T1 112008058 Full text

CANTING BY ARSWENDO ATMOWILOTO:
THE POTRAYAL OF JAVANESE PATRIARCHY AND WOMEN’S CHALLENGE
TOWARDS THE PATRIARCHAL SYSTEM

THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan

Listiarini Dwi Oktavia
112008058

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
2012

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

This thesis contains no such material as has seen submitted for examination in any course or

accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my
knowledge and my belief, this contains no material previously published or written by any
other person except where due reference is made in the text.
Copyright @2012. Listiarini Dwi Oktavia and Purwanti Kusumaningtyas, M.Hum.
All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means without the
permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English Department, Faculty of
Language and Literature, Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga.
Listiarini Dwi Oktavia:

Listiarini
Canting by Arswendo Atmowiloto: the Potrayalof Javanese Patriarchy
andWomen’s Challenge Towardsthe Patriarchal System
Listiarini Dwi Oktavia

Abstract
Patriarchy is one of the phenomena that are found in the Javanese society, who believe and
do the patriarchal practices. The inequality between men and women and oppression is the
problem that women must face because of the idea of the men’s authority, and women should
be subject to the authority of men. Canting, a novel written by Arswendo Atmowiloto, is one
of very interesting novels which reflects the phenomena that happen in the society. It portrays

how the patriarchal practices work in Javanese society and the effort from a woman
character, Ni, to fight for her rights as the reaction to the oppression towards her. This study
is aimed to analyze how the novel portrays Javanese patriarchy and how it challenges
Javanese patriarchy through the characters in the novel. Feminist criticism is used to conduct
this research and this novel is analyzed using characters analysis. The finding is that
patriarchy is still a culture that is held by the Javanese society represented by the character
Pak Bei. He becomes the head of the family and thus he rule over his entire family member,
and has the power over his wife’s live to decide everything in her life. Bu Bei, is the victims
of the patriarchal practices. Though, through the character Ni, it shows that within the
oppression of the system, women can fight against the patriarchy, and struggle so that their
lives are not driven by the men authority. Education becomes important factor that brings Ni
to the point where she struggle and protest against the system, to open Ni’s mind to see the
gender unfairness and redefining herself as an equal creature compares to men.
Keywords: Javanese Patriarchy, Feminism, Patriarchal Challenge

Introduction
Patriarchy, as Knauss defined, is “a hierarchy authority that is controlled and
dominated by males in which women is subordinated to the role of permanent minors”
(1987). Patriarchal system as we know has been rooted in most of the culture in the world,
including Javanese culture. Literature is a reflection of the society which can represent the

condition of the society at the time it is written. According to Wellek and Warren, literature
contains the life of the society, reflects the problems that happens in it and sometimes the

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writer gives solution to the problem (Semi, 1990). Then, we can see the reflection on how the
patriarchal system works in the society through literature.
Canting, a novel by Arsewondo Atmowiloto, is a literature work that reflects the life
of a Javanese family and the patriarchal practices in the Javanese society. This novel narrates
about the family life of Pak Bei, a priyayi, the functionary of the King, who married the
daughter of his batik laborer. After years of marriage Bu Bei pregnant the sixth child, but the
pregnancy is not expected and suspected as a result of an affair. After born, the child becomes
different from her brothers and sisters. Ni, the child, wants to break the custom and
challenges the culture of her family. The novel shows the Javanese hierarchal society. The
hierarchy is not only shown between the high-status people (the bourgeois- priyayi) and the
low-status people (batik laborer), but also the hierarchy between the men and women (in
family).
This novel leads to the issue of how the patriarchal system works in the Javanese
culture. Though the novel setting is in the beginning of 1960, the issue of women

subordination and the patriarchal system are still relevant to the Javanese society right now.
As Brenber (1988) argues, though Java has gained achievement in industry, however, this
achievement does not automatically give any contribution positively in the relation of men
and women. Women are still in the lowest place in the hierarchal system of Javanese culture.
As the feminist argued, women are defined by the men and they were confined into a
‘cage’ of ‘what they should and should not do’. They feel the oppression of the men over
their life. Within a set of constraint, women actually strategize in dealing with them. They are
actively or passively resist to the face of their oppression (Kandiyoti, 1988). The resistance
varies from one to another. However, the resistances and challenges have been delivered by

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women, and it is worth to see how the woman character in this novel also challenges the
patriarchy in Javanese society
The objective of this study is to scrutinize how the novel portrays Javanese patriarchy
through the character ‘Pak Bei’ and how the novel challenges Javanese patriarchy through the
character ‘Ni’.
Literature study based on feminist criticism is used in the research. Other relevant
sources needed as an aid to analyze the data are also gathered. Using feminist point of view in

this research, the novel will be analyzed using character analysis. The data will be taken from
the dialogue between the characters, the narratives from the writer, the point of view of the
other characters about the characters Ni and Pak Bei. Then the data will be analize to the see
the patriarchal practices in the Javanese society and the struggle to challenge patriarchy.
The aim of this study is to help students, especially English Department students, to
gain a better understanding on the patriarchal practice and how the women strategize within
the Javanese society. Understanding the patriarchal system and how it affects the women’s
life, the students are expected to value and honor women, and not to make discrimination by
gender. It is also aimed to open readers’ horizon that education is important, especially for
women. Through education, women will gain broader knowledge that will open up their
minds about who they are and the rights that they have. Thus, they will not accept the
patriarchal system, but fights against it to gain their rights and equality in the system. As
educators, it is hoped that English Department students will help women who do not have the
chance to experience school to have education, so they will not live under the suppression of
the patriarchal system.

