THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OF DMITRY GUROV AS INFLUENCED BY ANNA SERGEYEVNA IN CHEKHOV’S “LADY WITH LAPDOG”
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OF DMITRY GUROV
AS INFLUENCED BY ANNA SERGEYEVNA IN CHEKHOV’S
“LADY WITH LAPDOG”
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
THERESIA PUSPA OKTAVIA EFFENDI
Student Number: 134214004
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2019
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OF DMITRY GUROV
AS INFLUENCED BY ANNA SERGEYEVNA IN CHEKHOV’S
“LADY WITH LAPDOG”
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
THERESIA PUSPA OKTAVIA EFFENDI
Student Number: 134214004
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2019
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God has
a purpose for your pain,
a reason for your
struggle, and
a reward for your
faithfulness.
Trust Him and Don’t
Give Up!
-unknown-
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I dedicate this undergraduate
thesis to
My Lord, Jesus Christ,
Mother Mary,
My Beloved Mother
and Father,
My Sister,
My Loved one,
My Best Friends
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Praise to the Lord. First of all, I am truly grateful to My Lord, Jesus Christ
for all His blessings, love, and guidance on me during the process to finish this
thesis and finally, I could accomplish this thesis. I am grateful to always have
Mother Mary’s intercessions and prayers. She always hears my prayers when I am
giving up and feeling down. Thank you for strengthening me and taking care of me
with the existence of loved ones who are always there for me and support me in
completing my thesis.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my academic advisor Drs.
Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum. for his time, support, advice, and ideas. I thank him
so much for his encouragement and guidance in finishing my undergraduate thesis
writing. I would like sincerely thank to my co-advisor Harris Hermansyah S.S.,
M.Hum., who has given me encouragement by giving correction, suggestion, and
advice on this thesis.
My deepest gratefulness goes to my beloved parents, mama and papa who
are always there for me. My dearest mother who always encourages and reminds
me to finish this undergraduate thesis, and supports me when I feel like giving up.
I thank my father who also gives his attention to me. I feel blessed to have you both
because support and advice make me strong to face life. Also, to my sister, Sukma
Meganova Effendi, I thank her for her attention, support and help. Special thanks I
give for my loved one who always gives his time to listen to my complaint. You
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keep motivating and accompanying me when I feel desperate. I really appreciate
your help, support, pray, and advice.
The last but not least, I would like to thank Ibu Yuliana Eka who is being
my un-official reader for my thesis. Thank you so much for her time, help, and
support for my thesis. I am very thankful for all my best friends, Vania, Nana, and
Dea, thank you for being my best friends. You all keep encouraging me even though
I am feeling down and giving up. Thank you, Isna, Daniel, Michael, Lia, Jessica,
and Ajeng, for always reminding and support me in finishing this thesis.
Finally, I would like to say thank to everyone and whose name are not
mentioned personally here. I really appreciate your help, support and advice so that
I could finish my thesis.
Theresia Puspa Oktavia Effendi
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ...........................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE .................................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...........................................................................
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY .......................................................
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI
KARYA ILMIAH.....................................................................................
MOTTO PAGE ........................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE .............................................................................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................
ABSTRAK ...............................................................................................
ii
iii
iv
v
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...........................................................
A. Background of the Study ...............................................................
B. Problem Formulation .....................................................................
C. Objectives of the Study ..................................................................
D. Definition of Terms .......................................................................
1
1
3
3
4
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE .......................................
A. Review of Related Studies .............................................................
B. Review of Related Theories ...........................................................
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ..............................
2. Theory of Character Development .........................................
3. Theory of Plot ........................................................................
C. Theoretical Framework ..................................................................
5
5
8
8
12
13
16
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .......................................................
A. Object of the Study ........................................................................
B. Approach of the Study ...................................................................
C. Method of the Study ......................................................................
17
17
18
20
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ....................................................................
A. The Characterization of Characters ...............................................
1. Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov .........................................................
2. Anna Sergeyevna ...................................................................
B. The Character Development of Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov
as Influenced by Anna Sergeyvna .................................................
1. Gurov’s Perspective on His Life ...........................................
2. Gurov’s Attitude towards Woman ........................................
22
22
22
29
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ..............................................................
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REFERENCES ........................................................................................
53
APPENDIX ..........................................................................................
55
Appendix 1 ..................................................................................... 56
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ABSTRACT
EFFENDI, THERESIA PUSPA OKTAVIA. (2019).
The Character
Development of Dmitry Gurov as Influenced by Anna Sergeyevna in
Chekhov’s "Lady with Lapdog". Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters,
Faculty of Letters, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
This thesis discusses the development of Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov's character
as influenced by Anna Sergeyevna in the short story "Lady with Lapdog" by Anton
Chekhov. Referring to Gurov’s character as the main character discussed in this
thesis, the story tells about the life of a man that is full of pressure and bitterness
since he has been married. This factor has made him unfaithful to his wife by
choosing to enjoy other women because he lives without love. Consequently, Gurov
and Anna have undergone an affair since they first meet. Anna has influenced
Gurov’s character to become more loyal to her.
In this thesis, two main problems are examined by the researcher. The first
problem is about how characters are being described. Meanwhile, the second
problem discusses how Anna Sergeyevna influences Dmitry Gurov’s character
development.
This thesis is an analytical study that applies the library research methods.
This method is then used to collect primary and secondary data from books and
journals related to this thesis. The primary data is taken from a short story by Anton
Chekhov translated into English by David Magarshack in Fiction: An Introduction
to Reading and Writing. The other secondary data are obtained from books and
sources related to this research.
The analysis of this thesis: firstly, we analyze Gurov and Anna’s characters.
At the beginning of the story, Gurov’s character is depicted as a lonely man who
loves to admire women, but he feels depressed and hopeless. This bitter life
experience has encouraged him to escape from a monotonous life and have an affair
with a stranger. On the other hand, Anna's character is portrayed as an innocent,
naïve, and religious girl. She has good social status as seen from the way she dressed
and gestured. Second, we can find the influence of Anna's character on Gurov's
character. Gurov has experienced a character change due to Anna’s presence.
Before meeting Anna, he has no hope in life and is not loyal to his lover. After
meeting Anna, Gurov has become a loyal man, able to value women and has a
purpose in life. The influence of Anna’s character has developed Gurov’s character
since her presence and has motivated Gurov to be loved and value his life.
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ABSTRAK
EFFENDI, THERESIA PUSPA OKTAVIA. (2019).
The Character
Development of Dmitry Gurov as Influenced by Anna Sergeyevna in
Chekhov’s “Lady with Lapdog”. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris,
Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas mengenai perkembangan karakter Dmitry Dmitrich
Gurov yang dipengaruhi oleh karakter lain dalam cerita pendek “Lady with
Lapdog” karya Anton Chekhov. Mengacu pada karakter Gurov yang menjadi
karakter utama yang dibahas dalam skripsi ini, cerita pendek ini mengisahkan
seorang pria yang telah beristri namun hidupnya penuh dengan tekanan dan
kepahitan. Sehingga membuatnya tidak setia dengan istrinya dan memilih
menikmati wanita-wanita lain karena ia hidup tanpa cinta. Pertemuan antara Gurov
dan Anna, membuat mereka menjalani perselingkuhan dari pasangan mereka. Anna
telah membuat perubahan mendalam dalam diri Gurov dan lebih setia kepadanya.
Pada skripsi ini, terdapat dua pokok permasalahan yang akan diteliti oleh
penulis. Permasalahan pertama adalah bagaimana karakter-karakter digambarkan.
Kedua, bagaimana pengaruh karakter lain, Anna Sergeyevna terhadap perubahan
karakter yang dialami Dmitry Gurov. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini
adalah pendekatan kritik sastra baru.
Metode ini digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data primer dan sekunder dari
buku dan jurnal yang berkaitan dengan skripsi ini. Data primer diambil dari cerita
pendek karya Anton Chekhov yang diterjemahkan oleh David Magarshack yang
terdapat dalam buku Fiction:An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Data
sekunder lainnya diperoleh dari buku-buku dan sumber-sumber yang berhubungan
dengan penelitian ini.
Analisis dari skripsi ini: pertama, kita dapat menganalisa karakter Gurov
dan Anna. Di awal cerita, karakter Gurov digambarkan sebagai pria kesepian yang
suka mengagumi wanita, tetapi dia merasa tertekan dan putus asa. Pengalaman
hidup yang pahit, telah mendorongnya untuk melarikan diri dari kehidupannya yang
monoton dan berselingkuh dengan orang asing. Di samping itu, karakter Anna
digambarkan sebagai gadis yang polos, naif, dan religius. Dia memiliki status sosial
yang baik dilihat dari cara dia berpakaian dan memberi isyarat. Kedua, kita dapat
menemukan pengaruh karakter Anna terhadap karakter Gurov. Gurov telah
mengalami perubahan karakter karena kehadiran Anna. Sebelum bertemu Anna, dia
tidak memiliki harapan dalam hidup dan tidak setia kepada pasangannya. Setelah
bertemu Anna, Gurov telah menjadi pria yang setia, mampu menghargai wanita dan
memiliki tujuan dalam hidup. Pengaruh Anna telah mengembangkan karakter
Gurov sejak kehadirannya dan memotivasi Gurov untuk dicintai dan menghargai
hidupnya.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Anton Chekhov is one of the Russian best authors whose works such as
short fiction, novels, and play scripts are well-known. His career as a dramatist has
turned into the creation of some well-known short stories. His literary works are
often related to what happen in his era, particularly about the livelihood of Soviets
at that time. Anton Chekhov’s “Lady with Lapdog” which was written at the end of
the nineteenth century is a popular short story. “Lady with Lapdog” is chosen as the
object of the study for this undergraduate thesis. The researcher is interested in
discussing Chekhov’s short story “Lady with Lapdog” because the story is openended story that telling about the life problem of Dmitry Gurov, his loveless
marriage, and his affair with a young married lady.
