Materialism and social status : thackeray`s satire on british society of the early victorian era through rebecca sharp character in vanity fair - USD Repository
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MATERIALISM AND SOCIAL STATUS: THACKERAY’S SATIRE ON BRITISH SOCIETY OF THE EARLY VICTORIAN ERA THROUGH REBECCA SHARP CHARACTER IN VANITY FAIR A Thesis Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education By Nadia Octaviani Student Number: 021214111 ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2008
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We are what we imagine Our very existence consist in our imagination of ourselves
Our best destiny is to imagine who and what we are The greatest tragedy to befall us is to go unimagined
N. Scott Nomaday This thesis is dedicated to my family, to my friends, and to my self. vi
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank those who have given me their affection, support, guidance and criticism in finishing every part of my thesis.
First of all, I would like to bestow my gratitude to Allah s.w.t. for guiding and keeping me not to stray from His path and finally finish my thesis. My deepest gratitude is given to my beloved dad and mom, Pak Kun and Mama
Ning, who have given me their never-ending affection and prayer to support me
through the life. I also thank them for keeping asking patiently on the progress of my thesis. I would like to thank my two little brothers, Danang and Damar, for kindly sharing their fight and laugh with me.
My greatest appreciation is addressed to my sponsor Ibu Henny
Herawati, S.Pd., M. Hum., who believed and convinced me that I am able to
finish and defend my thesis, though I hesitated in myself. I really thank her for her patient guidance, suggestion, time and ideas in improving this thesis. My thankfulness goes to Ibu Agnes Dwina Herdiasti S.Pd., M.A., who had checked my thesis in such a short time. I also would like to thank to all PBI lecturers for the experience and knowledge that I could be proud of myself as a student of PBI. My thanks are given to Mbak Dani and Mbak Tari for helping me in every administration problems.
Big thanks to my Ndul, Handy Inderata, for opening up my eyes to the world that I had never seen before. Through laughter and cry, I thank him for those unforgettable moments that have been coloring my life. All those support, faith, happiness, hope and love that he gives have shaped me as who I am. My vii
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gratitude also goes to all of my comrades who have kept me away from a dull life.
Sasha, Echie, Ita, Mawar, I thank them for always welcoming me. Thanks for
the never “jaim” friendship lesson. It has been six-wonderful-year friendship. To all my 2002 companions, Ook, Udjo, Metty, Uchiel, Lissa, Wida, Regina,
Andre, Miko, Galih, Reni, Ikas, Rika, I am proud to know them all. I also thank
“Black Jacket” and “Wizard of Oz” plays performance squads for showing the
fun of self esteem. For Endra 14a girls, I thank them all for sharing the same roof
Uwi for delivering the meal, Chiwi for swimming lesson and special thanks for
my insomniac companion Ayu, for her late night sharing and grammar-checking session. I also thank Dian and Diah who had been my whip to finish this thesis.
Last but not the least; I am grateful to those whom I cannot mention one by one. Thanks would not be enough to show my gratitude.
Yogyakarta, April 16, 2008 Nadia Octaviani viii
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TITLE PAGE ..................................................................................................... i PAGE OF APPROVAL ..................................................................................... ii PAGE OF BOARD EXAMINERS .................................................................... iii STATEMENTS OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY................................................. iv
LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH
UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMI ................................................................. v
PAGE OF DEDICATION................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................... vii TABLE OF CONTENT ..................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................... xii
........................................................................................................... xiii
ABSTRAK CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................
1 1.1 Background of the Study ........................................................................
1 1.2. Problem Formulation ............................................................................
4 1.3. Objectives of the Study .........................................................................
4 1.4. Benefits of the Study .............................................................................
5 1.5. Definition of the Terms .........................................................................
5 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .............................
8 2.1. Review of Related Theories ..................................................................
8 2.1.1. Theory of character .....................................................................
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2.1.2. Theory of characterization ..........................................................
