women, even though cannot demand for more, still have the chance to speak what they feel and later have also the chance to struggle for that. Meanwhile, in
Javanese society, women feeling is not considered exist. Javanese women are more inferior than American women.
4.2 The Influence of Culture toward Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s
Inferiority
Geertz 1973:5 states that in Mirror of Man, Clyde Kluckhohn defines culture as the total way of people and a mechanism for the normative regulation of
behaviour. The definition shows the relevance between cultures with life of people. Culture becomes a set of rule that controls people. It affects people’s
attitude, behaviour, understanding, and way of thinking. Lorna and Mas Nganten live among people. Therefore, culture influences heir life. According to
Rohrberger and Woods 1971: 9-10 states the sociocultural- historical approach insists that the only way to locate the real work is to be in the reference to the
civilization that produces it. In this analysis, I include two value of culture that influences Lorna’s and Mas Nganten’s inferiority. They are patriarchy and
religion.
4.2.1 Patriarchy
Murniati 1992: 80-81 states that patriarchy is a system with man domination. In this system, man is higher than woman. Murniati also states that in
this system, only man who is considered as normative. From the definition, we can find a gender injustice. This system gives the total power to rule to men, and
women become the subordinate. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Injustice appears when women’s needs are not considered important. It emphasizes only on men’s existence, and acquires women to serve them. To make
sure that women will give the best service, there are rules for women to follow. These rules ask women to achieve certain image which we call as ladylike image.
Ladylike image can only be achieved with ladylike behaviour. That is why patriarchy and ladylike image cannot be separated to each other.
Although private opinions and public laws relating to the social position of women varied widely, the weight of evidence indicates that women were
considered to be decidedly inferior beings Buckler, 1983 . They live under the shadow of men. We can also the same thing happens to women at the age when
Lorna live. Every wife present realized she was measured primarily by the length of
her husband’s shadow, and none would have voiced the slightest objection…5
The evidence above shows us that every wife at the age live under the
shadows of their husbands. Their husbands’ achievement will also be their achievement. This condition describes situation that is encountered by women
during the time. Men’s achievement is to be praised, to be honoured, and it brings prestige to the particular person. Meanwhile, women’s effort is considered as
nothing. It will not be praised or honoured, and will not bring them prestige. They can enjoy the joy of praise, honour, and prestige when their fathers, brothers, or
husbands make an achievement. No matter how hard their effort to support men, their effort will be considered as something naturally they have to give. Women
do not desrve for appreciation or compliments for their effort. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
In A History of Western Society, Buckler mentions that an English feminist noted in 1908 that “though legally women occupy a much inferior status than
men, in practice they constitute the superior sex. They are the power behind the throne.” It explains the situation tha t at the time women do much effort to support
their men. It brings a great contribution to the success of men. However, women remain inferior. A woman’s effort was directed toward pampering her husband as
he expected Buckler,1983:861. Women’s hard effort to support their husband is something women are expected to give. Therefore, it will not change their inferior
status. Just as Western women who are expected to serve their husbands,
Javanese women are expected for the same thing. Mas Nganten, as a Javanese women, experiences it. “…the one and only thing she could do – in fact, had to do
– was to serve her husband, the Bendoro 61.” Mas Nganten, as every wife in Java, has the duty to give her life serving her husband. Javanese wives stand on
the social va lue of patriarchy that oblige women not to stop pay full attention to their husbands, their husbands’ will Ariyanto, 2006:9. Therefore, Mas Nganten,
just as other Javanese wives, spends her time for housework and providing her husband’s needs. Of course, Mas Nganten’s effort brings a big support to her
husband. Both Western and Javanese societies agree that women are subordinate to
men. It is not only their effort that is not appreciated, but also their existence. Both culture have similarities on their treatment to women. Lorna as a part Western
society is treated as grown-up children to be teasingly indulged or as hopelessly irrational.
“You know my father,” she said, squeezing his sleeves in appeal. “You know how he is about us girls. We’re nothing to him but fluffy empty-
headed matrimonial material to whom he gives orders which he expects to have obeyed without incident…75.”