The development of the main characters in “Lady with Lapdog” such as
their personality traits, behaviors and attitudes are captured and portrayed in this
short story. M.J. Murphy argues that the differences of each person in real life can
be seen from their outward appearance by the way they dress, walk, look, and
gesture (Murphy,1972, p.161). The short story of “Lady with Lapdog” highlights
these differences in people’s personalities and projects them in such a way to create
characters that are distinct from one to another.
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The discussion above can also be related to the chosen topic of this
undergraduate thesis. The influence of another character makes the main character
develops. Forster says that character development is the changing of the character
from the beginning until the end of the story. Characters are developing if they
experience a change in themselves, from personality, disposition, or outlook.
(Forster,1980, p.54). The development of character can come from other characters
through their behavior toward the main character and the way they treat the main
character. The main character’s development in “Lady with Lapdog” is affected by
internal conflicts and another character that are continuously occurring throughout
the story. The main character’s development in the story is influenced by the
author’s psychology, experiences and issues about love life in the past. The main
character faces dilemma, loneliness, and situation which force him to develop in
certain ways.
In the short story of “Lady with Lapdog,” there is a dilemma between two
characters who have the same experience in life that highlights the story. This
dilemma that occurs in the story can still be found nowadays. “Lady with Lapdog”
is a story that describes an affair between a married man who is unfaithful to his
wife. He falls in love and has a secret relationship with a young innocent married
woman who is on holiday. The main character in this short story is Dmitry Dmitrich
Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna. The main character is developing alongside with his
life problems, which are also evolving the plot of the story. Anton Chekhov portrays
the love affair from a male point of view, and he uses limited third person’s point
of view that can be seen in Gurov as the main character.
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As the object of study, “Lady with Lapdog” also allows the reader to
examine extensively about the development of the main character. The author has
narrated the story to portray the viewpoint of Gurov’s past experience. The problem
is caused by one character, Anna Sergeyevna who makes Gurov change.
In the context of this thesis, we can see how the main character develops
himself as a result of his past experiences, his love life, and an affair with another
woman. The bad life experience of Gurov, makes Gurov’s character develop and
change. It indirectly forces him to have an affair with a young married woman who
is unhappy with her marriage. The character in “Lady with Lapdog,” Anna
Sergeyevna is the one who makes Gurov change his mind, his life, and his love life.
The chosen topic for this thesis is the main character development based on the
influence of Anna Sergeyevna. The understanding of character development in the
story allows us to understand that some factors are influenced by our surroundings.
B. Problem Formulation
There are two problems formulated based on the background of the study:
1. How are the characters, Dmitry Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna portrayed?
2. How do Anna Seregyevna influence Dmitry Gurov’s character development?
C. Objectives of the Study
The main purpose of this undergraduate thesis is to examine the character
development of the main character, Gurov, who is influenced by Anna Sergeyevna.
There are two objectives for the study. Firstly, the purpose of this study is to observe
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the characters, Dmitry Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna. Secondly, the last objective
is to analyze the role of Anna Seregyevna as the one who influences Dmitry Gurov’
character development.
D. Definition of Terms
In this part, the researcher explains the key terms such as a character and
character development to make the readers understand their definitions. The
researcher’s purpose is to avoid the readers’ misunderstanding and to clarify the
definition of the terms. A character is a person who does action and the feature
that make her different from other. Character in literature, especially in fiction, is a
depiction of one's true nature who is developed by the author, "through dialogue,
action, and commentary", as well as character interactions and a series of conditions
(Roberts & Jacob, 1987, p.119).
On the other hand, character development is the development of
character because some factors influence the character changing. E.M. Foster has
stated what character development is. Characters are developing if they are
changing from the beginning to the end of the story. The changing characters can
be seen from their thought, behavior, trait, and personality. Their changes are
influenced both by other characters and situations in the story (Forster,1980, p.54).
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
There are some studies that discuss the topics of character development.
This study is about the character development of Dmitry Gurov as influenced by
another character. In order to support this claim, other undergraduates’ thesis is
chosen because they have similarities and related backgrounds in terms of character
development of the main character.
First related study is an undergraduate thesis entitled “The Psychological
Influences of Mother’s Behaviour on Paul’s Character Development as seen in D.H.
Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers by Almira Wanodya Padmasari (2011) from Sanata
Dharma University. She has chosen Sons and Lovers as the object of her study
because the novel written by D.H. Lawrence tells a story about a family, and the
parents who have an important role in developing their children. In her studies,
Padmasari analyzes the influence of his mother’s behavior Paul’s life, and that he
has to obey his mother. Her mother has become a single parent for four children,
and she is the one who takes care of Paul after their parents’ separation. According
to Padmasari
Many psychological problems have plagued the children because the
coalition between father and mother is broken. The novel emphasizes its
story conflicts, which are related to the psychological problems that we
commonly find in our daily life. It tells us the problem between a husband
and a wife in a family that influences the development of their children
(2011, p.4).
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Based on the problems that she writes on her thesis, she finds out that Paul’s
mother’s roles have influenced the development of Paul. She uses a psychological
approach to apply in her topic because it is relevant to how Paul’s mother is shaping
his early childhood until his adulthood. Based on his childhood memory, he only
receives loves from his mother, and he assumes that there is no bigger love than his
mother’s love. It makes Paul always obey his mother requests and commands
although his heart desires to choose a girl that he loves.
Second related study is also an undergraduate thesis entitled “Personality
Change of the Main Character, Tom Leyton, as influenced by the Minor Character,
Joseph Davidson, in Michael Gerard Bauer’s The Running Man” by Bertha Palupi
(2011) from Sanata Dharma University. In the background of her study she says,
The Running Man by Michael Gerard Bauer (2004) is a great novel with
intricate personalities of the main character in the story. Combined with its
complexity of plot, interesting characters, and great description of the
detail, The Running Man has become a favorable psychological novel
(2011, p.1,2).
Palupi explains the Leyton’s character and how Leyton’s personality
changes as the outcomes from their experiences in life and the people surrounding
him. Palupi analyzes the personality changes of the main character of Tom Leyton
and some minor characters toward the changes. She uses a psychological approach
to analyze the personality changes of the main character with his internal conflict.
The theory of literature is used to identify the characteristics of both characters that
is followed by psychological theory to analyze the behaviour of the characters.
Third
related study is
from
website
academia
entitled “The
Characterization of Dmitri Gurov in Comparison with Generalizations of Men” by
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Nicholaus Krauss (2010). The researcher chooses this review by Krauss because
we have the same object of study that discusses Dmitri Gurov’s character in
Chekhov’s “Lady with Lapdog.”
Krauss’ research paper discusses Gurov’s
characterization that is linked to the generalization of men. The researcher and
Krauss have the same material or literary work that is used this thesis and observe
the same character about Gurov. In this quotation below, Krauss describes that the
influence of Anna on Gurov’s character.
Through Gurov’s thoughts of Anna, Chekhov writes “He was moved, sad,
and conscious of a slight remorse… All the time she had called him kind,
exceptional, lofty; obviously he had seemed to her different from what he
really was, so he had unintentionally deceived her.” This quote explains
Gurov’s awareness of the image he gives to women, and how he does not
show women his true emotions. Furthermore, Chekhov writes “[women]
loved in him not himself, but the man created by their imagination, whom
they had been eagerly seeking all their lives. And afterwards, when they
noticed their mistake, they loved him all the same.” Clearly, Gurov uses
his emotional dis-attachments as a tool of attraction, a fitting trait of the
womanizer. It is clear that the characterization of Gurov effectively
matches that of the womanizer (Krauss, 2010, p.4).
Krauss states that Gurov’s character experiences change because another
character’s presence that influences his thought. The first person who makes Gurov
become a disloyal man is his wife. He leaves his wife because he does not love his
wife anymore. In Krauss’ review, Gurov is the kind of man who thinks that any
women are the lower race, but he still appreciates their presence. Gurov’s life
becomes different after he meets Anna Sergeyevna. He falls in love with her and
makes him keep struggle to get affection from her.