10 2.1.3. Theory of Critical Approach .......................................................
11 2.1.4. Theory of Satire ..........................................................................
12 2.1.5. The Relationship between Literature and Society ......................
14 2.2. Review on British Society of Victorian Era ..........................................
16 2.1. Governmental and Political condition ...........................................
16 2.2. Economic Condition ......................................................................
17 2.3. Social Condition ............................................................................
18 2.3.1. High Class Society ................................................................
18 2.3.2. Middle Class Society ............................................................
19 2.3.3. Lower Class Society .............................................................
19 2.2.4. Moral Values ........................................................................
19 2.3. Criticism ................................................................................................
21 2.4. Theoretical Framework .........................................................................
22 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY ...................................................................
24 3.1. Subject Matter .......................................................................................
24 3.2. Approach of the Study ..........................................................................
25 3.3. Method of the Study ..............................................................................
26 CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS ................................................................................
28 4.1. Character Analysis of Rebecca Sharp ...................................................
28 4.1.1 Social Traits ..................................................................................
29 4.1.2. Physical Traits ..............................................................................
32 x
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4.1.3. Psychological Traits .....................................................................
33 4.1.3.1 Cunning ..............................................................................
33 4.1.3.2. Clever .................................................................................
35 4.1.3.3. Independent .......................................................................
37 4.1.3.4. Selfish ................................................................................
39 4.1.3.5. Hypocritical .......................................................................
40 4.1.3.6. Ambitious ..........................................................................
42 4.2. Satire on British Society .......................................................................
44 4.2.1. Thackeray Satirizes British Society is Materialistic ....................
46 4.2.2. Thackeray Satirizes the Importance of Social Status ...................
48 CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ...............................
51 5.1. Conclusions .................................................................................................
51 5.2. Suggestions .................................................................................................
53 5.2.1. Suggestions for Future Researcher ....................................................
53 5.2.2. Suggestion for Teaching Learning Activities ....................................
53 BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................
56 APPENDICES 1. Summary of the Novel ...................................................................................
58 2. Biography of William Makepeace Thackeray ...............................................
63 3. Lesson Plan for Teaching Speaking ...............................................................
66 4. Material for Teaching Speaking .....................................................................
68 5. The works of Thackeray .................................................................................
71 6. Chronology of Thackeray’s Life ....................................................................
72
7. The Crawleys’ Family Tree xi
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ABSTRACT
Octaviani, Nadia. 2008. Materialism and Social Status: Thackeray’s Satire on
British Society of the Early Victorian Era through Rebecca Sharp Character
in Vanity Fair. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study program,
Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This study is conducted to analyze the characterization of Rebecca Sharp, one of the main characters in Thackeray’s Vanity Fair. This study also analyzes Thackeray’s portrayal upon British society in the early Victorian era. Vanity Fair is categorized as a social novel, a novel which mostly describes the relationship between people in a society. Through the social novel, the readers may see the life and the shape of a particular society as well as the conflicts that exist within it. This study is conducted based on the reasons that through a character’s eyes, the readers may see the world and the society. There are similarities of situation between the society in the novel and the society where Thackeray lives. Therefore, this study aims also to find out how Thackeray’s view and satires on the society.
There are two main questions that are going to be discussed in this study, namely (1) how the character of Rebecca Sharp is described in the novel, and (2) how Thackeray satirizes the British Society of the early Victorian Era.
The data gathering method used was library research. The data was collected from the novel itself as the primary source and criticisms of the novel and other sources related to the novel as the secondary data. This study used the socio-cultural approach. The theory of character and characterization were employed in order to answer the first question. These theories were used to find out Rebecca Sharp’s characterization. To answer the second question, the theory of character, the theory of satire, the relationship between literature and society, and review on British Society at early Victorian era are used.