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Theoretical Discussions

1. Feminism
According to Humm, feminism is the definition incorporates both of doctrine of equal
rights for women (the organized movement to attain women’s right) and ideology of social
transformation aiming to create a world for women beyond simple equality (1992). Feminism
argues that the roles of social life principles are defined by the men and women are
subordinate under men control.
Feminist movement has been delivered in many country. In Indonesia, though it is not
as loud as in western countries, the movement is also present. According to Arivia (2006), the
movement can be divided into four stages. At the first stage, the movement raised the issue of
voting right and education for women. In this stage, the fight for voting right was not as
strong as in the other countries. However, the fight for education has been started from the
colonial era in 1912. The second stage raised the political issue and mass association to
develop woman political and skill. In this stage, Indonesian women focused themselves in the
issues of equality and asked the government to revised marriage constitutional, education
rights, and women’s work condition. Woman association grew so fast, and Kongres Wanita
Indonesia and Gerwani appeared in this era. The third stage, in the Orde Baru era, the
goverment emerged the discourse of woman domestic duty. In this stage, the goverment
decided the criterias of a good woman.Therefore, because of the discrimination, woman
social organization grew very well and fought against the oppression. The fourth stage, in the
reformation era, liberal movement emerges and fights against violence to women.

2. Patriarchy
Patriarchal system is a system that we can find in almost all over the world.
According to Bashin and Said Khan (1995), patriarchy is derived from patriach, which
means the authority of father. In the relation with the social system, it is where the father has

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authority over all his family member, all wealth and economic resource, and make all
decision. The social system should be under man’s power and woman is part of man’s
belonging.
The practice of patriarchy in Javanese society has some aspects, which start with the
gender construction. The tradition and culture have constructed an ideal both for woman and
man. The general concept of men and women, women are known to be gentle, beautiful, and
emotional, while men are known to be strong, rational, valiant and courageous.
From the construction of the society about characteristic of men and women above,
the issue of hierarchy arises. Because of the characteristics of women are thought to be
weaker than men, generally women are considered to be second to men, less refined, less
spiritual, less potent, more spontaneous, more emotional, and thus less deserving of prestige
(Mulder, 2005).

In eastern culture, including Javanese, marriage indeed place men in a more
beneficial, higher, and dominant position (Prabasmoro, 2006). Kate Millet in Prabasmoro
stated that marriage or family is the main patriarchal instrument which rules the behavior and
attitude of the cultural members so the maintaining of the patriarchal ideology happened
(2006).
Therefore, in the family, the position and role of the father and mother are created.
The father, being the elder and the progenitor, is entitled to the highest honor, and
hierarchically far away. The father embodies prestige per se. The men area is outside the
world of politics and power, of work, position, prestige and hierarchy. In the other side,
woman is an approachable and emotional mother, a symbol of warmth and homeliness, who
earn her honor because of self-sacrifice care. Women center at home, children and care
(Mulder, 2005).

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In the family, then, men or fathers become the decision maker (Murniati, 1992). The
authority belongs to the father so the wife and the children should submit and honor the
father.
The teaching about women which is aimed for Keraton women (those who live in the

palace circle and or as part of the royal family) becomes a general guidance for every
Javanese woman and strengthens the subordinate position of women in the family. Serat
Centhini taught “The Analogy of Five Hand Fingers” for women, stated that:
1. Thumb means “Pol ing tyas”. As a wife, women have to give all her life
to the husband. Every husband’s wish should be granted.
2. Index finger means do not ever dare to refuse “tudhung kakung” (advice
from husband). Husband’s advice should not be mattered.
3. Middle finger means always inviolate husband and maintains husband’s
prestige.
4. Ring finger means wives should always be skilled in every service for
husband. In serving the husband women should be quick but gentle.
5. Little finger means that wife should always be skilled and clever in serving
husband. In serving husband, a wife should do it fast but gentle (Hadidjaja
and Kamajaya in Murniati,1992)
Javanese patriarchal culture also includes polygamy in its practice. Men tend to
married more than once and are allowed to have more than one wife. Men can marry again
with or without their wives permission. In the other side, the Javanese culture does not
allowed women to marry more than one man. She has to be loyal to her husband and serve
her husband with all her life.
Polygamy happens also because of women are only seen as phallic satisfaction which

can be thrown away at any time. Women as human are only appreciated for their beauty and

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vagina. Women in society is only object and workmanship of men (Heriyanto in Hellwig,
2003)
3. Patriarchy Bargain
Within the patriarchal system, women will feel such a pressure and inequality
between the male and female. The different right and the images that men construct about
women make women feel not free and cannot be ‘herself’. As Kandiyoti said, within the
oppression, women will strategize to deal with patriarchy. Women’s resistance is various, but
wherever and whenever men dominate women, women will resist through different strategies
(1988).
Realizing their position that are being oppressed and subordinated, women will fight
against patriarchy to gain their power over their own life and get their rights as an equal
partner with men. Thus, women should gain a power to take decision. The ability of women
to influence the decision making is not merely happen at the time the decision is made,
indeed it is a long process from adaptation, redefining, and negotiating strategy (Handayani
and Novianto, 2004). In order to get the authority, women should be able redefining herself

as an equal creation to do negotiation with men.
Discussion
In eastern culture, including Javanese, marriage indeed placed men in a more
beneficial, higher, and dominant position (Prabasmoro, 2006) which means that men have
power over women to control and rule either in society or family.
Canting itself is the story of a Javanese family, who live in the Keraton (Javanese
Palace) area. The novel shows intense patriarchal practices between the characters, Pak Bei,
Bu Bei and Ni.