The fourth review study is a book review by Virginia Ironside (2009)
entitled “Book of A Lifetime: Lady with a Lapdog” by Anton Chekhov. This review
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is posted in Independent website. In her post, she tells about her experiences in
reading this story. She has read this story twenty times to get to know the characters
in the story. She explains the characteristics of the characters in “Lady with
Lapdog” in the following quote,
It's about a jaded married man, something of a serial seducer, who finds
himself alone during the season at Yalta. He picks up Anna, a very young
also-married woman – her husband is back at home – who has a small
Pomeranian dog. They start the usual affair – but this time something out
of the ordinary happens. He falls in love.
Every good story should involve the characters changing in some way –
and in "Lady with a Lapdog," Gurov, the hero, changes completely. And
Chekhov doesn't make it a happily-ever-after story. He leaves the whole
thing open-ended and yet, and here's the odd thing, it doesn't feel
unsatisfactory at all, like so many books that end on a question. Gurov's
complete change is the story (Ironside, 2009, p. 1).
As explained above, she defines the characteristic of Gurov and his wife.
Ironside also tells about Chekhov’s style of writing inspires her to write in a similar
style so that the readers can imagine and expect what happen in the story as they
wish to end.
B. Review of Related Theories
1.
Theory of Character and Characterization
A character is a person who appears in the literary work that represents the
human being verbal’s representation that determines the behavior, speech, and
mind. The author demonstrates this in action, dialogue, experience, and
commentary or description in the story events. According to the theory from M.H.
Abrams, he defines
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Character are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who
are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with particular moral,
intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from what the person
say and their distinctive way of saying it- the dialogue, and from what they
do-the actions (1981, p. 20).
Another understanding of character is based on Boyton and Mack’s finding. They
define
to be acceptable, a character also has to behave in a consistent manner.
One is the obvious fact that the short-story writer can deal with only a few
facets of a character’s personality and only a few events of his life. Another
truth about most short stories is that the focus is on one, central character.
It is not impossible that there be more than one principal character, but it
is unusual (Boynton and Mack, 1972, pp. 26-27).
Boyton and Mack also have six ways to analyze a character, based on
a.
What a character does. The reader can see the character by what he or she
has done. “Stories show characters in action. The most obvious method for
revealing character is through what a person does” (Boyton and Mack,
1972, p.27).
b.
What a character says. “Another way of revealing what people are like is
to show what they say.” Based on what the character says, the reader can
identify what kind of character is he or she (Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.28).
c.
What a character thinks. Looking at the character’s mind, the reader can
predict what would the character do. It also shows how the character thinks
in the story. “A writer may also reveal the character of people by showing
what they think” (Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.28).
d.
How others react to a character. The reaction of another character can
support reader to figure out the character and categorize the type of
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character. “Much can be shown about a character by the way others react
to him, or by what they say about him” (Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.29).
e.
How a character reacts to his surroundings. Based on the character’s
reaction with his environment, the reader can recognize the character, how
the character interacts and merge their self with surroundings. “One of the
commonest ways to reveal character is to show how a person reacts to his
surroundings – to things and places” (Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.29).
f.
Direct description or explanation. Some of the authors write short snippet
a character’s description in the story or the author can use another character
to explain the principal character or others. “A final method of character
revelation is through direct description or explanation by the author”
(Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.29).
The developing or dynamic character undergoes a permanent change in
some aspect of character, personality, or outlook. The change may be a
large or a small one; it may be for better or for worse; but it is something
important and basic: it is more than a change in condition or a minor
change in opinion (Perrine 1985, p. 69).
The quotation of definition about static and developing or dynamic
character above shows that character is be able to change or not, depends on the
factors which makes him develop. The static character means the character is
unchanging in any situation. He remains constant from the beginning of the story
until the end, the character exactly is not different. On the contrary, the dynamic or
developing character means the character is developing, the changes of the
character depends on some aspects, such as attitude, situation, personality,
interaction with other characters and experience.
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Another theory from Holman and Harmon. The type of character can be
static and dynamic character. A flat (static) character is one who has a little change.
“A static character gives the appearance of changing simply because our picture of
him is revealed bit by bit” (Holman, 1972, p.92). The action’s pattern discloses the
character rather than showing how the character changes in response to the actions.
Besides that, a round (dynamic) character is a character who is improved by actions
and experiences, and one objectives of the work in which the character appears is
to reveal the consequences of these actions (Holman and Harmon, 1986, p.83).
A dynamic character, on the other hand, is one who is modified by the
actions upon him. Most great drama and novels have dynamic characters
as protagonists. Short stories are more likely to reveal static characters
through action than to show changes in characters resulting from actions
(Holman, 1972, p.92).
Robert and Jacobs have stated types of character in fiction that is divided
into two, flat and round. A minor character is usually flat, but not all minor
characters are flat. Minor characters are usually static and not developed, generally
they stay the same. Because they are not the main character in the plot of the story,
thus they are not significantly growing and changing. Round character is the
opposite of a flat character because in round character, the author is fully developed
the character. Round character is considered as a dynamic character because they
group some individual and unpredictable human traits. The character reveals their
capacity to grow or change (Robert and Jacob, 1989, p.145).
Another theory about flat and round character is proposed by Arp and
Johnson who cites the theory of E.M Forster who introduces the standard in
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discussing types of characters, they are two types: flat character and round
character.
Flat characters usually have only one or two predominant traits; they can
be summed up in a sentence or two. By contrast, round characters are
complex and many-sided; they have the three-dimensional quality of real
people (Arp and Johnson, 2012, p.105).
2.
Theory of Character Development
Theory of character development is the process of character’s changing
because of some internal or external factors that can be influenced by the character.
The characters are able to change their life because they can do something and they
allow something to be done with them. The definition of character development by
E.M. Foster is
character development is the changing of the character from the beginning
until the end of the story. Characters are developing if they experience a
change in themselves, for from personality, disposition, or outlook. They
will change into a better character but of course, the changing depends on
the situation in the story (Forster,1980, p. 54).
A character cannot unexpectedly change without any reason that
influences them. There is a reason why the author changes the character; the author
will explain the process of the character changes by portraying the character in the
story. Character changes with smaller change and it is motivated by circumstance.
(Perrine,1974, p.71). Perrine has defined that the changing of character is always
followed by the steps or the elements of the story that point out the causal of
character changes.
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Character development has relation with the plot. The plot shows the
sequence of events that describes the important part of the story in character’s
action, character’s progression, character’s conflict, character’s problems, and
character’s way to solve them. Forster stated that character and plot are inseparable.
The plot is simply series of events that come out of character that reveals character
and that influences character. The plot drives the character to face their
development (Forster,1974, p. 65). A well-plotted story connects all its elements, it
has twist and turn of events. The development of the plot is unexpected, and plot
has sequences of the events that is stated in exposition, rising action, climax, falling
action and resolution.
Rohrberger and Wood show their theories about the relationship between
plot, setting, conflict, and characters in their book.
It is difficult to separate single elements to talk, for example, about
character without talking about at the same time about plot or setting or
conflict, because characters often determine plot, setting helps to define
characters, and conflict result from placing characters in situation
(Rohrberger and Wood, 1971, p.20).
It explains the plot which is inseparable with the character development.
The plot shows how the characters take their problems, and how they solve the
problem.
3.
Theory of Plot
A plot can influence the developing of character because the plot and
characterization have a close relationship. Rohrberger and Woods define “a
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narrative, of course is a story, and stories involve persons, called characters, who
act out in a particular time and place (setting) some kind of conflict in a pattern of
events is called plot” (1971, p.20). According to Stanton, he says “the plot is the
backbone of a story. Because it is more self-evident than some of the story’s other
elements, its links of cause-and-effect” (1965, p.15).
Supporting Stanton’s definition, Murphy states that,
Plot is a carefully thought-out plan in which all the events, all the actions
and reactions of the characters, contribute towards the forward movement
of the story. The story then moves on, carrying the reader with it up and
over a series of crests until the climax of the story is reached, and
everything is resolved, generally to the reader’s satisfaction (Murphy,
1972, p.134).
The quotation means that the author has well thought-out about the way a
story can move forward by connecting the actions and reactions of the characters,
along with the events that occur in the story. The story directs the reader to follow
the acts and sequence of events from the beginning, rising action, climax, falling
action, and ending.
According to Stanton (1965, p.16), there are two necessary parts of the
plot, conflict and climax. In every fiction works, we can find internal and external
conflict. Internal conflict happens in a character’s life against what he or she wants.
External conflict happens between two characters or more, and also between a
character and his or her surroundings. The climax of the story is the point or action
when the conflict of the plot becomes more intense and its outcome is unavoidable.
The climax of a story is the meeting point of its lines of force and
determines how their opposition will be resolved – “resolved” rather than
“decided” because although one force may vanquish the other, more often,
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as in real life, the outcome is a complex equilibrium in which neither side
completely triumphs or completely loses (Stanton, 1965, pp. 16-17).
Boynton and Mack have own understandings about the plot. They say that
a skilled writer does not only focus on the characters’ movements in the storyline,
but he or she also chooses the significant events which have a direct influence on
the story. Definition a plot according to Boynton and Mack is,
plot is the technical terms that applies to these connected events in a story.