The result of the analysis shows that Rebecca Sharp is described as a beautiful, charming, independent, hypocritical, selfish and ambitious person who comes from low-class society and tries to make her way to be accepted in the high-class society. Based on Becky’s characteristics, it can be drawn that first, Thackeray attempts to satirize British society as a materialistic society. He shows his satire using Becky’s cunning, selfishness, and ambition, along with the influence of society on Becky’s materialism. Second, Thackeray satirizes the importance of social status in British society. He shows his satire through Becky’s marriage that is not based on love, but on her wish to elevate her social status. xii
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ABSTRAK
Octaviani, Nadia. 2008. Materialism and Social Status: Thackeray’s Satire on
British Society of the Early Victorian Era through his Character in Vanity
Fair. Yogyakarta: Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan
Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Studi ini disusun untuk menganalisis karakter Rebecca Sharp, salah satu tokoh utama dalam novel Vanity Fair karya Thackeray. Studi ini juga menganalisa gambaran Thackeray terhadap masyarakat Inggris pada awal jaman Victoria. Vanity Fair termasuk dalam kategori novel sosial, sebuah novel yang kebanyakan menceritakan tentang hubungan antar orang dalam sebuah masyarakat. Melalui novel sosial, para pembaca dapat melihat kehidupan dan bentuk dari sebuah masyarakat tertentu, demikian juga dengan konflik-konflik yang terdapat didalamnya. Alasan studi ini disusun adalah bahwa melalui mata sang karakter, para pembaca dapat melihat dunia dan masyarakat. Terdapat persamaan situasi antara masyarakat di novel dan masyarakat dimana Thackeray hidup. Oleh karena itu, studi ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui bagaimnana pandangan dan sindiran Thackeray terhadap masyarakat tersebut.
Ada dua permasalah mendasar yang akan dibahas dalam studi ini, yaitu (1) bagaimana karakter Rebecca Sharp dideskripsikan didalam novel, dan (2) bagaimana Thackeray menyindir masyarakat Inggris pada awal jaman Viktoria.
Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah studi pustaka. Data dikumpulkan dari novel itu sendiri sebagai sumber utama, kritik mengenai novel, dan beberapa sumber lainnya. Teori karakter dan karakteristik digunakan untuk menjawab pertanyaan pertama. Teori-teori tersebut digunakan untuk mencari tahu karakteristik Rebecca Sharp. Sementara untuk menjawab pertanyaan kedua menggunakan teori karakter, teori sindiran, hubungan antara literatur dan masyarakat, dan review mengenai masyarakat Inggris pada awal jaman Victoria. Pendekatan yang digunakan pada studi ini adalah pendekatan sosio-kultural.
Hasil dari analisis menunjukan bahwa Rebbeca Sharp dideskripsikan sebagai orang yang cantik, menarik, mandiri, munafik, egois, dan ambisius yang berasal dari masyarakat kelas bawah yang miskin dan mencoba mencari cara untuk diterima oleh masyarakat kelas atas. Berdasarkan dari karakteristik Rebecca Sharp, dapat disimpulkan bahwa Thackeray mencoba untuk pertama, menyindir masyarakat Inggris sebagai masyarakat yang materialistik yang mementingkan status sosial. Thackeray menunjukan sindirannya melalui karakter Becky yang licik, egois, dan ambisius. Kedua, Thackeray menyindir pentingnya status sosial dalam masyrakat Inggris. Dia menunjukan sindirannya melalaui perkawinan Becky yang tidak dilandaskan oleh cinta, tetapi oleh keinginannya untuk meningkatkan status sosialnya. xiii
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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This chapter consists of the background of the study, objectives of the
study, problem formulation, benefits of the study, and definition of terms. The background of the study focuses on the reasons why Vanity Fair was chosen. The objectives of the study section explains the purpose of this study. The problem formulation part gives the general description of what is going to be discussed in this study. The section that talks about benefit of the study is the explanation of the advantages of the study and those who can get the benefits from this study.
The definition of terms explains about the terms that are used in this study.