Even Lorna’s father thinks that Lorna, just as other women, is not clever as
men. He thinks that women can only think about simple and trivial thing, and will not be able to think about something harder. What happens to Lorna represents
what happens to women during the time and place. It shows the inferiority of women when they are regarded as fool. Buckler 1983:538 mentions John
Knox’s opinion about women at that time. According to Knox, nature doth paint them forth to be weak, frail, impatient, feeble and foolish, and experience hath
declared them to be inconstant, variable cruel, and void the spirit of council and regiment.
“Then what do women have in the city?” the girl asked. “I’d have to say nothing, Young Mistress, except for…” “Except for what?” “Except for
her duty to guard her man’s holdings.” “So what do women own?” “Nothing, Young Mistress. She herself is property. 84”
While in Western society, women are emotional, in Javanese society,
women are the property of men. Mas Nganten is valued as a tool for her husband’s holding. She is not more than a table, a chair or a pair of shoes.
Comparing these two situations, we find a big difference. Both live in patriarchy culture. Both take men as superior, and women as inferior. Nevertheless, in
Western society, even though they create unfair image of women, women are the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
part of society. Meanwhile, Javanese society values women as not more than property.
Patriarchy does not only differ the status of men and women in society. It also differs the treatment toward men and women. Men, as superior beings, have
the freedom to do any activities they want to do. Women, as inferior beings, have to face and follow restrictions and rules that bound them. These restrictions and
rules, however, show the inferiority of women in patriarchy culture. One could garden, fill scrapbooks, collect shells, butterflies or birds’ nests,
read, stitch, go shopping, have lemonade on the veranda, attend chautaquas or play the piano 61.
Lorna, as a part of western society, is allowed to do certain activities
women can do, or in fact may do. As I have mentioned in the previous analysis, Lorna actually has her own aspirations on doing activities, but as she lives in
patriarchy society, she cannot have the freedom to do as she wishes. Women do not have the same freedom. Buckler 1983:860 states that women faced great
injustice if they tried to move into the man’s world. The pleasure and freedom belong to men. Women may not get into it.
Gideon had blustered, “This is outrageous A daughter of mine slapping around a tennis court with ankles flashing And coercing her friends to
form a female contingent of the White Bear Yacht club. Why, any fool knows a woman’s place is in a drawing room 4”
Lorna’s interest in playing tennis and establishing yacht club for women
are not permitted. Those activities belong to men’s world, and women are not supposed to take part. That is why, Lorna’s interest results on her father’s
disapproval. Lorna represents women at the time. They are not supposed to join in PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
any men’s world. Women’s place is inside the house, the veranda, the party, or beside their husbands or father.
“That’s a man business, Young Mistress, and it would be best for you not to interfere. Women don’t know about such things. Our work is here in the
house. This is our territory, the area under our control. 74” What happens to Western women also happens to Javanese women. They
are not allowed to get into men’s world. Mas Nganten, representing Javanese women at that time, are not allowed to get into her husband’s world. By
comparing the two situations, we will find a difference on similarity. Both Western and Javanese women are not allowed to do men’s activities, but Javanese
women, as represented by Mas Nganten, interface worse situation. Western women are still able to do many activities as long as it is not
men’s activities. They may choose where they are going to do the activities, whether in the house or at the veranda or at friends’ house. As long as it is lady’s
activities, they have the freedom to do so. Meanwhile, Javanese women are not even allowed to ask questions about their men’s activities. It will be an
interference. Patriarchy on Javanese society is stricter. It brings benefits only for men,
and women are separated from the society. There is even a restriction for women not to go out of the house for activities that do not involve their fathers, or
husbands. This rule is based on the thought that women are too easily seduced by any men when they are not under the proper supervision Magnis-Suseno, 1984:
176.This restrictions are not applied to lower class women. They have to help their husbands’ work. Middle and upper class women, especially who live among
priyayi , must obey the rule. There are even certain activities for them to do to give
them ladylike ability as well as to keep them stay inside the house. A batik teacher was called to the house to teach the girl how to transform
a piece of white cloth into a fabric of multicoloured patterns;…. Once a week another teacher came to teach her cake making. And every third day,
her religion teacher would come to tell her tales of mystery that had been handed down from some far-distant desert kingdom 62.