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1. Pak Bei: The Javanese Patriarch
In this story, Pak Bei is clearly showing patriarchal characteristics, acting out as the
actor who practices and adopts the patriarchal system. Pak Bei has shown a man’s control
over his house and family, where everyone living under him has to live in fear of him and
submission. His supremacy was obvious in the way he controls the lives of the people in his
house.
The patriarchal practices and the power to control are mostly shown in the
relationship between Pak Bei and Bu Bei, which means that patriarchy is mostly reflected in
the family, especially in the marriage. Millet in Prabasmoro stated that marriage or family is
the main patriarchal instrument which rules the behavior and attitude of the cultural members
so the maintaining of the patriarchal ideology happened (1991).
The most visible characteristic of patriarchy is that the separation of roles and realms
of men and women. As stated by Mulder, men area is the outside the world of politics and
power, of work, position, prestige and hierarchy (2005). Pak Bei shows the same
characteristic of being socialy active, as what has been shown in this part of the novel.
Pak Bei berjalan ke dalam rumah.Berbicara lewat telepon mengenai jumlah kertas
yang dikurangi untuk penerbitan majalah. Lalu menelpon temannya yang lain, sambil
bercerita mengenai kunjungannya selama seminggu ke Singapura.
[Pak Bei walked into the house. Speaking through the telephone about the reduced
number of papers for the magazine publication. Then called his other friend and told
him about a week visitation to Singapore.] (Canting, 8)

Pak Bei is active in the society and involved in the issue that is happening in the
society, like the issue of reducing paper for magazine. Moreover Pak Bei’s world is far
beyond Bu Bei’s world. He is not limited to house and market, but his world is outside the
house. He can travel abroad to Singapore.

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Pak Bei also has influence toward the society in the area of politic and involves in
many important events in Indonesia. For example he fights as a soldier to fight for
Indonesia’s liberty and gets reward as a honorable soldier, contributes money for the
construction of National Monument, helps building State’s Stadium for Asian Games,
honored to guide General Soedirman, and many other (2005).
Another characteristic that is shown in Pak Bei is he becomes the first priority in the
family. According to Prabasmoro, woman is constructed to serve men, in social and sexual
sectors, without considering the economic power, different social class or even seniority
(2006). It indicates that men have higher position than the women, so they are deserved to be
served by women. In Javanese culture, men (as husband and father) are regarded as the king
in the house, that have to be honored, respected and served as the first priority.
Ingin minum apa adalah sambutan yang pertama. Pak Bei tak perlu menjawab.
Karena biasanya dimeja sudah disediakan.…. Bu Bei bisa memperhitungkan saat Pak
Bei pulang dari tirakatan, atau merenungkan keprihatinan… Bu Bei telah
menyiapkan segalanya. Pun andai saat saat itu Pak Bei menghendaki sarapan bubur.
….. Pak Bei pasti kekamar mandi.Bu Bei sudah menyediakan air hangat – yang
dijerang di atas kompor. Tinggal membawa dan menuangkan ke bak ember. Lalu
menuangkan air dingin dari bak kamar mandi yang besar sekali.Menyentuh dengan
tangannya untuk merasakan bahwa airnya cukup hangat – tidak terlalu dingin dan
tidak terlalu panas. Ujung kuku Bu Bei bisa mengetahui dengan persis suam yang
dikendaki Pak Bei. Seperti juga kepekaan Bu Bei bisa mengetahui handuk apa yang
dipilih saat itu, kain sarung tenun yang mana, ataupun kasu dan piyama apa yang
dipilih.
[“What would you like to drink?” was the first greeting. Pak Bei did not have to
answer because it usually had been prepared on the table…. Bu Bei could predict
when Pak Bei would get home from tirakatan, contemplating thoughtfulness…. Bu
Bei had prepared everything, even if Pak Bei wanted to have porridge for breakfast.
…Pak Bei would go to the bathroom for sure. Bu Bei had prepared the hot water –
which had been boiled before. It had already prepared, and she only had to take it and

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pour it into the bucket, then pour cold water from the tub. Then touch it with her
fingertip to measure the warmness so that it will not be too cold or too hot. Bu Bei’s
fingertips knew exactly the warmness that Pak Bei wanted. It was similar to Bu Bei
sensitiveness to know what towel would be used, which woven sarong or pajamas
would be chosen at that time by Pak Bei.] (Canting, 32-33)

