Radical feminism as seen through the female characters in Harumi Setoucht`s Beauty in Disarray - USD Repository

  

RADICAL FEMINISM AS SEEN THROUGH

THE FEMALE CHARACTERS IN HARUMI SETOUCHI’S

BEAUTY IN DISARRAY

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

  By

RAYNESTA MIKAELA INDRI MALO

  Student Number: 044214004

  

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2008

  

RADICAL FEMINISM AS SEEN THROUGH

THE FEMALE CHARACTERS IN HARUMI SETOUCHI’S

BEAUTY IN DISARRAY

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

  By

RAYNESTA MIKAELA INDRI MALO

  Student Number: 044214004

  

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2008

  

All human beings are born free and equal

in dignity and rights.

  (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948)

  

Women! Never forget that when you draw your

portraits,

always select a vaulted ceiling of gold!

  (Haruko Hiratsuka)

  

We live and we learn to take

One step at a time

There's no need to rush

It's like learning to fly

  

Or falling in love.

  (Jordin Sparks: One Step at a Time)

  For my father, my mother, my brother, Aang,

my family, friends, and those who always

support and pray for me.

  Indri [Untuk Bapa, Mama, Abang, Aang, keluarga, teman-teman dan semua yang selalu mendukung dan mendoakan saya.]

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Greatest thank to the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, I know I’m not alone in doing this. For my beloved parents, Bapa dan Mama, and my brother, Andri, you are the greatest gift of all. For Opu Piet and family, all the family in Sumba and other places, thanks for all the love and supports. For Aang, thank you very much for all the love and patient and for all the adventures we’ve done.

  I would like to express my gratitude to my advisor, Mrs. Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, S. S and my co-advisor, Mr. Gabriel Fajar Sasmita Aji, S. S., M. Hum., for being very patient and effective in helping me write my thesis. For all the lecturers in the Department of English Letters, thank you very much for all knowledge and skills you gave me. For Mba Nik, the library crews and for all people in Sanata Dharma University, thank you so much for all the helps.

  Thank you very much to Rm. Yeremias Balapito, MSF and P. Marianus Dapatalu, CSsR, for the prayer from abroad. For the Redemtorists, P. Silvester Nusa, CSsR, P. Robert Ramone, CSsR, Fr. Friedz, Fr. Tommy, Fr. Benya, Fr. Benny, and those in Wisma Sang Penebus, Nandan, I really appreciate our relationship.,

  My gratitude also goes to all my friends. For those from Sastra Inggris 2004, Rini, Tini, Nofi, Disti, Dita, Siska, Lutfi, Pita, Laisis, etc. For Eti, Renzy, K’ Mia, Icul, Erin and Ima Montero, Rheo Gank, Utha, Irma, Sandra, Tien, Lia, Cory, Tison, Wiwid, Emi, Ine, Mb’ Ninong, Desi, Qori, Dian, Antis, Tika and all sisters of Alamanda 11 and Menur 11a. For K’ Soni, Mb’ Rere, Om’ Bento, Pinky and family. For KMKS, ‘In the Blood’ crews, friends of APTIK, Mas Anton, bu Rini and family. Thank you people for all the things we’ve been through. To Iyo, thanks for all the advices, supports, and energy and for all the secrets you keep from me.

  Raynesta Mikaela Indri Malo

  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE …………………………………………………………………. i

APPROVAL PAGE …………………………………………………………… ii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE………………………………………………………... iii

MOTTO PAGE………………………………………………………………… iv

DEDICATION PAGE ………………………………………………………… v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………… vi

TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………………

  viii

  

ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………. x

ABSTRAK ……………………………………………………………………... xii

  CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study …………………………………………….

  1 B. Problem Formulation ………………………………………………..

  4 C. Objectives of the Study ……………………………………………...

  4 D. Definition of Terms ………………………………………………….

  4 CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Study …………………………………………….

  7 B. Review of Related Theories

  1. Theory of Character and Characterization …………………... 9

  2. Theory of Feminism ………………………………….……… 11 3. Theory of Society and Literature …………………………….

  17

  4. Review on Japan’s Society: Patriarchal Society and Position of Women …………………

  18 C. Theoretical Framework ……………………………………………… 25

  CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study …………………………………………………..