To build a plot the experienced writer carefully selects certain details and
just as carefully rejects many more; he is interested not in compiling a
precise record of a character’s actions but in choosing only those details
that have a direct bearing on the story (1972, p.12).
Perrine emphasizes that the author has directed the story and its action to
a definite end of the story. Therefore a plot is not only about the action itself. The
author’s main purpose is to make the reader follow the plot and keep them interested
in reading till the end of the story. Skillful writers are very attentive to put on the
sequence in significant order. According to Perrine, in a plot, there are some events
happen beyond expectation because the plot of a story is not always a straight line.
It is caused by some incidents that make the story twist and turn from the beginning
until the end of a story. Therefore, the climax point can surprise the reader and also
this part is uneasy to be guessed.
Plot is the sequence of incidents or events through which an author
constructs a story. The plot is not the action itself, but the way the author
arranges the action toward a specific end. The plot may include many
surprising twists and turns and a culminating, climatic incident; because
the main goal is to keep the reader turning the pages, a commercial author
is likely to use a tried-and-true, fairly conventional structure in arranging
the plot elements (2009, p.105).
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A plot is one of the important elements that can be found in every story. It
describes the sequence of events that occur in the story through what is done by the
character. A reader also can understand the qualities of character when a plot moves
forward, especially in the climactic incidents, when it is a high point of a character's
action and emotion happen.
C. Theoretical Framework
In this study, it discusses the character development as reflected in the
main character in Anton Chekhov’s short story, “Lady with Lapdog.” Further, as
this study mainly talks about the character development, the researcher needs to
analyze the two problems that are stated in problem formulation. In order to support
the analysis of the problems, the researcher uses some related studies and related
theories. The first theory is used theory of character and characterization by M.H.
Abrams. The first question describes the character of Dmitry Gurov and Anna
Sergeyevna. The researcher also uses the theory of Boyton and Mack to analyze the
characterization of Gurov and Anna. Both theories will be used to understand each
character especially the personal description, manner, thought, and speech of the
characters. The researcher uses the theory of character development to find the
cause in developing in Dmitry Gurov that is influenced by Anna Sergeyevna.
In this topic, the researcher uses several theories, the theories of character
and characterization as well as character development. These theories will help the
researcher to understand and observe the characters in “Lady with Lapdog.” All of
these theories support the analysis of the two questions in problem formulation.
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CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
“Lady with Lapdog” is one of many popular short story that is written by
a Russian author, named Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. This short story was first
published in Russian in December 1899. The first publication was in English, and
was mass-produced in 1903. The researcher uses a short story translated by David
Magarshack from his book called Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing,
published in 1987 by Pretince Hall, Inc. This short story is from a book called Dama
s sobachkoy that contains other short stories. The short story used to be adapted into
a film version in 1960 by Josef Heifitz that received an appreciation in the 1960
Cannes Film Festival. In 1987, this inspiring film by Chekhov’s “Lady with
Lapdog” was also adapted in Russian and Italian films, which were called
entitled The Lady with the Dog.
“Lady with Lapdog” is a story about Dmitry Gurov, a Russian banker who
is married and has one daughter and two sons. The internal problems about his
marriage life force him to undergo the burden of life himself. As a result, he cannot
stand against his wife anymore, and he has become unfaithful to his wife. He
changes his perspective about women, as he thinks and judges all women in general
as the lower race. One day, Gurov decides to go on a holiday in Yalta, and then he
meets a young lady who always takes a stroll with her white pomeranian. He is
curious to know about the lady who is often called as the lady with the lapdog
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because nobody knows who she is. In their first meeting in a restaurant, Gurov is
always staring at her, she introduces herself. She is Anna Sergeyevna who is
married to a man who works in the office of provincial governor or the rural council.
Since that day, Gurov is feeling comfortable to talk to her and to ask some casual
questions. Eventually Gurov wants to know what happens with Anna’s life. After
they have spent the day together, and they both feel pleasant and confident with
each other. Gurov suddenly feels sad when she plans to leave him alone. He feels
lonely because Anna says that they will be parted forever. He is still trying to find
her in S--- town although he does not know where she lives. One day when Gurov
arrives in S--- town, he knows that she lives there and he meets Anna again at a
theater. Anna is surprised with Gurov’s presence and feels worried if somebody
will know their relationship. At the end of the story, Anna comes to Moscow to
meet Gurov every two or three months. The story reveals Gurov’s life experiences
and love affairs with Anna. The changing of Gurov’s life because of Anna
Sergeyevna can fulfill and complete what he needs. In the end, they both regret their
past. They decide to have a secret relationship even though they cannot marry each
other. They can meet each other anytime. The short story of “Lady with Lapdog” is
really about family, love affair and loyalty.
B. Approach of the Study
The focus of this study is to analyze the character development of Gurov,
his life experiences, and how the author characterizes Gurov as a main character.
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19
The approach is appropriate to this study is the New Criticism approach. New
Criticism approach applies a close reading analysis of literary works. Bressler says,
Using New Criticism’s clearly articulated methodology, any intelligent
reader, say its adherents (called New Critics), can uncover a text’s hitherto
so-called hidden meaning. New Criticism’s theoretical ideas, terminology,
and critical methods are, more than not, disparaged by many present-day
critics who themselves are introducing new ideas concerning literary
theory. Despite its current unpopularity, New Criticism stands as one of
the most important English-based contributions to literary critical analysis
(Bressler, 2003, p.53).
New criticism is a powerful tool for those that have problems
understanding a work of literature. New criticism formulates a method of reading,
a simple formula that will help us unlock the meaning of a text. New criticism says
the text itself should really stand-alone therefore new critics really have a textual
focus. They are interested in the work itself, they do not care about what the author
intends to care anymore, they do not really care what the reader thinks about it and
they care what the text says.
The researcher chooses New Criticism approach because to analyze
literature works the readers need to focus on close reading of the text, and they have
to understand the words and rely on their interpretation. The readers do not need to
dig up evidence of the author, do not need other sources. To fully understand the
text do not require its historical and social background of authors, time, and what
happens in that era.
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C. Method of the Study
The method of data collection for this study uses the library research, in
which all books, theories, thesis and some information from the internet are taken.
The data have been gathered to elaborate and to support the analysis in this study.
The primary source is a literary work and a short story written by Anton Chekhov
entitled “Lady with Lapdog” that has been translated by David Magarshack as part
of the book Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing by Edgar V. Roberts
and Henry E. Jacobs. The secondary source to be used is related to the theory for
this study. There are a theory of character and characterization, theory of character
development, and theory of plot from a book called Glossary Literary Term Seventh
Edition by M. H. Abrams, Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English
Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students by M.J. Murphy, Aspects of
the Novel by Forster, E.M, Introduction To The Short Story by Robert W. Boynton
and Maynard Mack, Reading and Writing About Literature by Mary Rohrberger
and Samuel H. Woods, An Introduction to Fiction by Robert Stanton, Perrine’s
Literature Structure, Sound, and Sense by Laurence Perrine.
The researcher conducts some steps in this study. The first step is reading
the short story intensively. The researcher rereads the text more than once to find
the important points. The second step is collecting the supporting data from articles
from the internet, some books’ theories, and reviewing related studies that have a
connection with the topic. The third step is presenting the character in the story, and
then identify the character who has influenced to the main character. After that, the
researcher finds the characteristics of the character named Dmitry Gurov as the
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21
main character in the story, and also finds the characteristic of another character
such as Anna Sergeyevna. The next step is identifying Gurov’s character by using
the theory of character development to see whether or not his character is
developing. The last step is making a conclusion from the whole analysis.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter consists of the answers to the questions that are previously
stated in the problem formulation. The analysis of my study is concerned with how
Dmitry Gurov, as the main character changes, develops, and how he is influenced
by Anna Sergeyevna. This chapter is divided into two parts. The first part reveals
the characters, they are Dmitry Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna. The second part
analyzes the influence of Anna Sergeyevna on the character development of Dmitry
Gurov.
A. The Characterization of Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna
In the story of “Lady with Lapdog,” there is two characters who are
highlighted. These characters are Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna.
Anton Chekhov as the author focuses on this one character because they
predominantly influence the character development of Gurov.
The researcher is attempting to describe all of the important characters one
by one in order to make the reader understand the dominant characters in this short
story.
1.
Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov
The “Lady with Lapdog” story emphasizes Gurov as the main character
who takes the important role because he leads the course of the story. From the
beginning until the end of the story, Gurov is always highlighted because the
author takes the reader’s attention to follow the main character that leads to the
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23
plot of the story. Based on the theory of flat and round character by Roberts and
Jacob (1989), Gurov can be categorized as a round or dynamic character because
he has the ability to change and develop. The researcher gives a detailed
description of Gurov’s character developments in the next chapter.