From the quotation above we can see that Pak Bei is served very well by his wife. He
even does not have to lift his fingers to fulfill all his needs because it has been done by Bu
Bei. Also, Bu Bei is very sensitive to the preferences, also the like and dislike of Pak Bei,
which are very carefully noticed. It indicates how Pak Bei should be served very well in
accordance to his preferences.
The service that he got is not merely stop on the daily routine. His need of sexual life
also has to be satisfied. One of the demands that woman should fulfilled is capable in serving
the husband’s sexual desire, so that Pak Bei also deserves the same rights over Bu Bei sexual
service.
Bu Bei menutup pintu kamar dan tanpa diminta pun akan memijati Pak Bei mulai
dari kaki. Kalau kemudian Pak Bei mematikan rokoknya dan memandang ke arahnya,
Bu Bei menerima getaran yang aneh,…Merasa dipanggil untuk berbakti. Bu Bei akan
melepaskan sarung Pak Bei dan mengikuti kemauannya. Baginya, Jumat Kliwon ini
adalah pagi yang membuatnya bahagia, karena sekian lama Pak Bei tak
menjamahnya. Tak menjadi soal benar apakah ia mengalami kepuasan atau tidak. Itu
tak penting benar, walau ia akan melakukan apa saja yang di isyaratkan oleh
suaminya.
[Bu Bei closed the door and would initiatively massage Pak Bei from his feet. When
Pak Bei blew off his cigarette and looked to her, Bu Bei felt a strange pulse… She felt
that she was called to dedicate herself. For her, this Friday is the happiest morning
because it had been a long time since Pak Bei wanted to make love with her. It did not
matter whether she felt satisfied or not. It was not important, though she would do
everything that her husband asked.] (Canting, 34-35)

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Pak Bei has a very strong authorithy over Bu Bei.Only by looking at her, Pak Bei can
‘order’ her to serve him, because what Bu Bei does might not be as voluntary as it seems. The
motive behind it is not purely love, but also fear or asking for acceptance from Pak Bei “…
Sehingga Bu Bei yang memijati kaki suaminya dengan tabah, setia, bekti, penuh kasih
sayang, dan juga ketakutan…[So that Bu Bei who massages his husband’s feet with endure,
loyalty, lovingly, and also fear...] (Canting, 47-48). Pak Bei, being honored and well-thoughtof, his desirability will be granted without questioning.
Pak Bei is also the decision maker for the all the family members as the head of the
family. A sentence from the novel below proves the strong domination of Pak Bei.
Kalau ayahnya sudah memutuskan sesuatu, tak ada yang mempertanyakan. Tidak
juga Ni yang merasa paling dekat dan bisa terbuka.

[If his father had decided something, no body would dare to question his decision
neither Ni who felt as the closest person and can speak openly to her father.]
(Canting, 231)

No one can change his decision; even his closest daughter, Ni, cannot influence him.
The Javanese value that father is deserved the highest honor has created fear among the other
family members. Nobody will dare to question Pak Bei’s decision because it will be seen as
disrespectful. He is fully authorized in his kingdom, which is in his house. Thus, he becomes
the tyrant for all his family member.
Pak Bei also shows the characteristic of typical patriarchal man when he decided to
take a mistress. Polygamy is a common practice that is done by the priyayi in Javanese
society and a wife should accept the decision of her husband to take a mistress. Pak Bei
mengambil seorang gadis desa sebagai selir. Pak Bei tahu bahwa Bu Bei tahu. [Pak Bei took
a girl from a village as a mistress. Pak Bei knew that Bu Bei had already known.] (Canting,
66)

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Pak Bei’s sexual life outside the house is also shown the patriarchy characteristic.
Most of the men valued woman as the object of phallic sexual satisfaction which can be used
and thrown away at anytime. Woman, as a human, is only valued by her vagina and beauty
(Heriyanto in Hellwig, 2003).
“Wanita adalah makhluk yang paling jahat di seluruh dunia.Ia berhasil memikat
laki-laki anjing betina tidak, Minah. Anjing betina hanya minta dikasih ketika berahi.
Burung betina hanya minta dicarikan makan saat mengerami telurnya. Tetapi wanita
mengikat selamanya. Seumur hidupnya. Dan lelaki adalah makhluk-makhluk yang
paling bodoh di seluruh dunia. Hanya karena digoda oleh sepotong daging ia rela
diterkam seumur hidupnya. Padahal apa artinya daging kewanitaan semua itu?
Omong kosong. Sedetik setelah kamu merasakan, sama saja. Tak ada bedanya
dengan yang lainnya.
“Kamu wanita mulia seperti anjing betina, yang minta dikasihi sesaat saja. Kamulah
wanita sesungguhnya itu, Minah.”

[“Women are the cruelest creature in the world. They successfully attract men but
they are not better than female dogs. Female dogs only ask for sex when they are
lustful. Female birds only ask for food when it protects its eggs. However, women
bound men forever for all his life. Men are the most stupid creatures in the world. Just
because of a lump of flesh, they are willing to be gripped for all their lives. What is
the meaning of vagina? Nonsense. After you taste it, it is all the same. There is no
difference with the other.

“You are the real woman like a female dog, who ask to be loved just for a moment.
You are the real woman, Minah.”] (Canting,29)

In this part of the novel, Pak Bei shows his value about the sex and the relationship in
marriage. He values a woman only as a tool to satisfy his sexual desire, and he actually does
not want to be bound with woman in marriage and take the responsibility as a husband. He
also describes a good woman as ‘a female dog’, which is associated to a prostitute. He also
compares marriage to the relationship of the dogs. Dogs do not have a permanent partner; the