  26 B. Approach of the Study ……………………………………………….

  28 C. Method of the Study …………………………………………………. 29

  CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS A. The Characteristics of Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka

  1. Noe Ito ………………………..……………………………… 30

  2. Raicho Hiratsuka …………………….………………………. 35

  B. Radical Feminism as Seen through Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka

  1. Noe Ito ………………………………………………...……… 36

  2. Raicho Hiratsuka ……………………………………………… 48

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ………………………………………………… 55 BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………………….. 59

  

ABSTRACT

  Raynesta Mikaela Indri Malo. Radical Feminism as seen through the Female

  

Character in Harumi Setouchi’s Beauty in Disarray. Yogyakarta: Department of

English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2008.

  This study is aimed to see radical feminism through two female characters, Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka in the novel Beauty in Disarray. They are Japanese women, who at their time, already realize and understand about their condition of being subordinated by the patriarchal system.

  In this study, the writer would try to analyze two problems, (1) How are the female characters in Beauty in Disarray, Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka, characterized?, and (2) how is radical feminism seen through those female characters?

  This writing is a library research. The writer collects the all the data and supported information from some references books and internet. The feminist literary criticism approach is used as the main basis of the analysis.

  From the analysis, the writer finds that Noe Ito is characterized as beautiful and attractive. She is also rebellious, studious, curious, critical and ambitious. Raicho Hiratsuka is a brave and rebellious woman. She is also known as a bisexual, for she is sexually attracted to both women and men.

  The study also finds out that radical feminism is seen in the novel through the female characters, Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka. It is known that Japan at that time holds the patriarchal system that subordinate women and restrict them from getting the same opportunities with men in various aspects of life. Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka fight against that system with their own way.

  Radical feminism is seen through Noe Ito first, in her act of breaking the traditional rules for girls. She is rebellious since her childhood. She does not want to do things that girls in her age are supposed to do. Second, she gains her individual rights. She breaks her marriage arranged by her family. She then leaves and divorces her husbands. She also has relationship with other men while she is in a charge as a wife of Jun Tsuji. Noe Ito tries to get opportunities as what men by getting education and working. She is educated and also works as a journalist in Seito; things that not all women at that time could get. Noe Ito is also a vocal woman. She dares to speak up her opinion in public. From the facts above, Noe Ito is categorized as a radical feminist because her characteristics reveal the ideas of radical feminism.

  Meanwhile, Raicho Hiratsuka is a brave and also a rebellious woman. She forms Seito to give Japanese women a media to improve their ability in literature and to fight against the old custom of the patriarchal system. In Raicho, the ideas of radical libertarian feminism could be seen. Firstly, she is a bisexual, attracted to both women and men. Secondly, she refuses the ideas of marriage. She thinks that marriage would only limit women’s opportunities in life. These two things are in accordance with the idea of the radical libertarian feminist.

  The writer concludes that seeing from the characterization, Noe Ito truly portrays the ideas of radical feminisms in general, while Raicho Hiratsuka portrays the idea of radical libertarian feminists.

  

ABSTRAK

  Raynesta Mikaela Indri Malo. Radical Feminism as seen through the Female

  

Character in Harumi Setouchi’s Beauty in Disarray. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra

Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2008.

  Tujuan utama penulisan skripsi ini adalah untuk melihat ide-ide feminisme radikal melalui dua tokoh perempuan, Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka, dalam novel

  Beauty in Disarray

  . Mereka adalah perempuan-perempuan jepang yang pada masa hidupnya telah menyadari dan mengerti kondisi mereka yang tertindas oleh sistem patriarkal.

  Skripsi ini memuat dua permasalahan, (1) Bagaimana dua tokoh perempuan dalam Beauty in Disarray, Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka, dikarakterisasi? (2) Bagaimana feminisme radikal dapat dilihat melalui dua tokoh perempuan tersebut?

  Studi pustaka digunakan dalam analisis skripsi ini. Novel Beauty in Disarray, buku-buku referensi dan internet digunakan sebagai sumber data. Dasar utama dalam analisis adalah pendekatan feminisme.