Patriarchy has become one-sided culture, and it brings inferiority to women. Emphasizing only on men’s important, patriarchy emerges one-sided
rules that enriched men with unlimited authority, power, and freedom. Those rules are strictly applied especially to middle and upper class women, because they
have to protect their men’s reputation. Levinia met her daughter’s eyes. “You must understand, Lorna, This is
very difficult for a mother to say, but it’s my duty to warn you. Men will try things.” She reached out and touched Lorna’s hand urgently. “Even
Taylor. As fine a young man as he is, he’ll try things, and when he does, you must withdraw immediately. You must come into the house or…or
insist on leaving for home at once. Do you understand? 60” In A History of Western society, Buckler 1983:858 states that a young
woman of the middle class found her romantic life carefully supervised by her well- meaning mother, who schemed for a proper marriage and guarded her
daughter’s virginity like the family’s credit. After marriage, middle-class morality sternly demanded fidelity. Lorna, as a part of high-class society, experiences the
same treatment. She is supervised by her mother. She gets a lot of warnings and advices. Women are strictly supervised while men experience the contrary.
Buckler 1983:858 also states that middle class boys were watched too, but not as PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
vigilantly. By the time they reached late adolescence, they had usually attained considerable sexual experience with maids or prostitutes.
In Javanese society, women, especially from middle and upper class and who live among priyayi, must encounter the same situation with Western women.
They are oblige to behave nicely as the society, in fact men, wish for. After forbidding women to go out the house, Javanese society creates a set of criterion
for women to achieve. Jong 1976:20 mentions ‘sabar’ or patient, which comes from ‘rila’ and ‘narima’, as one character Javanese women must posses. Rila
means willing to give or accept freely, and narima means accepting thoroughly without demanding too much.
The servant didn’t answer directly: “Sometimes I think that women were put on this earth just so that men could beat them. So let’s not start talking
about that, Young Mistress. Besides, what’s a beating every once in a while when compared with the beating a husband himself must take in
providing for his wife and children?...92”
Being patient should be a good thing. Unfortunately, Javanese society interprets the word differently. Women must be patient in every condition, even
the worst one when they get very bad treatment from her husband. This is unfair because men are allowed to do terrible things to their women, wives or daughters,
and those women will not complain, or in fact they cannot to. Patient is only one character a woman must have out of the other
characters such as humble, calm, love others, including love the other wives of her husband, sweet, and sympathetic Astiyanto, 2006:108. In Javanese society, there
is also a traditional value for a good wife. They are called three ‘ma’ that consist ‘pinter masak’, ‘pinter manak’, and ‘pinter macak’ Astiyanto, 2006:79. The
three ‘ma’ requires Javanese women to be able to cook, birth many child, and appears beautifully.
The older woman whispered, “Smile. You must learn to smile and always be standing, ready to greet the Master, just inside the doorway. 52”
Mas Nganten is required to be always ready to serve her husband no
matter what happens to her. Mas Nganten’s situation represents Javanese women’s situation at the time. Society demands too much, while men rarely face
problems with rules. Women are not allowed to misbehave, but men can go to prostitute to satisfy their sexual desire. Magnis-Suseno 1984: 178 explains that
unmarried men who try to find sexual experience with prostitute in coffee place will not get much warning.
This shows injustice in patriarchy. Women are required to be perfect, while men do not have to bother the rules. Men’s mistakes are tolerable, but
women’s mistake means breaking the tradition and social value. However, it is written in Darmawasita letter by Mangkunegara IV Estiyanto, 2006:74 that a
wife is expected to born at least a son. Javanese society always hopes to born baby boy when their women are expecting.
As the servant was kneading the girl’s neck with her hands, she said knowingly, “You’re pregnant, Young Mistress.” “Looks like it,” the girl
replied. “Praise heaven, Young Mistress, I pray that God will grant yo u a son.” “Yes, a son,” she said wistfully 248.
It seems that women are unwanted. When their mothers are pregnant, their
mothers expect for boy. When they are getting married, they cannot choose their own husband Estiyanto, 2006:76. Their parents will decide for them, and only
men who has the right to choose their wives Estiyanto, 2006:76. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
“Him?” Who was this man she had been married to? the girl asked herself. She closed her eyes but could not picture him 7.
Patriarchy has clearly made one-sided way of life. It decisively causes the inferiority of women Eagleton: 1991. It supports men but demands too much to
women. Although Western women are inferior because of it, they are still a part of the society. Meanwhile, Javanese women are properties of men. They must be
perfect in front of the society, in fact in front of men. Patriarchy is stronger in Javanese society than in Western society.
4.2.2 Religion
