Sultana also quotes from Lerner about how Aristoteles, shared the same idea with the traditionalists, proposes about the root of patriarchy lies in the
description of women as ‘mutilated male’. Therefore as they are biologically
inferior, the same thing goes for their capability and ability to work things and create rational reasons. The extreme feminists supports this idea by claiming that
biological features of both men and women do not have anything to do with women
’s capability, however the idea of ‘male-ness’ and ‘female-ness’ do exist merely as the result of a long historical process. The process itself is not new. It
has been at work for about 2,500 years Sultana, 2011: 4-6. In conclusion, this research analyzes conflicting attitudes towards
women. The further research is to find how these ambivalences in the end propose the same idea which is to oppress women.
B. Review of Related Theories
1. Theory of Character and Characterization
Characters are persons who appear and are presented in the works. They are the ones who make the story runs. Characters in a work could be dynamic or
static, depending on their development throughout the story Abrams, 1985: 23. Most of the characters made in the story are fictional. Even though made
according to the author’s imagination, the characters are made as human as possible so that the reader will feel as if the character in the story can represent the
reality Holman and Harmon, 2009: 95. According to Christopher Russell Reaske there are six ways in
analyzing characters in a play.
a. The appearance
Reaske believes that characters can be characterized from the way they are portrayed in the play. The playwright usually gives descriptions about how the
characters look like, how they behave, etc. The appearance of a character can be in the form of how shehe walks, dresses, etc. These can show age, possible
behaviors whether she is a good or evil, etc. b.
Asides and soliloquies There are moments in a play which a character will speak to himher
own self, or murmur about something. It is believed that through asides and soliloquies, characteristics of a character can be disclosed. Sometimes they speak
about their intents towards an object. From this short or long speech, the character can be analyzed whether shehe is good or evil.
c. Dialogues
When a character responds to other characters, there can be analyzed the characteristics of himher. The way the character reacts and responds in dialogues
can show the other side of himher. d.
Hidden narration Another way in finding the characteristics of characters in a play is by
analyzing carefully the speech of other characters. Reaske believes that it is possible for other characters to mention the characteristics of another character on
their speeches whether in the form of opinions, thoughts, etc. The idea of hidden in hidden narration could mean that the characteristics are not directly mentioned
by the playwright but can be found somewhere in the play.
e. Language
From speeches, characteristics of a character can be inferred. When a character speaks, shehe will have a different way of speaking whether in the form
of dictions, intonations, etc. Through language it can be seen whether a character is intelligent or not, what background shehe probably comes from.
f. Character’s action
Actions of a character do not appear in a play randomly but there are reasons that trigger that to happen. In order to make an action, characters will
have motivation coming from their inner side suggesting and sometimes forcing them to take such actions. Besides that, the pattern of the actions done by a
character can show hisher identity or true characteristics. The more a character acts the more it can be seen naturally how hisher character really is.
In short, Reaske proposes six ways of analyzing a character: appearance, asides and soliloquies, dialogues, hidden narration, language and
actions Reaske, 1966: 46-48.
2. Theory of Feminism
History records that women have been treated unequally for ages. Despite that women’s population is more than the half of human population, they
were always being forced to occupy a secondary place in the world’ while men
have been always considered to get the first position Beauvoir, 1989: 39. Concerning this situation, women try to seek for the betterment which is the equal
position between men and women. Women have been tried to release themselves
from the injustices that they have had Humm, 1995: 94. The efforts and struggle in voicing women’s idea are conceptualized in what we call feminism.
Feminism is defined as “the ideology of women’s liberation… that
women suffer injustice because of our sex” Humm, 1995:94. In its development, many theorists come with their new ideology that enrich the branch of feminism.
This research will specify to use liberal feminism. Liberal
feminism “aims to achieve equal legal, political and social rights for women” Humm, 1992:181. Liberal feminist believes that patriarchal society
plays important role in women subordination concerning the oppression and the limitation of rights. They also propose that there should be a fair legislation to
both women and men. The legislation should guarantee the equality not only in term of race, culture, work place etc humm, 1990:119.
Men are believed to be favored by patriarchal society. Men tends to have more job opportunities or even be favored regarding the law matters. In Sex from
Plato to Paglia, Alan Soble argues that Liberal feminism tends to criticize the unfair treatment and promotes “equal protection under the law”. Liberal feminists
believes that women has their right to have “personal privacy”, “autonomy” and “consent” therefore it is in their women’s capacity to choose what they want to
do with their live. Alan brings Wollstonecraft’s argument that men and women are different solemnly because of their sexes is “either fabricated or exaggerated
and therefore could not be used as the basis for differe ntial rights and roles”.
Wollstonecraft believes that women should have the same right as men in many
fields such as education. She believes that education is important for one to be rational in reasoning Alan, 2006:334.
John Stuart Mill also believes th at sex roles is a kind of “caste system”
which women are placed lower than men and restricted to only several rights. His wife Harriet Taylor Mill then adds that if women get proper education as men,
“women would choose to become the partners of men” in the workplace Alan, 2006: 334.
The same ideas about self-autonomy and consent are also brought into marriage, sexuality and prostitution issue. Marriage should happen when there are
consents from both parties. There should be consent without coercion to participate A
lan, 2006: 336. In the marriage later, “sex roles within the family has to become androgynous” where both couple has the same position in nurturing
the children to gain equality in family. Liberal feminists believe that there are times when the sexual interaction
happened because they are “violently forced or coerced into it”. Some factors that coerce them in ‘consenting’ such as “childhood sexual abuse, drug dependency
and poverty”. They believe that women have the right to “free to reject the norms and that any legal arrangement” that harms them Alan, 2006: 337. In conclusion,
Liberal feminists propose the idea that women have rights to choose and decide based on their own willingness and consent.