Boyton and Mack have six ways to characterize a character in fictional
works. The theory explains about what a character does, what a character says,
what a characte
THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OF DMITRY GUROV
AS INFLUENCED BY ANNA SERGEYEVNA IN CHEKHOV’S
“LADY WITH LAPDOG”
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
THERESIA PUSPA OKTAVIA EFFENDI
Student Number: 134214004
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2019
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OF DMITRY GUROV
AS INFLUENCED BY ANNA SERGEYEVNA IN CHEKHOV’S
“LADY WITH LAPDOG”
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
THERESIA PUSPA OKTAVIA EFFENDI
Student Number: 134214004
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA
2019
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God has
a purpose for your pain,
a reason for your
struggle, and
a reward for your
faithfulness.
Trust Him and Don’t
Give Up!
-unknown-
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I dedicate this undergraduate
thesis to
My Lord, Jesus Christ,
Mother Mary,
My Beloved Mother
and Father,
My Sister,
My Loved one,
My Best Friends
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Praise to the Lord. First of all, I am truly grateful to My Lord, Jesus Christ
for all His blessings, love, and guidance on me during the process to finish this
thesis and finally, I could accomplish this thesis. I am grateful to always have
Mother Mary’s intercessions and prayers. She always hears my prayers when I am
giving up and feeling down. Thank you for strengthening me and taking care of me
with the existence of loved ones who are always there for me and support me in
completing my thesis.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my academic advisor Drs.
Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum. for his time, support, advice, and ideas. I thank him
so much for his encouragement and guidance in finishing my undergraduate thesis
writing. I would like sincerely thank to my co-advisor Harris Hermansyah S.S.,
M.Hum., who has given me encouragement by giving correction, suggestion, and
advice on this thesis.
My deepest gratefulness goes to my beloved parents, mama and papa who
are always there for me. My dearest mother who always encourages and reminds
me to finish this undergraduate thesis, and supports me when I feel like giving up.
I thank my father who also gives his attention to me. I feel blessed to have you both
because support and advice make me strong to face life. Also, to my sister, Sukma
Meganova Effendi, I thank her for her attention, support and help. Special thanks I
give for my loved one who always gives his time to listen to my complaint. You
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keep motivating and accompanying me when I feel desperate. I really appreciate
your help, support, pray, and advice.
The last but not least, I would like to thank Ibu Yuliana Eka who is being
my un-official reader for my thesis. Thank you so much for her time, help, and
support for my thesis. I am very thankful for all my best friends, Vania, Nana, and
Dea, thank you for being my best friends. You all keep encouraging me even though
I am feeling down and giving up. Thank you, Isna, Daniel, Michael, Lia, Jessica,
and Ajeng, for always reminding and support me in finishing this thesis.
Finally, I would like to say thank to everyone and whose name are not
mentioned personally here. I really appreciate your help, support and advice so that
I could finish my thesis.
Theresia Puspa Oktavia Effendi
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ...........................................................................................
APPROVAL PAGE .................................................................................
ACCEPTANCE PAGE ...........................................................................
STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY .......................................................
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI
KARYA ILMIAH.....................................................................................
MOTTO PAGE ........................................................................................
DEDICATION PAGE .............................................................................
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................
ABSTRACT .............................................................................................
ABSTRAK ...............................................................................................
ii
iii
iv
v
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ...........................................................
A. Background of the Study ...............................................................
B. Problem Formulation .....................................................................
C. Objectives of the Study ..................................................................
D. Definition of Terms .......................................................................
1
1
3
3
4
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE .......................................
A. Review of Related Studies .............................................................
B. Review of Related Theories ...........................................................
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ..............................
2. Theory of Character Development .........................................
3. Theory of Plot ........................................................................
C. Theoretical Framework ..................................................................
5
5
8
8
12
13
16
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .......................................................
A. Object of the Study ........................................................................
B. Approach of the Study ...................................................................
C. Method of the Study ......................................................................
17
17
18
20
CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ....................................................................
A. The Characterization of Characters ...............................................
1. Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov .........................................................
2. Anna Sergeyevna ...................................................................
B. The Character Development of Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov
as Influenced by Anna Sergeyvna .................................................
1. Gurov’s Perspective on His Life ...........................................
2. Gurov’s Attitude towards Woman ........................................
22
22
22
29
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ..............................................................
50
xi
vi
vii
viii
ix
xi
xiii
xiv
34
35
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REFERENCES ........................................................................................
53
APPENDIX ..........................................................................................
55
Appendix 1 ..................................................................................... 56
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ABSTRACT
EFFENDI, THERESIA PUSPA OKTAVIA. (2019).
The Character
Development of Dmitry Gurov as Influenced by Anna Sergeyevna in
Chekhov’s "Lady with Lapdog". Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters,
Faculty of Letters, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
This thesis discusses the development of Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov's character
as influenced by Anna Sergeyevna in the short story "Lady with Lapdog" by Anton
Chekhov. Referring to Gurov’s character as the main character discussed in this
thesis, the story tells about the life of a man that is full of pressure and bitterness
since he has been married. This factor has made him unfaithful to his wife by
choosing to enjoy other women because he lives without love. Consequently, Gurov
and Anna have undergone an affair since they first meet. Anna has influenced
Gurov’s character to become more loyal to her.
In this thesis, two main problems are examined by the researcher. The first
problem is about how characters are being described. Meanwhile, the second
problem discusses how Anna Sergeyevna influences Dmitry Gurov’s character
development.
This thesis is an analytical study that applies the library research methods.
This method is then used to collect primary and secondary data from books and
journals related to this thesis. The primary data is taken from a short story by Anton
Chekhov translated into English by David Magarshack in Fiction: An Introduction
to Reading and Writing. The other secondary data are obtained from books and
sources related to this research.
The analysis of this thesis: firstly, we analyze Gurov and Anna’s characters.
At the beginning of the story, Gurov’s character is depicted as a lonely man who
loves to admire women, but he feels depressed and hopeless. This bitter life
experience has encouraged him to escape from a monotonous life and have an affair
with a stranger. On the other hand, Anna's character is portrayed as an innocent,
naïve, and religious girl. She has good social status as seen from the way she dressed
and gestured. Second, we can find the influence of Anna's character on Gurov's
character. Gurov has experienced a character change due to Anna’s presence.
Before meeting Anna, he has no hope in life and is not loyal to his lover. After
meeting Anna, Gurov has become a loyal man, able to value women and has a
purpose in life. The influence of Anna’s character has developed Gurov’s character
since her presence and has motivated Gurov to be loved and value his life.
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ABSTRAK
EFFENDI, THERESIA PUSPA OKTAVIA. (2019).
The Character
Development of Dmitry Gurov as Influenced by Anna Sergeyevna in
Chekhov’s “Lady with Lapdog”. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris,
Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas mengenai perkembangan karakter Dmitry Dmitrich
Gurov yang dipengaruhi oleh karakter lain dalam cerita pendek “Lady with
Lapdog” karya Anton Chekhov. Mengacu pada karakter Gurov yang menjadi
karakter utama yang dibahas dalam skripsi ini, cerita pendek ini mengisahkan
seorang pria yang telah beristri namun hidupnya penuh dengan tekanan dan
kepahitan. Sehingga membuatnya tidak setia dengan istrinya dan memilih
menikmati wanita-wanita lain karena ia hidup tanpa cinta. Pertemuan antara Gurov
dan Anna, membuat mereka menjalani perselingkuhan dari pasangan mereka. Anna
telah membuat perubahan mendalam dalam diri Gurov dan lebih setia kepadanya.
Pada skripsi ini, terdapat dua pokok permasalahan yang akan diteliti oleh
penulis. Permasalahan pertama adalah bagaimana karakter-karakter digambarkan.
Kedua, bagaimana pengaruh karakter lain, Anna Sergeyevna terhadap perubahan
karakter yang dialami Dmitry Gurov. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam skripsi ini
adalah pendekatan kritik sastra baru.
Metode ini digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data primer dan sekunder dari
buku dan jurnal yang berkaitan dengan skripsi ini. Data primer diambil dari cerita
pendek karya Anton Chekhov yang diterjemahkan oleh David Magarshack yang
terdapat dalam buku Fiction:An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Data
sekunder lainnya diperoleh dari buku-buku dan sumber-sumber yang berhubungan
dengan penelitian ini.
Analisis dari skripsi ini: pertama, kita dapat menganalisa karakter Gurov
dan Anna. Di awal cerita, karakter Gurov digambarkan sebagai pria kesepian yang
suka mengagumi wanita, tetapi dia merasa tertekan dan putus asa. Pengalaman
hidup yang pahit, telah mendorongnya untuk melarikan diri dari kehidupannya yang
monoton dan berselingkuh dengan orang asing. Di samping itu, karakter Anna
digambarkan sebagai gadis yang polos, naif, dan religius. Dia memiliki status sosial
yang baik dilihat dari cara dia berpakaian dan memberi isyarat. Kedua, kita dapat
menemukan pengaruh karakter Anna terhadap karakter Gurov. Gurov telah
mengalami perubahan karakter karena kehadiran Anna. Sebelum bertemu Anna, dia
tidak memiliki harapan dalam hidup dan tidak setia kepada pasangannya. Setelah
bertemu Anna, Gurov telah menjadi pria yang setia, mampu menghargai wanita dan
memiliki tujuan dalam hidup. Pengaruh Anna telah mengembangkan karakter
Gurov sejak kehadirannya dan memotivasi Gurov untuk dicintai dan menghargai
hidupnya.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Anton Chekhov is one of the Russian best authors whose works such as
short fiction, novels, and play scripts are well-known. His career as a dramatist has
turned into the creation of some well-known short stories. His literary works are
often related to what happen in his era, particularly about the livelihood of Soviets
at that time. Anton Chekhov’s “Lady with Lapdog” which was written at the end of
the nineteenth century is a popular short story. “Lady with Lapdog” is chosen as the
object of the study for this undergraduate thesis. The researcher is interested in
discussing Chekhov’s short story “Lady with Lapdog” because the story is openended story that telling about the life problem of Dmitry Gurov, his loveless
marriage, and his affair with a young married lady.