1.1 Background of the Study
Literary works can be categorized into three major genres: novels, poems, and dramas. According to Walker, among many other literary works, novel is “the most democratic of all, because it makes least demand for education and training and puts the smallest strain upon the intelligence of the reader” (612). It is relatively easier to enjoy a novel rather than the other literary works.
Reading novels can give the reader not only pleasure but also knowledge contained in it. By reading adventurous novels of Conrad or Kipling, the readers can “experience” traveling to Far East without spending a penny, and even without moving from your seat (Eagleton 36). Another benefit that is offered from reading novels is that readers can get the picture of the novel’s world, as De
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Bonald says that “literature is an expression of society” (qtd. in Wellek and Warren 110). Through Dickens’ Oliver Twist, readers may see the cruel and hard life of London’s street from the eyes of a child, or having known about the wizard’s world from Rowling’s famous novels of Harry Potter.
Henkle proposes what he calls social novels, along with three other basic modes of novels: the psychological novel, the novel of symbolic action, and the modern romance. Social novels flourished in the nineteenth century. They usually “describe entire societies, have varied casts of characters, are filled with action, and depict life over a period of time” (Henkle 22). These novels seem realistic because the world and the people of the novel are created similar to those in real life. It presents life-like characters in familiar and possible social situations.
Social interaction is one of the important activities of these novels. They describe the relationship between people in a society. The readers can get the description of a country, classes of people, and subcultures of the time from reading these novels. The main characters of these novels usually define themselves through interaction with other characters. Therefore, “much of what takes place in social novels is not internalized within the individual; rather it transpires in the open between people” (Henkle 23).
From a social novel, readers can learn about life, about the shape of the society, and conflicts that exist within it. Since the people and the social problems faced by the characters are much alike the readers’, another objective of a novel of this kind is to draw the readers into the experiences vicariously. Consequently, the readers are asked to interpret their own lives because “the fictional and the real are
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too close to avoid transferring meaning from one to others. The fuller a novel’s portrayal of society is, the more likely we are to feel as if we are part of it” (Henkle 26-27). In portraying the society, the author can also express his or her own opinion on the society. This opens up to the possibility for the author to try to satirize the society. By analyzing the author’s satire conveyed in his novel, readers can also find out how the society looks like.
Like many other social novels, which “describe entire society and have many casts of characters” (Henkle 22), Thackeray’s Vanity Fair also serves much information about the condition of society and characters. It tells about the life journey of two best friends, Rebecca Sharp and Amelia Sedley, who come from different classes in the society. Being a child of a poor painter father and a French artist mother, Rebecca, or often called Becky, has suffered from poverty since she is a little girl. Her friend Amelia, on the other hand, has a better life because she is born from a merchant family. The setting takes place predominantly in England, Belgium, and France during the battle of Waterloo around 1815 between France and England. The novel further reveals how those two women try to meet their ambitions; Becky, with her obsession with money and being accepted into high class society, and Amelia’s obsession with true love.
Money and the importance of one’s status are two topics that are constantly discussed in this novel. Vanity Fair tells about how people are moved by their needs. Understanding how the author satirizes the society’s view on money and social status, and what people can do to achieve them, is also another
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interesting experience in reading this novel. However, we all know that money, power, and social status do not always determine one’s happiness.
Thackeray portrays the perception of a particular society towards money and social status through his characters in the novel. Though there are many characters in the novel, the most relevant character to be explored further in this study is Rebecca Sharp. Rebecca Sharp is considered the best representative to portray the society. She represents both the life of a lower-class and high-class society. She is a girl without money and social status, but later in her life she can lift up her status and enter the glamorous life of high-class society
1.2. Problem Formulation
There are two problems that will be discussed in the study:
1. How is the characteristic of Rebecca Sharp described in Thackeray’s Vanity Fair?
2. How does Thackeray satirize the British society of the early Victorian era through Rebecca Sharp’s character in Vanity Fair?