  Dari analisis penulis menemukan bahwa karakteristik Noe Ito adalah seorang perempuan yang cantik dan menarik. Dia adalah seorang pemberontak, seorang yang gemar belajar, memiliki rasa ingin tahu yang besar, kritis dan ambisius. Raicho Hiratsuka adalah seorang perempuan yang berani dan pemberontak. Dia juga adalah seorang biseksuil karena secara seksual Raicho tertarik pada laki-laki dan perempuan.

  Melalui studi ini, penulis juga menemukan bahwa feminisme radikal terlihat melalui dua tokoh perempuan tersebut. Jepang pada saat itu menganut sistem patriarkal yang merendahkan perempuan dan membatasi perempuan untuk mendapatkan kesempatan yang sama dengan laki-laki dalam berbagai aspek kehidupan. Noe Ito dan Raicho Hiratsuka berjuang melawan sistem tersebut dengan cara mereka masing-masing.

  Feminisme radikal terlihat pada Noe Ito yaitu, pertama dari caranya mematahkan aturan-aturan tradisional bagi anak perempuan. Noe Ito adalah seorang pemberontak sejak masa kecilnya. Dia tidak ingin melakukan segala sesuatu yang seharusnya dilakukan oleh anak-anak perempuan seusianya. Kedua, dia meraih hak- hak individualnya. Noe Ito mengakhiri pernikahannya dengan seseorang yang dijodohkan dengannya. Dia juga kemudian menceraikan suami-suaminya, termasuk suami keduanya. Dia juga memiliki hubungan dengan laki-laki lain pada saat ia masih sebagai istri Jun Tsuji. Noe Ito juga berusaha untuk mendapatkan kesempatan yang sama dengan laki-laki dengan cara memperoleh pendidikan dan bekerja di Seito; itu adalah hal yang belum tentu bisa dilakukan oleh semua perempuan pada masa itu. Noe Ito juga adalah seorang yang vokal. Dia berani untuk berbicara di depan publik tentang opininya. Dari fakta-fakta tersebut di atas, Noe Ito dikategorisasi sebagai seorang feminis radikal karena karakteristiknya memperlihatkan ide-ide feminisme

  Sementara itu, Raicho Hiratsuka adalah seorang yang pemberani dan pemberontak. Dia membentuk Seito dengan tujuan sebagai media para perempuan Jepang untuk mengembangkan kemampuan mereka dalam literature dan Seito juga bertujuan sebagai media untuk melawan sistem patriarkal. Ide-ide feminisme radikal libertarian terlihat pada Raicho Hiratsuka. Pertama, dia adalah seorang biseksuil, tertarik pada laki-laki dan perempuan. Kedua, dia menolak pernikahan seperti yang diatur oleh sistem patriarkal Jepang. Menurut pikirannya, pernikahan hanya akan membatasi perempuan untuk mendapatkan kesempatan dalam hidup. Kedua hal ini sejalan dengan ide-ide feminis radikal libertarian. Penulis kemudian menyipulkan bahwa Noe Ito menggambarkan ide-ide feminisme radikal secara umum, sementara Raicho Hiratsuka menggambarkan ide-ide feminisme radikal libertarian.

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study Oppression on women has been a worldwide issue in every era of human life. Women face discrimination and degradation in many aspects of life such as in their

  position in family and also in getting the opportunity to work. Throughout the world, in almost every nation, we could see this phenomenon happen even until now when there are movements that try to fight against the oppression, for example the feminist movement.

  The origin of the women oppression is actually in the social condition. Most of the societies in the world hold the so-called patriarchal system in which women are the second creatures, after men. Patriarchal system organizes the society in such a way to give benefit to the men in general (Mills, 1993: 3). According to Ashley Montagu, in almost all societies, women have been conditioned to believe that they are inferior to men (1953: 23). Many women internalize the ideas of patriarchal, holding that it was their job to obey and serve men and accepting the idea that they are inferior to men. Fortunately, some women get the rights to have education.