The development of the main characters in “Lady with Lapdog” such as
their personality traits, behaviors and attitudes are captured and portrayed in this
short story. M.J. Murphy argues that the differences of each person in real life can
be seen from their outward appearance by the way they dress, walk, look, and
gesture (Murphy,1972, p.161). The short story of “Lady with Lapdog” highlights
these differences in people’s personalities and projects them in such a way to create
characters that are distinct from one to another.
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The discussion above can also be related to the chosen topic of this
undergraduate thesis. The influence of another character makes the main character
develops. Forster says that character development is the changing of the character
from the beginning until the end of the story. Characters are developing if they
experience a change in themselves, from personality, disposition, or outlook.
(Forster,1980, p.54). The development of character can come from other characters
through their behavior toward the main character and the way they treat the main
character. The main character’s development in “Lady with Lapdog” is affected by
internal conflicts and another character that are continuously occurring throughout
the story. The main character’s development in the story is influenced by the
author’s psychology, experiences and issues about love life in the past. The main
character faces dilemma, loneliness, and situation which force him to develop in
certain ways.
In the short story of “Lady with Lapdog,” there is a dilemma between two
characters who have the same experience in life that highlights the story. This
dilemma that occurs in the story can still be found nowadays. “Lady with Lapdog”
is a story that describes an affair between a married man who is unfaithful to his
wife. He falls in love and has a secret relationship with a young innocent married
woman who is on holiday. The main character in this short story is Dmitry Dmitrich
Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna. The main character is developing alongside with his
life problems, which are also evolving the plot of the story. Anton Chekhov portrays
the love affair from a male point of view, and he uses limited third person’s point
of view that can be seen in Gurov as the main character.
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As the object of study, “Lady with Lapdog” also allows the reader to
examine extensively about the development of the main character. The author has
narrated the story to portray the viewpoint of Gurov’s past experience. The problem
is caused by one character, Anna Sergeyevna who makes Gurov change.
In the context of this thesis, we can see how the main character develops
himself as a result of his past experiences, his love life, and an affair with another
woman. The bad life experience of Gurov, makes Gurov’s character develop and
change. It indirectly forces him to have an affair with a young married woman who
is unhappy with her marriage. The character in “Lady with Lapdog,” Anna
Sergeyevna is the one who makes Gurov change his mind, his life, and his love life.
The chosen topic for this thesis is the main character development based on the
influence of Anna Sergeyevna. The understanding of character development in the
story allows us to understand that some factors are influenced by our surroundings.
B. Problem Formulation
There are two problems formulated based on the background of the study:
1. How are the characters, Dmitry Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna portrayed?
2. How do Anna Seregyevna influence Dmitry Gurov’s character development?
C. Objectives of the Study
The main purpose of this undergraduate thesis is to examine the character
development of the main character, Gurov, who is influenced by Anna Sergeyevna.
There are two objectives for the study. Firstly, the purpose of this study is to observe
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the characters, Dmitry Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna. Secondly, the last objective
is to analyze the role of Anna Seregyevna as the one who influences Dmitry Gurov’
character development.
D. Definition of Terms
In this part, the researcher explains the key terms such as a character and
character development to make the readers understand their definitions. The
researcher’s purpose is to avoid the readers’ misunderstanding and to clarify the
definition of the terms. A character is a person who does action and the feature
that make her different from other. Character in literature, especially in fiction, is a
depiction of one's true nature who is developed by the author, "through dialogue,
action, and commentary", as well as character interactions and a series of conditions
(Roberts & Jacob, 1987, p.119).
On the other hand, character development is the development of
character because some factors influence the character changing. E.M. Foster has
stated what character development is. Characters are developing if they are
changing from the beginning to the end of the story. The changing characters can
be seen from their thought, behavior, trait, and personality. Their changes are
influenced both by other characters and situations in the story (Forster,1980, p.54).
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A. Review of Related Studies
There are some studies that discuss the topics of character development.
This study is about the character development of Dmitry Gurov as influenced by
another character. In order to support this claim, other undergraduates’ thesis is
chosen because they have similarities and related backgrounds in terms of character
development of the main character.
First related study is an undergraduate thesis entitled “The Psychological
Influences of Mother’s Behaviour on Paul’s Character Development as seen in D.H.
Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers by Almira Wanodya Padmasari (2011) from Sanata
Dharma University. She has chosen Sons and Lovers as the object of her study
because the novel written by D.H. Lawrence tells a story about a family, and the
parents who have an important role in developing their children. In her studies,
Padmasari analyzes the influence of his mother’s behavior Paul’s life, and that he
has to obey his mother. Her mother has become a single parent for four children,
and she is the one who takes care of Paul after their parents’ separation. According
to Padmasari
Many psychological problems have plagued the children because the
coalition between father and mother is broken. The novel emphasizes its
story conflicts, which are related to the psychological problems that we
commonly find in our daily life. It tells us the problem between a husband
and a wife in a family that influences the development of their children
(2011, p.4).
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Based on the problems that she writes on her thesis, she finds out that Paul’s
mother’s roles have influenced the development of Paul. She uses a psychological
approach to apply in her topic because it is relevant to how Paul’s mother is shaping
his early childhood until his adulthood. Based on his childhood memory, he only
receives loves from his mother, and he assumes that there is no bigger love than his
mother’s love. It makes Paul always obey his mother requests and commands
although his heart desires to choose a girl that he loves.
Second related study is also an undergraduate thesis entitled “Personality
Change of the Main Character, Tom Leyton, as influenced by the Minor Character,
Joseph Davidson, in Michael Gerard Bauer’s The Running Man” by Bertha Palupi
(2011) from Sanata Dharma University. In the background of her study she says,
The Running Man by Michael Gerard Bauer (2004) is a great novel with
intricate personalities of the main character in the story. Combined with its
complexity of plot, interesting characters, and great description of the
detail, The Running Man has become a favorable psychological novel
(2011, p.1,2).
Palupi explains the Leyton’s character and how Leyton’s personality
changes as the outcomes from their experiences in life and the people surrounding
him. Palupi analyzes the personality changes of the main character of Tom Leyton
and some minor characters toward the changes. She uses a psychological approach
to analyze the personality changes of the main character with his internal conflict.
The theory of literature is used to identify the characteristics of both characters that
is followed by psychological theory to analyze the behaviour of the characters.
Third
related study is
from
website
academia
entitled “The
Characterization of Dmitri Gurov in Comparison with Generalizations of Men” by
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7
Nicholaus Krauss (2010). The researcher chooses this review by Krauss because
we have the same object of study that discusses Dmitri Gurov’s character in
Chekhov’s “Lady with Lapdog.”
Krauss’ research paper discusses Gurov’s
characterization that is linked to the generalization of men. The researcher and
Krauss have the same material or literary work that is used this thesis and observe
the same character about Gurov. In this quotation below, Krauss describes that the
influence of Anna on Gurov’s character.
Through Gurov’s thoughts of Anna, Chekhov writes “He was moved, sad,
and conscious of a slight remorse… All the time she had called him kind,
exceptional, lofty; obviously he had seemed to her different from what he
really was, so he had unintentionally deceived her.” This quote explains
Gurov’s awareness of the image he gives to women, and how he does not
show women his true emotions. Furthermore, Chekhov writes “[women]
loved in him not himself, but the man created by their imagination, whom
they had been eagerly seeking all their lives. And afterwards, when they
noticed their mistake, they loved him all the same.” Clearly, Gurov uses
his emotional dis-attachments as a tool of attraction, a fitting trait of the
womanizer. It is clear that the characterization of Gurov effectively
matches that of the womanizer (Krauss, 2010, p.4).
Krauss states that Gurov’s character experiences change because another
character’s presence that influences his thought. The first person who makes Gurov
become a disloyal man is his wife. He leaves his wife because he does not love his
wife anymore. In Krauss’ review, Gurov is the kind of man who thinks that any
women are the lower race, but he still appreciates their presence. Gurov’s life
becomes different after he meets Anna Sergeyevna. He falls in love with her and
makes him keep struggle to get affection from her.