1.3. Objectives of the Study
This study aims to find out how the character of Rebecca Sharp in the novel is described by the author. It also attempts to understand how Thackeray views the British Society of the early Victorian era. Through Becky’s characteristics in the novel, Thackeray expresses his satire toward the society.
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1.4. Benefits of the Study There are two groups of people who can get the benefits from this study.
The first group is the readers in general. The readers can get a better understanding not only the story being told, but also the background of it.
Hopefully, from this study, readers become aware that there are many more important things in this world besides money, power, and social status. The second group is the readers who are going to conduct studies on this novel. They can use this study as one of their sources. There is also suggestion in implementing Vanity Fair to teach speaking.
1.5. Definition of the Terms
There are several terms that will be discussed in the definition of the terms. These terms need to be clarified in order to give better understanding of the study.
The first word is materialism. The term materialism that is used in this study signifies an ethical attitude. A person is called a materialist, in this sense, if “he is interested seriously in sensuous pleasure and bodily comforts, and hence in the material possession in bringing these about” (The New encyclopedia Britannica volume 6 612). In this ethical sense, a man might be called a materialist without having to believe the metaphysical theory, and conversely. A materialist, in this study, is a person who considers material possessions, including money and properties, as the most important things.
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The second word is social status. According to Gary Day, status means “a legal term designating any mark of distinction which placed an individual in a defined position in society in relation to others.” Status can also be defined in terms of honor or prestige. “It is perfectly possible for a profession to carry a high prestige factor, for example a priest, while at the same time having a low remuneration” (10). A similar statement is also made by Richard T. Schaefer. He says status refers to “any position of the full range of socially defined positions within a large group or society – from the lowest to the highest position” (112).
Status often conveys connotations of influence, wealth, and fame. Schaefer categorizes status into two parts, ascribed status and achieved status. “Ascribed status is “assigned” to a person by society without regard for the individual’s unique talents or characteristics” (112). He describes that this assignment takes place at birth, therefore, one’s racial background, gender, and age are considered as ascribed statuses. While achieved status is “attained by an individual largely through his or her own effort” (Schaefer 113). One must do something to acquire an achieved status, for example go to school, or learn some particular skills.
Teachers, parents, soldiers are the example of achieved statuses. In this study, nobility, or family name, is considered as an ascribed status. As they are determined at birth, it is difficult to change an ascribed status, although in some cases people can change it by marriage. For example, by marrying Rawdon Crawley, Becky was able to use the Crawley name.
The third word is society. A society means “a variety of people of different occupations, ages, and natures, living in a way that creates a web of
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interrelationships” (Henkle 23). The society in this study refers to the British society in the early Victorian Era. The society, here, also includes the customs, perceptions and attitudes, beliefs and values, even the economic, social, governmental, and political conditions.
The fourth word is Victorian. The term Victorian in English literary criticism often implies disapproval of certain attitudes; for example, materialism, hypocrisy, insularity, complacency, and censoriousness. While the term Victorian that is related with a certain era, or Victorian Era, means the period during which Queen Victoria ruled Britain from 1837-1903. Abrams used the year 1870 to divide “Early Victorian” from “Late Victorian.” This period is considered as the period of invention, scientific discovery, and changing economic, political, and social ideas (The New encyclopedia Britannica volume 10 422). Both of explanations of the Victorian terms above are used in this study. The first term relates to English literary criticism is used to represent the attitude and the perception of the characters in Vanity Fair. The second term relates to the period or era used to show the time when Vanity Fair takes place.
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CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter presents discussions on review of related literature. The
discussions are divided into review of related theories, review on British society of the early Victorian era, criticism, and theoretical framework. In the review on related theories, there is a discussion about theory of character, theory of characterization, theory of critical approaches, theory of satire, and the relationship between literature and society. In the review of British society of Victorian era, explanation about the British society of Victorian Era is presented.
The theoretical framework covers why and how those theories are applied in order to answer the problems.