  Education opens their eyes to see their condition. They then realize that actually women have the same rights as man. This condition then raises the women movements that look for the emancipation for women, to get the same rights as men.

  Japan is one of the nations in the world with a society that holds patriarchal system. Jesse F. Steiner in his book Behind the Japanese Mask called Japan as the man-ruled world. He wrote that men are superior over women and expect to be served by them. Steiner quoted from a classical volume used as a textbook for the training of Japanese girls during the past two hundred years; it helps us understand the status of the women in Japan. It stated,

  “A woman should look on her husband as if he were Heaven itself and never weary of thinking how she may yield to his wishes. The great life-long duty of a woman is obedience. When the husband issues are his instructions, the wife must never disobey them.” (1943: 73).

  He then added, “Their lot in life, which is to serve men, is well expressed in what has been called the three obediences: obedience, while yet unmarried, to a father; obedience, when married, to a husband; obedience, when widowed, to a son.” (1943: 74).

  However, some women were lucky enough to be educated. Education then made women aware of their condition that they had been oppressed by men.

  Education which is basically aimed to improve knowledge and skills then led women to think, feel, and reason about things. Women then started to articulate their idea through literature, which then became the media for the women to shout their idea in fighting against the society and its long-established system.

  The oppression on women and the rise of feminist movement is one of such interesting theme that inspires some authors in writing the literary works. According manner (1956: 216). A novel may become the means of the author to criticize, to satire the society, and give an idea to the society. Literature is a social institution, which plays its role in representing life or social reality. Either the natural or the subjective world of individual becomes the object of literature imitation (1956: 94- 95). Characters in literary works represent the real life, such as people’s problems in real life, issues in society, problems interpersonal, for example between an individual and his or her surroundings, friend, family or environment.

  Harumi Setouchi is one of the authors who choose the issues on women, i.e. the oppression on women and the rise of feminist in Japan as her main topic in writing novels. She wrote some novels related to that subject such as The End of

  Summer

  in 1963 which won the Women’s Literary Prize, Feminine Virtue in 1963,

  Beauty in Disarray

  in 1966 which won the special praise by the Nonino Prize selection committee. She also wrote about the author Toshiko Tamura, one of the leading female figures from the last years of the Meiji era to the beginning of Taisho era (1868-1912) (http://www.The Japan Journal - The Tale of Jakucho.htm).

  This thesis studies on Setouchi’s Beauty in Disarray. The novel tells about the life of women who are born among the patriarchal society. However, education makes them see the discrimination to their sex. They then fight against the system of the society through their own way to get their rights as human being and become feminists with the label The New Woman.

  This study aims to analyze the female characters in the novel, Noe Ito and as women in the middle of the pressure of the patriarchal society that oppressed them. It is interesting for the writer to analyze the characteristics of these women and how feminism, especially radical feminism, appears through their characteristics.

  B. Problem Formulation

  Having presented the background of the study, here are presented the problems that are going to be analyzed in this study.

  1. How are the female characters in Beauty in Disarray, Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka, characterized?

  2. How is radical feminism seen through those female characters?

  C. Objectives of the Study

  In this study, the writer wants to find out some answers related to the formulated problems that have been presented above. Firstly, the writer will find out the characteristics of the female characters, Noe Ito and Raicho Hiratsuka and secondly, the writer wants to analyze how radical feminism seen through those female characters.

  D. Definition of Terms

  1. Radical Radical refers to something in favour of thorough and complete political or social change; it is new, different, and likely to have a great effect (Oxford Advance

  Learner’s Dictionary of current English , 2000: 1042-1043).

  2. Feminism According to The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language, feminism is a belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes (1996:

  671). Furthermore, Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory explains that in general, feminism is the ideology of women’s liberation since intrinsic in all its approaches is the belief that women suffer injustice because of their sex. The definition incorporates both a doctrine of equal rights for women and an ideology of social transformation aiming to create a world for women beyond simple social equality (1990: 74)

  3. Radical Feminism Maggie Humm in The Dictionary of Feminist Theory stated that radical feminism is a movement which argues that women’s oppression comes from our categorization as an inferior class to the class of ‘men’ on the basis of our gender. Radical feminism aims to destroy this sex class system. Radical feminism also argues that patriarchy is the defining characteristics of our society. What makes this feminism radical is that it focuses on the roots of male domination and claims that all forms of oppression are extension of male supremacy (1990: 183).