The fourth review study is a book review by Virginia Ironside (2009)
entitled “Book of A Lifetime: Lady with a Lapdog” by Anton Chekhov. This review
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8
is posted in Independent website. In her post, she tells about her experiences in
reading this story. She has read this story twenty times to get to know the characters
in the story. She explains the characteristics of the characters in “Lady with
Lapdog” in the following quote,
It's about a jaded married man, something of a serial seducer, who finds
himself alone during the season at Yalta. He picks up Anna, a very young
also-married woman – her husband is back at home – who has a small
Pomeranian dog. They start the usual affair – but this time something out
of the ordinary happens. He falls in love.
Every good story should involve the characters changing in some way –
and in "Lady with a Lapdog," Gurov, the hero, changes completely. And
Chekhov doesn't make it a happily-ever-after story. He leaves the whole
thing open-ended and yet, and here's the odd thing, it doesn't feel
unsatisfactory at all, like so many books that end on a question. Gurov's
complete change is the story (Ironside, 2009, p. 1).
As explained above, she defines the characteristic of Gurov and his wife.
Ironside also tells about Chekhov’s style of writing inspires her to write in a similar
style so that the readers can imagine and expect what happen in the story as they
wish to end.
B. Review of Related Theories
1.
Theory of Character and Characterization
A character is a person who appears in the literary work that represents the
human being verbal’s representation that determines the behavior, speech, and
mind. The author demonstrates this in action, dialogue, experience, and
commentary or description in the story events. According to the theory from M.H.
Abrams, he defines
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Character are the persons represented in a dramatic or narrative work, who
are interpreted by the reader as being endowed with particular moral,
intellectual, and emotional qualities by inferences from what the person
say and their distinctive way of saying it- the dialogue, and from what they
do-the actions (1981, p. 20).
Another understanding of character is based on Boyton and Mack’s finding. They
define
to be acceptable, a character also has to behave in a consistent manner.
One is the obvious fact that the short-story writer can deal with only a few
facets of a character’s personality and only a few events of his life. Another
truth about most short stories is that the focus is on one, central character.
It is not impossible that there be more than one principal character, but it
is unusual (Boynton and Mack, 1972, pp. 26-27).
Boyton and Mack also have six ways to analyze a character, based on
a.
What a character does. The reader can see the character by what he or she
has done. “Stories show characters in action. The most obvious method for
revealing character is through what a person does” (Boyton and Mack,
1972, p.27).
b.
What a character says. “Another way of revealing what people are like is
to show what they say.” Based on what the character says, the reader can
identify what kind of character is he or she (Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.28).
c.
What a character thinks. Looking at the character’s mind, the reader can
predict what would the character do. It also shows how the character thinks
in the story. “A writer may also reveal the character of people by showing
what they think” (Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.28).
d.
How others react to a character. The reaction of another character can
support reader to figure out the character and categorize the type of
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character. “Much can be shown about a character by the way others react
to him, or by what they say about him” (Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.29).
e.
How a character reacts to his surroundings. Based on the character’s
reaction with his environment, the reader can recognize the character, how
the character interacts and merge their self with surroundings. “One of the
commonest ways to reveal character is to show how a person reacts to his
surroundings – to things and places” (Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.29).
f.
Direct description or explanation. Some of the authors write short snippet
a character’s description in the story or the author can use another character
to explain the principal character or others. “A final method of character
revelation is through direct description or explanation by the author”
(Boyton and Mack, 1972, p.29).
The developing or dynamic character undergoes a permanent change in
some aspect of character, personality, or outlook. The change may be a
large or a small one; it may be for better or for worse; but it is something
important and basic: it is more than a change in condition or a minor
change in opinion (Perrine 1985, p. 69).
The quotation of definition about static and developing or dynamic
character above shows that character is be able to change or not, depends on the
factors which makes him develop. The static character means the character is
unchanging in any situation. He remains constant from the beginning of the story
until the end, the character exactly is not different. On the contrary, the dynamic or
developing character means the character is developing, the changes of the
character depends on some aspects, such as attitude, situation, personality,
interaction with other characters and experience.
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Another theory from Holman and Harmon. The type of character can be
static and dynamic character. A flat (static) character is one who has a little change.
“A static character gives the appearance of changing simply because our picture of
him is revealed bit by bit” (Holman, 1972, p.92). The action’s pattern discloses the
character rather than showing how the character changes in response to the actions.
Besides that, a round (dynamic) character is a character who is improved by actions
and experiences, and one objectives of the work in which the character appears is
to reveal the consequences of these actions (Holman and Harmon, 1986, p.83).
A dynamic character, on the other hand, is one who is modified by the
actions upon him. Most great drama and novels have dynamic characters
as protagonists. Short stories are more likely to reveal static characters
through action than to show changes in characters resulting from actions
(Holman, 1972, p.92).
Robert and Jacobs have stated types of character in fiction that is divided
into two, flat and round. A minor character is usually flat, but not all minor
characters are flat. Minor characters are usually static and not developed, generally
they stay the same. Because they are not the main character in the plot of the story,
thus they are not significantly growing and changing. Round character is the
opposite of a flat character because in round character, the author is fully developed
the character. Round character is considered as a dynamic character because they
group some individual and unpredictable human traits. The character reveals their
capacity to grow or change (Robert and Jacob, 1989, p.145).
Another theory about flat and round character is proposed by Arp and
Johnson who cites the theory of E.M Forster who introduces the standard in
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12
discussing types of characters, they are two types: flat character and round
character.
Flat characters usually have only one or two predominant traits; they can
be summed up in a sentence or two. By contrast, round characters are
complex and many-sided; they have the three-dimensional quality of real
people (Arp and Johnson, 2012, p.105).
2.
Theory of Character Development
Theory of character development is the process of character’s changing
because of some internal or external factors that can be influenced by the character.
The characters are able to change their life because they can do something and they
allow something to be done with them. The definition of character development by
E.M. Foster is
character development is the changing of the character from the beginning
until the end of the story. Characters are developing if they experience a
change in themselves, for from personality, disposition, or outlook. They
will change into a better character but of course, the changing depends on
the situation in the story (Forster,1980, p. 54).
A character cannot unexpectedly change without any reason that
influences them. There is a reason why the author changes the character; the author
will explain the process of the character changes by portraying the character in the
story. Character changes with smaller change and it is motivated by circumstance.
(Perrine,1974, p.71). Perrine has defined that the changing of character is always
followed by the steps or the elements of the story that point out the causal of
character changes.
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Character development has relation with the plot. The plot shows the
sequence of events that describes the important part of the story in character’s
action, character’s progression, character’s conflict, character’s problems, and
character’s way to solve them. Forster stated that character and plot are inseparable.
The plot is simply series of events that come out of character that reveals character
and that influences character. The plot drives the character to face their
development (Forster,1974, p. 65). A well-plotted story connects all its elements, it
has twist and turn of events. The development of the plot is unexpected, and plot
has sequences of the events that is stated in exposition, rising action, climax, falling
action and resolution.
Rohrberger and Wood show their theories about the relationship between
plot, setting, conflict, and characters in their book.
It is difficult to separate single elements to talk, for example, about
character without talking about at the same time about plot or setting or
conflict, because characters often determine plot, setting helps to define
characters, and conflict result from placing characters in situation
(Rohrberger and Wood, 1971, p.20).
It explains the plot which is inseparable with the character development.
The plot shows how the characters take their problems, and how they solve the
problem.
3.
Theory of Plot
A plot can influence the developing of character because the plot and
characterization have a close relationship. Rohrberger and Woods define “a
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14
narrative, of course is a story, and stories involve persons, called characters, who
act out in a particular time and place (setting) some kind of conflict in a pattern of
events is called plot” (1971, p.20). According to Stanton, he says “the plot is the
backbone of a story. Because it is more self-evident than some of the story’s other
elements, its links of cause-and-effect” (1965, p.15).
Supporting Stanton’s definition, Murphy states that,
Plot is a carefully thought-out plan in which all the events, all the actions
and reactions of the characters, contribute towards the forward movement
of the story. The story then moves on, carrying the reader with it up and
over a series of crests until the climax of the story is reached, and
everything is resolved, generally to the reader’s satisfaction (Murphy,
1972, p.134).
The quotation means that the author has well thought-out about the way a
story can move forward by connecting the actions and reactions of the characters,
along with the events that occur in the story. The story directs the reader to follow
the acts and sequence of events from the beginning, rising action, climax, falling
action, and ending.
According to Stanton (1965, p.16), there are two necessary parts of the
plot, conflict and climax. In every fiction works, we can find internal and external
conflict. Internal conflict happens in a character’s life against what he or she wants.
External conflict happens between two characters or more, and also between a
character and his or her surroundings. The climax of the story is the point or action
when the conflict of the plot becomes more intense and its outcome is unavoidable.
The climax of a story is the meeting point of its lines of force and
determines how their opposition will be resolved – “resolved” rather than
“decided” because although one force may vanquish the other, more often,
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15
as in real life, the outcome is a complex equilibrium in which neither side
completely triumphs or completely loses (Stanton, 1965, pp. 16-17).
Boynton and Mack have own understandings about the plot. They say that
a skilled writer does not only focus on the characters’ movements in the storyline,
but he or she also chooses the significant events which have a direct influence on
the story. Definition a plot according to Boynton and Mack is,
plot is the technical terms that applies to these connected events in a story.
