employee. Mariana always acts arbitrarily toward her employee but they cannot leave her because it is very difficult to
find another job. Lower class people‟s life is very dependent on their jobs provided by aristocrats.
2. James’ Views toward Education
Education in the 19
th
Century British is that at that time formal school education is just for the upper class people. James thinks that education is not
really an important issue in the society. She thinks that although upper class people go to school, they not must be a smart person because for upper class
people, their position is decided by the birthright. Victoria fiancé, Lord Dimsdale is not smart person although he went to Eton, British public school:
W e‟re eating with the family,” Algie said nervously. “ „In family‟ they call
it.” “ En famille ,” Kate corrected him.
“I suppose that‟s the language they speak over in Marburg. I probably won‟t understand a word.”
“Actually, that‟s French,” Kate said. “French? I learned that at Eton.” There was a pause. “More or less . . .
d o you suppose that‟s what they speak at the table?”
“I shall translate, if need be,” Kate told him, thinking that it was a good thing she had come rather than Victoria, who didn‟t speak a word of French.
James, 2010: 71.
From that quotation, one could reveal James‟ view toward upper class men‟s
education. Viscount Dimsdale is not a smart person but he still go to Eton since it is a must for an aristocrat man to go to public school, but they are not really
should be serious about their education. School is just fancy things to do for the most aristocrats‟ people. They go to school because not to go is embarrassing
since people will thinks they cannot pay the tuition.
James also criticizes women education. Women education is different from men. Eloisa James reveals her thought about women education through Kate
and Victoria Daltry. Unlike men who go to a public school, upper class women ‟s
education is done at home by female teachers called governess. Women education is classified as less important. While an aristocrat man must go to Eton, aristocrat
women not always have governess. James wrote that Kate Daltry has had a governess before her father dead, but after the dead of her father, Mariana evicts
the governess. Women studying language and home appliances such as sewing and managing the household. In the novel A Kiss at Midnight, Kate who ever had
a governess could speaks French while Victoria not. Victoria also could not write a good letter because she does not have a governess:
Victoria nodded. “Sometime pages and pages. Algie,” she said with pride, “is a wonderful correspondent. I didn’t have a governess, you know,
so I am considerably less —well—he doesn’t mind very much.”
Kate had never really thought about how Victoria’s education was
affected by Mariana’s propensity to dismiss the household servants; her sister didn’t seem someone who greatly missed tutoring. But her cheeks
were pink and she was still pleating her gown. “I’m sorry. I should have fought harder to keep the governess,” Kate
said. James, 2010: 310-311. From above quotation, James reveals her thought about women
‟s education at that time. Although it is inconvenient to be lack of knowledge but women intelligent
are not important since Viscount Dimsdale not really mind if Victoria is not smart. It is also the reason why women
‟s education is depending on her family. Considering as less important, it depends on her family whether to bring
governesses or not. Mariana thinks that education is not important so Victoria does not have a governess. Women education is considering unimportant. Men
should at least go to Eton, but women are allowed to be unintelligent. Women education also very limited. They just study about household management and
languages. Sex education for women is considering taboo while men are allowed to have such education. Victoria Daltry said that she not really understands why
she could got pregnant. It is because women education is limited.
3. James’ Views toward Gender
James‟ view toward gender reveals by the characters and setting in this novel. James reveals her ideas that men is considering higher than women. Men is
the head of the family, they should lead the women and children in the family. Prince Gabriel is the head of the family, he takes responsibility to his entire
household, even he is willing to marry an heiress because he needs money for his family. Men are the head of the family, and they are responsible for their family.
Men have higher status than women do because women could be a head of the family only if there is no man in the family. Mariana is the head of her family
because there is no man in the Daltry household. James also thinks that men have more freedom than women do. Men are
allowed to have a free life outside the house, for either work or fun. In the upper class society, men are permitted to have mistresses or go to brothels. Victor Daltry
is an upper class man, he has a mistress even when his wife was still alive. Men also free to have a wild party and drank in a public places:
“Dear me,” Gabriel commented. “England seems to have suffered a rash of trollopy young ladies without fathers.”