  4. Feminist

  Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary of current English defines feminist as a

  person who supports the belief that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men (2000: 466). Maggie Humm then defines feminist is a woman who recognizes herself, and is recognized by others, as a feminist. This awareness depends on a woman having experienced conscious rising; a knowledge of women’s oppression, and recognition of women’s difference and communalities (The

  Dictionary of Feminist Theory , 1990: 75).

  5. Female In feminist theory, female refers to the purely biological aspect of sexual difference (Humm, 1990: 71). In Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, it is stated that female classifies individuals on the basis of their genetic makeup or their ability to produce offspring in sexual reproduction (2003: 484).

  6. Character In A Glossary of Literary Terms Abrams explains that characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue- and by what they do-the action (1971: 21).

CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies In this part, the writer takes reviews from several studies about the work itself, the characters in the novel, and also about the author of the novel, Harumi Setouchi. The first study is taken from an internet source, about the main character in this

  novel, Noe Ito. In this study, an anarchist federation wrote about the life of Noe Ito, since her childhood until her death. Noe is said as a champion of both women’s liberation and anarchism. Noe is well aware of the consequences of being an anarchist in Japan at that time.

  “A short biography of Ito Noe, a courageous Japanese woman who broke with her social conditioning and became a champion of both women’s liberation and anarchism” (http://www.Noe, Ito-libcom_org.htm). Mikiso Hane in Modern Japan: a Historical Survey states that Raicho

  Hiratsuka, one of the female characters that will be discussed in this study, was one of the leaders of the early feminist movement in Japan. Literary magazine was their media to gain their rights.

  “Female literary figures initiated the movement aimed at gaining recognition of the rights for women. Among the leaders was Hiratsuka Raicho (1886- 1971), who started a women’s literary organization called the Seito (Blue Stocking) Society in 1911. The main purpose of this group was to discover and develop the hidden talent, particularly literary capability, in women. It may not have sought the liberation of women, but it did, nonetheless, constitute a pioneer effort in combating the ingrained customs that fettered

  Japanese women. The feminist leaders were willing to defy public opinion and challenge the conventional mores.” (1986: 213). Mikiso Hane explains that Hiratsuka refused the established system of marriage and she also lived without married with younger male artist. Another feminist stated by Mikiso Hane is Noe Ito. She was a feminist who rejected the marriage arranged by her uncle for her with a man from rich family. Noe Ito was inspired by the thought of Emma Goldman.

  In Japan, a Documentary History, David J. Lu stated something similar with Mikiso Hane about the women’s movement. He says,

  “In 1911, Hiratsuka Raicho (1886-1971) founded a new literary journal, Seito (Blue Stocking), to promote women’s causes.” (1997: 398). “Hiratsuka was inward looking, and when speaking of liberation, she often equated it with discovery of self and one’s own talent. Her worked marked the beginning of women’s liberation in Japan.” (1997: 398). By using her parents financial supports, Hiratsuka and some other women used literary expression in fighting against the old thought and improve opportunities for women. Ito Noe became editor of the magazine after Hiratsuka left due to the family’s financial problem. Ito then explored the women’s rights to abortion. Ito Noe then had a husband named Osugi Sakae, who was an anarchist, and they both became the police target.

  Through this study, the writer wants to focus on analyzing the dialogues and actions of the female characters in the novel, which represents the idea of radical feminism.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theory of Character and Characterization

  Abrams, in A Glossary of Literary Terms says that characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work, who are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what they say-the dialogue-and by what they do-the action. Reader could take the issues in a literary work through the existence of the characters. Every character, major or minor, has his or her own function in giving the meaning and theme of a story (1993: 23).

  Henkle states two types of character, major character and secondary character. Major character usually is the most important character in a story that functioned to help the reader in drawing the theme, used by the authors in order to communicate their human qualities. Secondary characters or minor character usually is the character, who has limited function in the story (1977: 87-97).