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male dogs will come to any female dogs in the breeding season; which is so different with
marriage where we have to be loyal to our partner for all our lives. It shows that Pak Bei
neither values marriage nor respects his wife.
From the two quotations above it can also be concluded that Pak Bei stands as an
independent being, not depending on woman. He has authority over his own sexual life that
cannot be disturbed by his wife because Pak Bei’s sexual life is not under the authority of his
wife. He can do sex with prostitute and take mistress without asking permission from Bu Bei.
2. Bu Bei: Submissive Woman
In the relation with Pak Bei, as the Javanese patriarch, Bu Bei becomes the sufferer of
the patriarchal system. She has to submit under the authority of her husband, and shows
women subordination to men very clearly in this novel.
It has been mentioned above that women tend to center at home, children and care
(Mulder, 2005). Bu Bei is kind of passive, never being in the social gathering, except going to
market to sell batik; and taking care of the children. Bu Bei is depicted to be centered at
home. She is taking care of the children, serves the needs of Pak Bei and the children, and
goes out only to work in the market. Her society is not as prestige as Pak Bei. She never
knows the outside world. All that she knows is the world inside her house.
In Serat Centhini (Hadidjadja and Kamajaya 1979 in Murniati, 1992), one of
representative of what a woman should do is symbolized by little finger, which means that a
wife should be skilled in serving the husband. Bu Bei is focused to serve the best and it
should be flawless; all should be in accordance with the husband’s desirability. Never in the
story mentioned that Pak Bei serves Bu Bei and knows her favorites. It seems to be normal in
the Javanese family that wife serves the husband. In fact, women are made like a servant,

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placing men above women, that men is a more honorable and holy creation than women. The
relationship is never mutual because it is only the men who get the benefits from the women.
As his wife, Bu Bei also has to serve his husband’s sexual life. One of the demands
that woman should fulfilled is capable in serving the husband’s sexual desire. As has been
quoted in Pak Bei section (Canting, 34-35), the sentence “Tak menjadi soal benar apakah ia
mengalami kepuasan atau tidak.” [It did not matter whether she felt satisfied or not] really
express that sexual enjoyment is only important for the men. The feeling or containment of
the women are not counted and cared about because serving husband’s sexual desire is
counted as the wife’s dedication to men. However, sexual relationship should be satisfy both
wife and husband.
As Serat Candradini (Suara Karya: 12 Juni 1988 in Muniarti) denotes, a wife should
lay down all her life to husband and should obey the entire husband’s will. It means that
woman should be in a total submission to the husband. In this part of the novel, it shows how
Bu Bei submits to all Pak Bei’s decisions.
“Ibu berkarya di rumah, di pasar. Tapi satu kata melarang dari Rama, selesailah
semuanya. Ibu akan menerima kata Rama dengan ikhlas dan total. Itu akan menjadi
nilai ibu juga.”
[“Your mother worked in the house and market, but only with one word of prohibition
came out from my mouth, it is all done. Your mother would sincerely and totally
accept my word.”] (Canting, 192).

This is an example of total submission of Bu Bei to Pak Bei. As we see from the
quotation above, no place for Bu Bei to make decision even for her own life. All decisions
are made by Pak Bei, then, Bu Bei has to submit whether she wants it or not.
It is described in the novel that Bu Bei’s career in the market is good; she has the
freedom and power. She is Bu Bei “…who can be fierce and curse the police, joke, poke and

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being poked, and bravely make decision in difficult matters. Making decision over things
valued over thousand hundreds rupiah in a breathtaking.” (Canting, 48). However, when she
got home, she turns into the wife of Pak Bei, she gets back into her position in the house,
where she have to be submit under the authority of her husband.
“Saya semakin sadar bahwa ibumu tak pernah merintangi saya.Tak pernah sekali
pun. Segalanya serba iya, serba inggih, serba sakkersa, serba semau saya. Belum
pernah ibumu menolak apa yang saya inginkan. Tidak dengan kata-kata, tidak juga
dengan suara hatinya.”
[“I realize that your mother never hampered me. Never at all. She always agrees, and
she lets everything as I wanted to be. Your mother never refused what i want, neither
in her utterance nor her heart.”] (Canting, 260-261).

There is no objection or refusal from Bu Bei toward Pak Bei’s decision or will.
However, it is not because of the willingness of Bu Bei to submit to Pak Bei. The reason why
Bu Bei totally submits is because her will and desire are made silent. She is sealed by the
constructed value in the culture that give men more honored position and the tradition that
makes man should be obeyed, lest, woman will be regarded as a ‘bad’ woman. It is one of
the characteristic of a mother that are state by Mulder that a mother (and wife) “....earn(s) her
honor because of self-sacrifice care.” (2005). She has to sacrifice her own will and desire in
order to be accepted as a good woman and wife.
In Serat Candrarini, the second concept of Javanese women is that they should be
willing to accept the polygamy. Polygamy is a common practice that is done by the priyayi in
Javanese society and a wife should accept the decision of her husband to take a mistress.
Pak Bei mengambil seorang gadis desa sebagai selir. Pak Bei tahu bahwa Bu Bei
tahu. Tapi Bu Bei tidak pernah menanyakan, tidak pernah mengurusi. Hanya Bu Bei
tidak pernah menunjukan sikap manis di dalam kamar. Namun sehari-hari tetap
sama…. Bu Bei pasti tahu siapa Karmiyem…. Tapi tak pernah terucap satu patah
kata pun dari Bu Bei.

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[Pak Bei took a girl from a village as a mistress. Pak Bei knew that Bu Bei knew. But
Bu Bei never asked and cared about it. However, Bu Bei never showed a sweet
attitude in the bed, although in the daily life, she acted as usual… Bu Bei certainly
knew who Karmiyem was… However, she never speaks a word.](Canting, 66-67).