To build a plot the experienced writer carefully selects certain details and
just as carefully rejects many more; he is interested not in compiling a
precise record of a character’s actions but in choosing only those details
that have a direct bearing on the story (1972, p.12).
Perrine emphasizes that the author has directed the story and its action to
a definite end of the story. Therefore a plot is not only about the action itself. The
author’s main purpose is to make the reader follow the plot and keep them interested
in reading till the end of the story. Skillful writers are very attentive to put on the
sequence in significant order. According to Perrine, in a plot, there are some events
happen beyond expectation because the plot of a story is not always a straight line.
It is caused by some incidents that make the story twist and turn from the beginning
until the end of a story. Therefore, the climax point can surprise the reader and also
this part is uneasy to be guessed.
Plot is the sequence of incidents or events through which an author
constructs a story. The plot is not the action itself, but the way the author
arranges the action toward a specific end. The plot may include many
surprising twists and turns and a culminating, climatic incident; because
the main goal is to keep the reader turning the pages, a commercial author
is likely to use a tried-and-true, fairly conventional structure in arranging
the plot elements (2009, p.105).
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A plot is one of the important elements that can be found in every story. It
describes the sequence of events that occur in the story through what is done by the
character. A reader also can understand the qualities of character when a plot moves
forward, especially in the climactic incidents, when it is a high point of a character's
action and emotion happen.
C. Theoretical Framework
In this study, it discusses the character development as reflected in the
main character in Anton Chekhov’s short story, “Lady with Lapdog.” Further, as
this study mainly talks about the character development, the researcher needs to
analyze the two problems that are stated in problem formulation. In order to support
the analysis of the problems, the researcher uses some related studies and related
theories. The first theory is used theory of character and characterization by M.H.
Abrams. The first question describes the character of Dmitry Gurov and Anna
Sergeyevna. The researcher also uses the theory of Boyton and Mack to analyze the
characterization of Gurov and Anna. Both theories will be used to understand each
character especially the personal description, manner, thought, and speech of the
characters. The researcher uses the theory of character development to find the
cause in developing in Dmitry Gurov that is influenced by Anna Sergeyevna.
In this topic, the researcher uses several theories, the theories of character
and characterization as well as character development. These theories will help the
researcher to understand and observe the characters in “Lady with Lapdog.” All of
these theories support the analysis of the two questions in problem formulation.
PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
“Lady with Lapdog” is one of many popular short story that is written by
a Russian author, named Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. This short story was first
published in Russian in December 1899. The first publication was in English, and
was mass-produced in 1903. The researcher uses a short story translated by David
Magarshack from his book called Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing,
published in 1987 by Pretince Hall, Inc. This short story is from a book called Dama
s sobachkoy that contains other short stories. The short story used to be adapted into
a film version in 1960 by Josef Heifitz that received an appreciation in the 1960
Cannes Film Festival. In 1987, this inspiring film by Chekhov’s “Lady with
Lapdog” was also adapted in Russian and Italian films, which were called
entitled The Lady with the Dog.
“Lady with Lapdog” is a story about Dmitry Gurov, a Russian banker who
is married and has one daughter and two sons. The internal problems about his
marriage life force him to undergo the burden of life himself. As a result, he cannot
stand against his wife anymore, and he has become unfaithful to his wife. He
changes his perspective about women, as he thinks and judges all women in general
as the lower race. One day, Gurov decides to go on a holiday in Yalta, and then he
meets a young lady who always takes a stroll with her white pomeranian. He is
curious to know about the lady who is often called as the lady with the lapdog
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18
because nobody knows who she is. In their first meeting in a restaurant, Gurov is
always staring at her, she introduces herself. She is Anna Sergeyevna who is
married to a man who works in the office of provincial governor or the rural council.
Since that day, Gurov is feeling comfortable to talk to her and to ask some casual
questions. Eventually Gurov wants to know what happens with Anna’s life. After
they have spent the day together, and they both feel pleasant and confident with
each other. Gurov suddenly feels sad when she plans to leave him alone. He feels
lonely because Anna says that they will be parted forever. He is still trying to find
her in S--- town although he does not know where she lives. One day when Gurov
arrives in S--- town, he knows that she lives there and he meets Anna again at a
theater. Anna is surprised with Gurov’s presence and feels worried if somebody
will know their relationship. At the end of the story, Anna comes to Moscow to
meet Gurov every two or three months. The story reveals Gurov’s life experiences
and love affairs with Anna. The changing of Gurov’s life because of Anna
Sergeyevna can fulfill and complete what he needs. In the end, they both regret their
past. They decide to have a secret relationship even though they cannot marry each
other. They can meet each other anytime. The short story of “Lady with Lapdog” is
really about family, love affair and loyalty.
B. Approach of the Study
The focus of this study is to analyze the character development of Gurov,
his life experiences, and how the author characterizes Gurov as a main character.
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19
The approach is appropriate to this study is the New Criticism approach. New
Criticism approach applies a close reading analysis of literary works. Bressler says,
Using New Criticism’s clearly articulated methodology, any intelligent
reader, say its adherents (called New Critics), can uncover a text’s hitherto
so-called hidden meaning. New Criticism’s theoretical ideas, terminology,
and critical methods are, more than not, disparaged by many present-day
critics who themselves are introducing new ideas concerning literary
theory. Despite its current unpopularity, New Criticism stands as one of
the most important English-based contributions to literary critical analysis
(Bressler, 2003, p.53).
New criticism is a powerful tool for those that have problems
understanding a work of literature. New criticism formulates a method of reading,
a simple formula that will help us unlock the meaning of a text. New criticism says
the text itself should really stand-alone therefore new critics really have a textual
focus. They are interested in the work itself, they do not care about what the author
intends to care anymore, they do not really care what the reader thinks about it and
they care what the text says.
The researcher chooses New Criticism approach because to analyze
literature works the readers need to focus on close reading of the text, and they have
to understand the words and rely on their interpretation. The readers do not need to
dig up evidence of the author, do not need other sources. To fully understand the
text do not require its historical and social background of authors, time, and what
happens in that era.
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C. Method of the Study
The method of data collection for this study uses the library research, in
which all books, theories, thesis and some information from the internet are taken.
The data have been gathered to elaborate and to support the analysis in this study.
The primary source is a literary work and a short story written by Anton Chekhov
entitled “Lady with Lapdog” that has been translated by David Magarshack as part
of the book Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing by Edgar V. Roberts
and Henry E. Jacobs. The secondary source to be used is related to the theory for
this study. There are a theory of character and characterization, theory of character
development, and theory of plot from a book called Glossary Literary Term Seventh
Edition by M. H. Abrams, Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English
Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students by M.J. Murphy, Aspects of
the Novel by Forster, E.M, Introduction To The Short Story by Robert W. Boynton
and Maynard Mack, Reading and Writing About Literature by Mary Rohrberger
and Samuel H. Woods, An Introduction to Fiction by Robert Stanton, Perrine’s
Literature Structure, Sound, and Sense by Laurence Perrine.
The researcher conducts some steps in this study. The first step is reading
the short story intensively. The researcher rereads the text more than once to find
the important points. The second step is collecting the supporting data from articles
from the internet, some books’ theories, and reviewing related studies that have a
connection with the topic. The third step is presenting the character in the story, and
then identify the character who has influenced to the main character. After that, the
researcher finds the characteristics of the character named Dmitry Gurov as the
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main character in the story, and also finds the characteristic of another character
such as Anna Sergeyevna. The next step is identifying Gurov’s character by using
the theory of character development to see whether or not his character is
developing. The last step is making a conclusion from the whole analysis.
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CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
This chapter consists of the answers to the questions that are previously
stated in the problem formulation. The analysis of my study is concerned with how
Dmitry Gurov, as the main character changes, develops, and how he is influenced
by Anna Sergeyevna. This chapter is divided into two parts. The first part reveals
the characters, they are Dmitry Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna. The second part
analyzes the influence of Anna Sergeyevna on the character development of Dmitry
Gurov.
A. The Characterization of Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna
In the story of “Lady with Lapdog,” there is two characters who are
highlighted. These characters are Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov and Anna Sergeyevna.
Anton Chekhov as the author focuses on this one character because they
predominantly influence the character development of Gurov.
The researcher is attempting to describe all of the important characters one
by one in order to make the reader understand the dominant characters in this short
story.
1.
Dmitry Dmitrich Gurov
The “Lady with Lapdog” story emphasizes Gurov as the main character
who takes the important role because he leads the course of the story. From the
beginning until the end of the story, Gurov is always highlighted because the
author takes the reader’s attention to follow the main character that leads to the
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plot of the story. Based on the theory of flat and round character by Roberts and
Jacob (1989), Gurov can be categorized as a round or dynamic character because
he has the ability to change and develop. The researcher gives a detailed
description of Gurov’s character developments in the next chapter.
Boyton and Mack have six ways to characterize a character in fictional
works. The theory explains about what a character does, what a character says,
what a characte