  Characterization according to Rohrberger and Woods refers to the way that the author uses in creating the character (1971: 180). There are two ways to create a character. The first is direct characterization, refers to the description given directly by the author about the physical appearance of the character. It can be about the character’s performances, behavior, thoughts, intellectuality, and way of thinking, morality, and sensitivity, for example about the height, weight, hair shape and color, skin color and other physical appearance.

  The second is the dramatic characterization, refers to how the author create the character of a person through how the person facing a problem. The reader then can understand the way the character faces the situation, the person behavior, and choices, which ultimately derive from the situation.

  There are other nine ways to create the character based on characterization according to Murphy (1972: 161-173) in his Understanding Unseens, a. Personal Description

  Personal description refers to the description of the character as real person’s appearance, such as face, skin, eyes, and clothes.

  b. Character as seen by another The author describes a person’s characteristics through the eyes and opinions of other characters. The reader can get it as the reflection image of particular character.

  c. Speech Through this way, the author describes a person characteristic through what the person says. This is a very important way in characterizing a character. The reader can get a direct insight and opinion about a particular character. It can be in the person’s speaks in the person’s conversation with other or when the person is giving an opinion forward about his idea and perspective.

  d. Past life Past life really influences the shaping of character of a person. The author can person. This can be in the direct comment given by the author, through the person speaks, or through other person’s speaks.

  e. Conversation of others The character of a person described through the conversation of other characters in which they say their opinions or everything about that person.

  f. Reactions Each character has their own way in reacting when they are facing something.

  The way they react can be the way through which the reader can see and get clues about a person’s characteristics.

  g. Direct comment Direct comment refers to the author personal reception and comment about the character he creates in his novel.

  h. Thoughts The author gives a direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about.

  Through this way, the reader can understand the character’s mind and feeling. i. Mannerism

  The author through his mannerism, habits, or idiosyncrasies in his fictional life can also describe the character’s personality.

2. Theory of Feminism

  The long established system of the society places women in difficult positions societies believe that men are superior and women are inferior. Women are conditioned to believe that they are inferior and it is really happening in their life (Montagu, 1953: 23). It is a social discrimination in which the society sees human based on sexes.

  Women are not only oppressed physically but also mentally. As Montagu in

  The Natural Superiority of Women

  : They were practically never given equal opportunities with men to develop their capacities; the opportunities for the development of their intelligence and tribal skills were severely restricted by what was traditionally considered permissible to women; (1953: 38).

  Furthermore, she explains that during their long period of subjection, women have been treated as slaves, housekeepers, and even sex workers, such as geisha in Japan. Even up to now; it is believed that women are so treated badly in some parts of the world (1953: 128). Women think of marriage, home, and family as integral parts of their entire lives. A woman’s life is first and foremost bound up with her husband, her children (1953: 138). A married woman is the wife of her husband; her duty is minister to his needs and to those of their children; it is the wife who looks after the family.

  However, a woman is a person in her own right who wants to be treated as something more than just a good companion who happens also to be one’s slave (Montagu, 1953: 162). The unfair treatment toward women and the need to be treated fairly then raise the women movement called as feminism. Feminism itself, according to Maggie Humm is the ideology of women’s liberation. Feminism is the movement for social, educational, industrial, and political freedom for women, on the basis as men (Adams, 1957: 483). Feminism then refers to women’s movement which is aimed at the emancipation of women; to be free from oppression, discrimination, and to get the same chance to use their rights, as what men get.

  Holman and Harmon in A Handbook to Literature explain that feminism in literature and criticism is in a general position but not necessarily confined to women.

  It has to do with advocacy and encouragement of equal rights and opportunities for the women-politically, socially, psychologically, personally, and aesthetically (1986: 201). Sara Mills further explains that feminism implies commitment to change the social structure to make it less oppressive to women (1995: 4).