When Pak Bei decides to take a mistress, Bu Bei also doesn’t have the right to reject
Pak Bei’s decision, although it can be seen that she does not like the decision when it is stated
in the novel that “Bu Bei tidak pernah menunjukan sikap manis di dalam kamar” [However,
Bu Bei never showed a sweet attitude in the bed]. She only can fight against the decision by
not serving nicely in the bedroom, but not in any single utterance or direct protest to Pak Bei.
It is also shown Pak Bei’s supremacy, that he should be obeyed by his wife; no matter what
decision he takes.
Regarding the treatment that she receives in her marriage, she actually feels the
depression of living under the unfair and oppressive system towards her. However, she
cannot deliver a rejection or protest over the system. Seeing from the background of Bu
Bei’s lives, it can be conclude why she does not have the strength to fight against the unfair
and oppressive treatments towards her.
Bu Bei is only a daughter of the batik laborers in Ngabean (house of the priyayi inside
the palace’s wall). Therefore, in her childhood she does not have the opportunity to join a
school. As a result, she can’t read and write well. She never knows what happened in the
world outside Ngabean and her village. The knowledge she gets from her childhood is
limited to the batik making. In her teenage, her parents prepare her to be Pak Bei’s wife; she
is taught to be a good wife according to the Javanese value about marriage. Thus, her mindset
is shaped by her surrounding who runs the Javanese value, and she holds the values as
guidance for her life. Her simple way of thinking will not bother to think about her
subordinate position because she accepts the values that exist in the society.

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3. Ni: Chain-breaker of Patriarchy
Within the patriarchal system, women will feel such a pressure and inequality
between the male and female. The different right and the images that men construct about
women make women feel not free and cannot be ‘herself’. As Kandiyoti (1988) said, within
the oppression, women will strategize to deal with patriarchy.
Serat Centhini depicted the perfect characteristics of Javanese woman which have
been constructed by the patriarchal society. Yet, there will be women who feel that the
demands of a good girl as an oppressive, and they will fight for equality. Kandiyoti stated
that:
“These patriarchal bargains exert a powerful influence on the shaping women’s
gendered subjectivity and determine the nature of gender ideology in different
context. They also influence both the potential for and specific forms of women’s
active or passive resistance in the face of their oppression.” (1988, 275)

Within the culture and tradition of Javanese that bounds woman which is depicted in the
novel Canting, Ni is a representation of the group of women who fight for their rights; she
shows the patriarchal bargain and challenges the oppresor. For that reason, Ni’s
characterization is made different from Bu Bei’s characterization. If Bu Bei tends to be
submissive and calm, Ni is characterized as a rebellious and brave woman; she fights against
the patriarchal system.
Bu Bei and Ni are born in different eras. Bu Bei was born three decades before she
was pregnant her last child, Ni. Ni was born in 1962 after the World War II was over, and
Indonesia has its liberty. Pak Bei described Ni’s birth as follow:
“Saya bahagia karena ini adalah anak yang lahir pada zaman kemerdekaan. Anak
yang merdeka. Kelima anak saya lahir sebelum dan sesudah proklamasi. Tapi
sesungguhnya belum merdeka betul. Sekarang ini zaman kemerdekaan itu.”

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[“I am happy because this child was born in independence era. The liberated child.
My five children were born before and after the proclamation of independence, but
actually we had not completely independent. Now is the independence era.”]
(Canting, 82).

Born in a more modern era, Ni definitely has different way of thinking compared to
her mother. As a younger person, Ni has more liberal thinking and not really sticks to
Javanese tradition and values. His father saying about her that she is a liberated child may
imply that she has a more liberated thinking and also she is free from the tradition that
bounds her family. The era where Ni is living gives her new perspective of live, what it is
means to stand as a free creature, and her dignity as a woman.
When Ni was born, she is portrayed as unique and special.
Secara aneh sekali, waktu brokohan dulu, di belakang memasak lodeh kluwih.
Itu tak pernah terjadi pada anak perempuan. Hanya anak laki-laki yang
biasanya dibuatkan kluwih, buah timbul, karena buah itu mempunyai makna
agar si bayi bisa linuwih, bisa menonjol kelak di kemudian hari, buah kluwih
itu memang tidak disengaja merupakan kiriman dari desa.

[Strangely, in the ‘brokohan’, people cooked ‘lodeh kluwih’ in the kitchen. It
never happened in a girl birth celebration. Only in a boy birth celebration
people would cook ‘kluwih’, a timbul fruit, because that word means the boy
will be prominent in the future. The fruit was unintentionally because it was a
gift from the relatives in the village.] (Canting, 109).

