popular. The scarlet letter put on her breast is embroidered by herself and it impressed the people. It’s also because of her skill, the governor gives an order to Hester to embroider his gloves.
‘Hester Prynne went one day to the mansion of Governor Bellingham with a pair of gloves; which she had fringed and embroidered to his order, and which former ruler to descend a step or two from the highest rank, he still held and honorable and influential place among the colonial magistracy. (TSL: 84)
In the data above, it can be seen when the governor orders Hester to embroider his gloves for the sake of his election. It shows that even Hester is a sinful and everything she does seems nothing and has no value, however, the governor still needs her skill. It can be seen when the governor asks Hester to embroider his gloves. Moreover, he will wear the gloves in the special occasion, the election. It can be assumed that the governor acknowledged Hester excellent sewing skill so that he asks Hester to embroider the gloves.
The skill of Hester’s is not just admitted by the governor but also to the people in her society. Many people of puritan use Hester’s needlework for their need in fashion.
Her needlework was seen on the ruff of the Governor; military men wore it on their scarfs, and the minister on his band; it decked the baby’s little cap; it was shut up, to be mildewed and moulder away, in the coffins of the dead.’ (TSL: 70) The data above explains that the people of puritan there use Hester needlework.
They admit of Hester skill in needling so they ask Hester to help them to make needlework for their daily usage.
Based on the data above shows the economic aspect which affect the limiting of women’s rights in puritan. The sociological aspect also involves in the data above because Hester gets different treatment by the people around her.
The explanation above shows the patriarchal system in society where men over the men towards the women. The system oppresses women, because there many restrictions in women’s daily activity. Moreover, for those who commits to a sinful act. Hester gets a severe punishment because she does an adultery. It is true that she has done a sin, but the punishment given is directed to her body as a sign of her sin. She loses a lot of her right. She even almost loses her right to take care of her own child.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS5.1 Conclusions