  Feminist theory then arises to support the feminism. According to Maggie Humm, Feminist theory is an area of writing which represents a crucial and original contribution to contemporary thinking (1990: x). Feminist theory or feminist thinking is a modern thinking against the traditional thinking that oppressed women. The basic goal of all feminists is to understand women’s oppression in term of race, gender, class, and sexual preference and also how to alter it. Feminist theory reveals the importance of women as an individual. It analyzes how sexual difference is constructed within any intellectual and social world and builds accounts of experiences from these differences (Humm, 1990: x). The ‘sexual differences’ is said as ‘constructed’ means that it does not exist naturally, but it is created by those who are in the patriarchal society.

  Further, Maggie Humm explains that the feminist theory wraps many different aspects in human life. In the literary milieu, the feminist theory emerges in the form of feminist literary criticism. Feminist criticism seems to share three basic assumptions. The first assumption is that in writing someone is influenced by gender.

  The writing style then shows the ideologies of each gender and the ideologies that are believed by each gender. The second assumption is that the different style of writing between men and women because they use different strategies. They use different vocabularies and different kinds of sentences. As Humm in Contemporary Feminist

  

Literary Criticism said the second major assumption is that there are sex-related

  writing strategies (1994: 4). It means that one’s gender can be recognized from his or her writing style. In feminist criticism, we could reveal the relation between strategies and gender. The last assumption is the tradition of literary criticism uses masculine norms to exclude or undervalue women’s writing (Humm, 1994: 5). It means that men’s writing is the measure to determine whether women’s writing is good or bad. Those three fundamental assumptions are the background of the rise of feminist criticism in the literary criticism.

  Actually there are some kinds of feminism. The first is liberal feminism, which uses the basic liberalism philosophy that every human being is created with the same rights and every human must have the same opportunity to develop their future. It is concerned with obtaining equal rights through legislative reforms. The liberal feminists fight for co-optation of existing norms and structures for their own oppression lie simply in women’s lack of equal civil rights and educational opportunities (1990: 119).

  The second is the radical feminism. They believe that women’s oppression comes from a categorization in which women are in the inferior class to the men (Humm, 1990: 183). They are the pioneer of the lesbian media for women. Radical feminists believe that society must be changed at its core in order to dissolve patriarchy, not just through acts of legislation. Radical feminists want to break the rigid gender roles that society has imposed to free both men and women. Sometimes radical feminists believe that they must rage a war against men, patriarchy, as the defining characteristic of our society, and the gender system, which confines them to inflexible social roles. Radical feminists focus on the roots of male domination and claim that all forms of oppression are extensions of male supremacy (Humm, 1990: 183). They also think that women could express themselves not only with men but also with women. They emphasize the separatism between men and women and only concerns with the elevation of women. Women centeredness then becomes the main purpose of this movement. The pioneers of radical feminists, such as Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Emma Goldman, and Margaret Sanger, stated that women must take radical control over their bodies and lives (Humm, 1990: 183).

  There are two kinds of radical feminist, radical libertarian feminist and radical cultural feminist. According to Rosemarie Putnam Tong, radical libertarian feminists think that people, men or women should explore both feminine and masculine side of put more focus on androgyny that insists on all kinds of sex intercourse. They think that androgyny is a liberation strategy for women. Every woman should have a sexual experiment whether with herself, with other men, or other women. They also think that reproduction’s support technology and the old technology that can control birth are the absolutely grace for women. Radical cultural feminists then oppose those thoughts. According to radical cultural feminists, sexual intercourse is a dangerous thing, especially heterosexual relationship. Radical cultural feminist think that if only the society could learn to consider feminine values equal to masculine values, the oppression on women will end. In order to be free, women must set themselves free from the heterosexuality and create their own exclusive sexuality through celibate, autoeroticism, and lesbianism (Prabasmoro, 2006: 3-5).

  Further, Maggie Humm explains about the Socialist Feminism. Socialist feminists believe that there is a direct link between class structure and the oppression of women. They believe that women are the second-class citizens in patriarchal capitalism which depends for its survival on the exploitation of working people (1990: 213). Socialist feminists reject the idea that biology predetermines one’s gender. Social roles are not inherent and women's status must change in both the public and private spheres. Socialist feminists also like to challenge the ideologies of capitalism and patriarchy. Much like the views of radical feminists, socialist feminists believe that although class, race, ethnicity and religion divide women, they all experience the same oppression simply for being a woman. Socialist feminist believe that the way to end this oppression is to put an end to class and gender. Women must work side-by-side with men in the political sphere.