2.1 Review of Related Theories
There are five things that will be discussed in the review of related theories; those are: theory of character, theory of characterization, theory of critical approaches, theory of satire, and the relation between literature and society.
2.1.1. Theory of Character
Character, according to Robert Stanton, can be defined into two ways. He says that “it designates the individuals who appear in the story and it refers to the mixture of interests, desires, emotions, and moral principles that makes up each of
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these individuals” (17). In other words, character is both the people in the novel and their personalities or characteristics.
Character is one of the most important aspects in the novel. Through the eyes of the characters, the readers can experience not only the characters’ life but also see what Henkle said as “a vision of a world” (48). The characters tell the story of the novel and put across the picture from their world. The readers, therefore, can identify the novel’s world through the characters. Wellek and Warren also say that the author expresses his idea and knowledge about his society in the world of literature by using language as a medium in his fictitious characters. The use of fictitious characters in fiction, such as heroes and villains afford interesting indications of social attitude, which is similar to the characteristics of the people in his society (104). Elizabeth Langlard also states that by looking at the interaction between characters, we can see the society or the world of the novel. “This society may also be revealed through human relationships, through characters patterned interactions and their common expectations from one another” (6)
The character in the novel, or what E. M. Forster calls as “Homo Fictus” (38) reflects the qualities of ordinary human beings. They are named, given sexes, provided with personalities complete with physical and psychological aspects.
The difference is that the characters in the novel, if the author wants to, can be understood completely because their inner and outer life can be exposed (Forster 32). The explanation on how the author describes the inner and outer life of the characters will be explained further in the theory of characterization.
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Forster divides characters into flat and round. Flat characters are easily recognized, “they are constructed round a single idea or quality” (47). They change only a little part from the beginning to the end of the story. On the other hand, round characters are more complex than the flat characters. They are more dynamic and can change. The changes will influence the character. The action of this character is often unpredictable by the readers.
2.1.2. Theory of Characterization
According to Holman and Harmon (81), the technique the author uses to reveal the characters of an imaginary person in the story is called characterization.
By knowing the technique that the author uses, the readers can get descriptions about the characters of the novel. The descriptions of the characters can help the readers to know and understand them better. The techniques the author uses may vary from one to another.
There are many ways in characterizing characters. The following are nine ways Murphy says the author can employ “to make his characters understandable to, and come alive for, his readers” (161).
The first way is by personal description. The readers can identify someone’s characters by describing the physical appearance (161). The second is by seeing from other characters. Besides describing a character directly, the author can also describe his character through the eyes and opinions of other characters.
The readers can know one’s character by knowing other characters’ opinion and point of view about him or her (162). The third is by speech. Whenever a
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character says something or has a conversation with other characters, he gives the readers some clues to his characters (164). Next is by exploring the character’s past life. The pictures of the character’s past life can be traced and learnt to help us figure out the character’s action of the present time. (166). The fifth is by seeing from conversation of others. The clues to one character can be revealed through the conversation with other characters (167). The sixth is by reaction. The response or the reaction of a character to something may give the readers clues to one’s character (168). The seventh way is by direct comments. In this way, usually the author of the novel acts as a narrator. The author describes one’s character by giving a comment directly (170). The eight is by thought. The readers can know the character’s inner ideas and thoughts by looking at what one is thinking about directly, or by other characters’ though about him or her (171). The last way is by seeing one’s mannerism. The readers can get clues of one’s characters by his mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies (173).