Ni’s birth is something unusual. She is a girl, but in the celebration the food being
cooked is unintentionally made if a boy baby was born. It is a symbolization that Ni has been
made equal to men. The symbolization of ‘lodeh kluwih’ is like a prophecy that she will have
the characteristic like a man: prominent, which is not like a nature of a woman who has to be
modest. Ni is not a character that is unseen; she is visible and prominent.
Later in the future, she really did fulfill the prophecy. However, education plays an
important role as a basic of her bravery in her struggle against patriarchy. People’s mindset

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and ways of life are mostly constructed by the values in the society where they live. Bu Bei
and Ni are living in Javanese culture that maintains the patriarchal system. Surely, their
mindset mostly constructed by the Javanese values. However, Ni is living in an era which is
far different from Bu Bei’s era. Attending school and finishing her undergraduate study, she
learns and gains more knowledge than her mother. Education opens up the gate to a broader
knowledge about life and values outside her house and Java. It might open up her mind about
who she is as a woman, the rights she has, and the unfairness she sees in her house. Education
also gives her a higher social status as an intellectual. Therefore, she knows that she is not a
stupid creature so that she can be considered as lower than men; she knows that she is equal
to men. Besides, she studies in Semarang which is quite far from her hometown, which
means that it gives her a chance to release herself from the boundaries and influences of her
family. She has more opportunity to broaden her horizon. Having this knowledge, Ni is able
to redefine herself as an equal creature to men so she is able to fight against patriarchy to gain
power over her own life and get her rights, as shown in the analysis below.
In her conversation with her fiancé, Himawan, she utters her wish to manage and take
over the batik company and stays in Surakarta in the condition where Himawan has told her
that he will work in Batam. She will not follow him to Batam, and this decision makes
Himawan a little bit nervous, but still can accept it (Canting, 191). Here we can see that Ni
can speak up her feeling and her thought to her fiancé. It is so different with the relationship
of Bu Bei and Pak Bei. Bu Bei tends to be silent and hear all that Pak Bei says; Pak Bei
dominates the conversation between them.
The differences also can be seen when Himawan gives his opinion to her. It does not
become the last word for Ni to be obeyed. It is only as her consideration, but she can think
and make decision by her own. It is depicted in the part of the novel below.
“Kamu tahu aku tidak bisa memaksamu, Ni.Tetapi kamu jangan cari menangnya
sendiri.”

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“Kan… kan kamu yang berpikir ini soal kalah atau menang?Padahal seharusnya
tidak begitu.”
“Aku tahu,Ni.Kamu bisa berdebat denganku. Tapi tidak dengan Rama.”

[“You know, I can’t force you, Ni. But you can’t have the last word and win your
own will.”
“It’s you who talk about winning or lost, aren’t you? But actually it is not like that.”
“I know, Ni. You can argue with me, but you can’t argue with your father.”]
(Himawan and Ni. Canting,193)

Ni’s wish and will is not made ‘silent’. She can express them and have equal position
with her fiancé about her life and their marriage. She can have dialogue with Himawan and
not merely listen to her fiancé’s speech and order. This reflects Aquarini idea about marriage.
Marriage should not be a tool of domination. Marriage should be an equal institution for
women and men where they have more space for changes, flexibility and continuous
negotiation (Prabasmoro, 2006).
Himawan is not the final decision maker. Thus, Ni is the decision maker of her own
life, decide what she want to do and about the marriage. Ni refuses to be ruled by her fiancé.
She can make her own decision, and she can argue for her own desire. It is shown in this part
of the novel.
“Dik Ni memutuskan untuk tidak ikut ke Batam”
“Menyangkut perkawinan kita. Kalau saya mau konsentrasi di perusahaan batik,
saya tak bisa ikut kamu ke Batam.”

[“Ni decided not to follow me to Batam.”(Himawan. Canting, 182)
“About our marriage. If I want to concentrate to handle the Batik company, I can’t
follow you to Batam.”(Ni. Canting, 193)]

The utterances above show that the relationship between Ni and Himawan is equal. Ni
does not subordinate and subject to Himawan. Instead, Ni fight for her desire and wish and
the result is Himawan accepting her decision.

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Her strugle to be heard and stand as an independent woman who are not subject under
the man’s power is not only shown in her relationship with her fiance, but also in her
relationship with her father. The part of the novel below shows her fear to her father but also
her rejection of being defeated by the fear.

Ini saatnya ia membuktikan bisa dan tetap bisa berbuat sesuatu. Ia akan nekat
menyusul ke rumah sakit. Kalau perlu perang terbuka di sana. Tapi niatan itu surut,
menyusut sendiri. Di sana ada Pak Bei. Ada Rama – dan ia tak akan bisa leluasa
berbicara……
Ni, sekarang saatnya! Saatnya kamu tetap berdiri tegak di depan Rama! Ni
meneriakkan sendiri dalam hati untuk memompa semangatnya. Ni mengambil
jaketnya, merapikan rambut dengan tangannya. Tekadnya tak bisa dihalangi lagi.
[This is the time she will prove to them that she can and still can do something. She
would determine herself to go to the hospital. If it is needed, let’s have an open war.
But that intention was decreased. Pak Bei was there. There was Father – and she
would not be able to talk freely...
Ni, this is the time! This is the time to stand firmly before father! Ni shouted it to
herself in her heart to encourage herself. Ni took her jacket and combed her hair. Her
intention could not be stopped anymore.] (Canting, 211)

The other characteristic that Ni has is determination for her decision. She won’t let
anybody and anything including her own fear stop her. Because of it, she has the power to
reject the fear of her father and bravery to fight against his authority. She is not easily give up
to the fear and just to submit to the authority of Pak Bei.