3. Theory of Society and Literature

  Society has a great influence on literature. Authors, as part of the society write literary works based on their understanding about the realities that occur in society around them. It could be a criticism, a satire or maybe an idea about the society that an author wants to give to his or her readers.

  Society itself, according to Kimball Young, refers to the broadest association of people who possess a certain common set of habits, attitudes, and ideas, who live in a definite territory, and who are often set off from other societies by attitudes and habits of difference or antagonism (1945: 125).

  In the Society in the Novel, Langland explained that the real society is a construction of life. It is the same with the society that is presented in literary works, which is a concept of construction in art and life. Society could be understood through its people and also through the beliefs and values, conventions, customs, habits, costumes, institution (legal, religious, and cultural) that exist in particular society, and also through the physical environment (1984: 1).

  The society in reality and the society in the novel can be said as the same for both of them shape the characteristics of the people who live within them. As Wellek and Warren in Theory of Literature stated that literature is a social institution, which

  Literary work is a good reflection of a society which the work is based on. By reading a literary work we can dig out many values that implicitly set in it. Literature is one element of culture. It contains values, thoughts, problems, and conflicts. Literature functions as a representation of the situation happening in certain settings of time and place (Little, 1963: 1). It means that understanding the society in reality is important to understand and grasp the idea that an author wants to reveal in the literary work.

  

4. Review on Japan’s Society: Patriarchal Society and Position of Women in

1900s

  The Meiji and Taisho era in Japan were the periods of radical changes. Movements appeared protesting various established systems in the society at that time. Movements, such as anarchist, socialist, and also feminist emerged among the “old men” of the society demanding new things for the restoration of the country. Anarchist insisted on the bringing down of the government and socialist demanded for the end of class system. Feminist then was formed in order to end the subjugation toward women.

  As Goldstein and Ninomiya stated in the introduction of the novel Beauty in

  Disarray

  that it may surprise westerners or other people that Japan had its own well- known women’s liberation movement in the late nineteenth century (1993: 7).

  Japan’s women who had been living under subordination of men for a long time

  Japanese women at the beginning of 1900s seemed to be tired from the long system of the society that subordinated them. Japan society at that time still held the so-called patriarchal system. According to Oxford Advance Learner’s Dictionary of

  Current English

  , patriarchal means ruled or controlled by men; giving power and importance only to men. Patriarchy then is a society, system or country that is ruled and controlled by men (2000: 929). Maggie Humm explains further that patriarchy refers to a system of male authority which oppresses women through its social, political, and economic institutions. In any of the historical forms that patriarchal society takes, whether it is feudal, capitalist or socialist, a sex-gender system and a system of economic discrimination operate at once (1990: 159).

  Since a long time ago, Japanese women did not get the same position as men in the society. Kaibara Ekiken (1630-1714), a Japanese botanist and Neo-Confucian philosopher, translated a Confucian doctrine about women’s role in society. The doctrine is called Onna Daigaku or Greater Learning for Women. It is widely spread throughout Japan from the Edo era to Meiji period. According to Onna Daigaku, there are some points that should be obeyed by a woman, since her childhood. The first is Girl’s Instruction, in which a girl will be well educated by her parents to be a good woman in her future, and in her marriage, she should be obedient to her husband and her father in law. Second is Demarcation between the Sexes. From her early childhood, a girl should realize the separation line between women and men. A woman must observe a certain distance in her relations even with her husband and which could cause a divorce; bad health, barrenness, disobedience, lewdness, jealousy, addicted to steal, and even talkativeness. The last is The Wife’s Miscellaneous Duties. As a wife, a woman is demanded to be good wife and wise mother. Women are unconditionally obeying their husbands, their fathers-in-law, and, mothers-in-law. She also must keep her husband’s households in proper order (http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/p/84.html).

  The influences of some institutions or philosophies which came to Japan hundreds years ago, affected the role of Japanese women in society and home.