2.1.3. Theory of Critical Approaches
Mary Rohrberger and Samuel H. Woods, Jr. presents that there are five approaches that can be used as a means of observing a novel critically. These approaches are the formalistic approach, the biographical approach, the socio- cultural historical approach, the mythopoeic approach, and the psychological approach (6-15). The first approach is the formalist approach. This approach is concerned with demonstrating the harmonious involvement of all the parts to the whole and with pointing out how meaning is derived from structure and how
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matters of technique determine structure (6-7). The second approach is the biographical approach. This approach emphasizes the necessity for an appreciation of the ideas and personality of the author to an understanding of the literary object. Critics try to learn as much as they can about the life and development of the author and apply this knowledge in their attempt to understand his writing (8-9). The third is the sociocultural-historical approach. Two factors are present here. Firstly, accuracy in the presentation of historical facts is of value to the historian, but not necessarily to the author. Secondly, a work of literature might have historical significance, but not necessarily literary significance (9-11). The fourth is the mythopoeic approach. The critics use of mythopoeic frame of reference try to discover certain universally recurrent patterns of human thought, which they believe exist in significant works of arts (11-13). The last approach that Rohrberger and Woods present is the psychological approach. This approach involves the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent patterns. In applying this theory, we must be careful not to take the part for the whole and reduce a piece of literature to a mere statement of a behavior pattern (13-15).
2.1.4. The Theory of Satire
The Nineteenth century became a period of satire. Most of literary works; such as poetry, drama, essays, novels, and criticisms took on the satirical manner.
“Although the Victorian period was not noted for pure satire, the writers; such as Dickens, Thackeray and others produced novels that showed an excellent vehicle for social satire” (The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature 569).
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According to Holman and Harmon, a satire is “a literary manner that blends a critical attitude with humor and wit for the purpose of improving human institutions or humanity” (447). While Abrams says that a satire is “the literary art of diminishing or derogating a subject by making it ridiculous and evoking toward it attitudes of amusement, contempt, scorn, or indignation” (187). Though both of them are using laughter and comedy as tools, a satire is different from a comic. In comic, comedy evokes laughter mainly as an end, while satire evokes laughter as a weapon, and against an object that exists outside the work itself. A satire is an author way of criticizing a certain object that he dislikes or disagrees. “A satire is an author’s style to criticize the root of the matter which the author is taken as a fancy and does not agree with” (Abrams 187).The object of a satire can be many things, included an individual, a type of persons, a class, an institution, a nation, or even the whole human race (Abrams 187).
Both Abrams and Holman and Harmon divide satire into two major types; they are formal (direct) satire and indirect satire. In formal (direct) satire, the satiric voice speaks out, usually in the first person, directly to the reader or to a character, or to an object that is being satirized (Holman and Harmon 448). On the other hand, in indirect satire, the satire is expressed through “narratives of the characters or groups who are the butt are ridiculed not by what is said about them, but what they themselves say and do” (Holman and Harmon 448). According to Abrams, the most common indirect form is a fictional narrative. In fictional narrative, “the objects of the satire are characters who make themselves and their opinions ridiculous or obvious by what they think, say, and do, and sometimes
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made even more ridiculous by the author’s comments and narrative style” (Abrams 188)
2.1.5. The Relationship between Literature and Society
According to Langlard, society means “not merely people and their classes but also their customs, conventions, beliefs and values, their institutions – legal, religious, and cultural-- and their physical environment (6). It means that society can be defined as two; a group of people and the system that embodied in them.
She divides society into two; they are the world that exists in the novel and the world in which a writer lives. The two can influence each other. The world in which a writer lives may influence the world in the novel in a way that there are similarities between the two. On the other hand, the world in a novel may influence the world in which a writer lives in a way that it is the author’s way in expressing his opinion or criticisms towards it. It means that the readers may find out that while reading along the novel, they may find the messages or values that the author conveys.
The question of values has strong mimetic implications. Analyzing the values …allows us to address questions of why novels mean what they mean to us and why they can affect us powerfully. Society, as depicted in the novel, thus comments on the roles and possibilities of society in our lives (Langlard 6). According to Wellek and Warren, the relationship between literature and society may appear in the sociology of the writer, the influence of literature on society, and the social context of the works themselves. The first is the sociology of the writer. It also deals with the writer’s social background, social status, and
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social ideology. “Since every writer is a member of society, he can be studied as a social being” (96). The main source is his biography, but the information about where he came and in which he lived becomes another important point to explore. His opinion of what happen in his society matters in analyzing his work.