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Conclusion
What has been shown throughout the novel is that Javanese still holds the patriarchy
in his culture and society. It still becomes a common practice that men are valued as the
higher creation than women. Though so many things have changed in the matter of women’s
right since Kartini declared her through in her book Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang, the
practices of patriarchy has not been completely removed from the society. Indeed, the
patriarchy has established itself in the society without many women noticing it.
Javanese society, especially in the Keraton area still maintains the value and ideology
of patriarchy. Patriarchal values and its perspective have penetrated in almost every aspects
of human life (Arivia, 2006). From the analysis done in the Discussion section, the
patriarchal practices that are still done are represented by the character Pak Bei. Pak Bei as
the head of the family, the husband and the father, has the full authority to rule his house and
the family member. He has the power over Bu Bei – his wife’s life, so that he has the
authority to decide for Bu Bei’s life until she does not have the space to decide for herself. He
is the one in the family who can take the decision, and once he decides something, it should
be obeyed although it may not comfortable for other family member. Moreover, he also does
polygamy without asking permission to her wife.
Under the authority of men, women cannot utter their opinion, feeling, and will. For
the tradition has bound them and constructed them to be a good woman and wife, they have
to follow the value of a good Javanese woman. Then, the result is women subordination
toward men. Whether it is comfortable and in accordance to her heart or not, women should
always submit to men and pressed her feeling in order to be accepted by the society and loved
by their husband, which is really reflected through the character Bu Bei. She is not able to
deliver resistance towards the patriarchal system, so she becomes a submissive woman.

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However, the character Ni shows that women actually can fight against the patriarchy.
Ni, through her characterization, has struggled not to let her life driven by the men authority.
In the perspective of feminism, she succeeds to make negotiation with Himawan to have an
equal position to decide her life. Though at the end of the novel Ni is getting into a marriage,
we can see that her struggle in the patriarchal system has brought a new condition of marriage
where Ni can negotiate her aspiration and the decisions are made by both of them. Thus, the
marriage institution will not become a tool of domination and be in the favor of men.
Yet, we cannot ignore the important factor that brings Ni into the point where she
struggles and protests against the system. Education plays important role in opening Ni’s
mind to see the gender unfairness and redefining herself as an equal creature compares to
men. I believe education is a tool to break the orthodoxy of culture which maintains the
practice of patriarchy which subordinates women’s position. It will give women a new
awareness about their self esteem and power that they actually have inside to pull down the
patriarchal system that are trying to bury them.
R. A. Kartini has opened the way for women to gain better education. Though now
women has gained their rights to have education, there are still many women in the village
and remote area who does not have the chance to get higher education and forced to marry in
young age. We still have to fight for women to be in school and university, so we will see
that every woman will stand and fight for herself and the other women to break the chain of
patriarchal system. Education also give women more opportunities to have strategic positions
in the society, education, and goverment, thus have bigger chances to transform the system
become a fairer system for both men and women.
Other women in other culture may shows different challenges toward patriarchy,
because “...patriarchal bargains are not timeless or immutable entities, but are susceptible to

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historical transformations that open up new areas of struggle and renegotiation of the
relations between genders.” (Kandiyoti 275). This study is one of the efforts to show how
woman in Javanese culture attemps to challenge patriarchy and how important education is
because it brings opportunity for woman in responding the patriarchy.

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Works Cited
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Atmowiloto, Arswendo. Canting. Jakarta: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 1997. Print.
Bashin, Kmia and Nighat Said Khan. Feminisme dan Relevansinya. Jakarta: Gramedia
Pustaka Umum, 1995. Print
Brenner, Suzanne April. The Domestication of Desire, Women, Wealth, and Modernity in
Java. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1988. PDF.
Handayani Christina and Ardhian Novianto. Kuasa Wanita Jawa. Yogyakarta: Pelangi
Aksara, 2004. Print.
Hellwig, Tineke. In The Shadow of Change: Images of Women in Indonesian Literature.
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Humm, M. Feminism A Reader. Hertford Shire: Harvester Wheatshef, 1992.
Kandiyoti, Deniz. "Bargaining with patriarchy." Gender and Social 2 (1988): 274-290.
Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/71702053/Bargaining-With-Patriarchy.
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Knauss, P. R. The persistance of patriarchy. New York: Praeger, 1987.
Mulder, Niels. Inside Indonesian Society Cultural Change in Java. Yogyakarta: Penerbit
Kanisius, 2005. Print.
Murniati, A. P. "Perempuan Indonesia dan Pola Ketergantungan." Citra Wanita dan
Kekuasaan Jawa. Yogyakarta: Penerbit Kanisius, 1992. 19-30. Print.
Prabasmoro, Aquarini Priyatna. Kajian Budaya Feminis Tubuh, Sastra, dan Budaya Pop.
Yogyakarta: Jalasutra, 2006. Print.
Semi, Atar. Metode Penulisan Sastra. Bandung: Angkasa, 1990. Print.

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Acknowledgement
This thesis would not have been completed without the help and support from many people.
Therefore, I would like to express my appreciation to the following people who have assisted
me in completing this study. First, I would like to give thanks to Lord Jesus Christ. Withouth
His grace and Spirit, I would not be able to finish this study. Second, I would like to express
my sincere gratitude to Purwanti Kusumaningtyas, M.Hum as my supervisor, for guiding me
pateintly during the process, to Suzana Maria, M.Hum, the examiner of my thesis for
examining my thesis thoroughly. Third, my gratitude is addressed to my beloved family
Mom, Dad, and my big sister for their support, love and encouragement in every condition
and every single day of my life. I would also like to extend my appreciation to all my family
in the Lord, for sharing many great things together. I am so grateful for having you all in my
life. Thank you all.

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