The second is the influence of literature on society. It has a connection in a way that the writer is not only being influenced by society but also influencing society. The work that he produces is also influencing the shape and behavior of society. People learn how to live their lives based on what they read in the book (Wellek and Warren 105).
The third aspect is the main focus of this thesis. The context of the works also deals with the implications and social purpose of the works. The most common relation between literature and society is that the study of works of literature is considered as social documents and assumed as the pictures of social reality. As a social document, literature can be used to give the outlines of social history. But studies of literature as simply social documents are not enough if critics do not go beyond it. They should know the artistic method of the novelist being studied - in what relation the picture stands to the social reality. Is it realistic by intention? Or is it, at certain points, satire, caricature, or romantic idealization? (Wellek and Warren 102-104). The writer has his own opinion about the social issues in the society where he lives. Though not like a history work, the opinions of the writer about those social issues can be traced in his work of literature.
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2.2. Review on the British Society of the Early Victorian Era
2.2.1 Governmental and Political Condition
The parliament was ruled mostly by the high class. They ruled the government and created laws that must be obeyed by others. One of the requirements for being a Member of Parliament is the ownership of the land, as George King said “Ownership of the land was an eligibility requirement for the member of Parliament” (qtd. from the New Encyclopedia Britannica Volume 3 261). Therefore, people from lower class society did not have rights in the Parliament.
There are two major groups that existed in that period, Chartism and the middle class Anti-Corn Laws League. The Chartism was aimed at parliamentary reform, containing six points: annual parliament, universal male suffrage, the ballot, no property qualifications for the members of Parliament, payment for members and equal electoral districts. The Chartism was existed because of the grievances of the working class. They were discontent because of bad harvests, industrial unemployment, and high food price that made them hungry.
The second group is the middle class Anti-Corn Laws League. This league was established by the middle class people who disagree with the Corn Law of 1815. The Corn Law was created by the agriculturalists, who were predominant in Parliament, attempted to protect their economy position by raising the prices of grain and rents. The league aimed to repeal the Corn Laws, by doing so, the league believed that it would manage the problems of guaranteeing the livelihood of the poor and securing the prosperity of industry (The New Encyclopedia Britannica Volume 3, 261-6).
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2.2.2. Economic Condition
Industrial Revolution in the Victorian Era can be translated with the changes in making good from hand labors to substituting machines. The use of machines is increasing since the steam was invented. This condition forces the changes from the agrarian society into industrial society. The labors did not have any jobs anymore since the machines can handle their works. Therefore, wages are extremely low because using machines are considered less expensive. The working hours are also very long, almost fourteen hours a day. The women and the children are also hired. The industrial revolution also makes the cities where the factories built, becomes slums and crowded. Snyder and Martin say that “The
th
Industrial Revolution which had begun during the later part of the 18 century, reached its climax just before Victoria came to throne” (311). The development of machinery had brought many workers to the starvation because businessmen considered buying machines and building factories more profitable. The government policy of laissez-faire, or keeping hands off a man’s private business, permitted each businessman to have a law that was created by him to use women and children as workers and force them to work as hard as they could. At the same time ‘the fencing off, or enclosing on the valid plea of improving agriculture made the villagers hurt while the land owners happy” (Snyder and Martin 311).
The whole system was based on money or the cash-nexus. Both agriculture and industry had become thoroughly dominated. For people who had power, wealth, and position, it was a good opportunity to get richer and richer. On the other hand, those who were lack of properties, and considered as lower class,
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had no chance to make a better life. Betsky says that the aristocrats or high class society and middle class society were the people who obtained the benefits from this economic revolution in England.
2.2.3. Social Condition
Generally, there are three social classes that occur in the Victorian Era, namely high class society, middle class society, and lower class or working class society. Each social class has its own characteristics.
2.2.3.1. High-Class Society