Institutional Repository | Satya Wacana Christian University: Nyai Ontosoroh ; A Concubine Phenomenon A la Pramoedya Ananta Toer

NyaiOntosoroh; A Concubine Phenomenon A la
PramoedyaAnantaToer
A.AdityaSatria S.

Abstract
Concubines are often stigmatized as seductive, immoral, and uneducated
women. However that negative perspective does not fit to Nyai Ontosoroh. Even, she
is able to turn over the mainstream point of view in Bumi Manusia by getting honor
from some educated people around her. This research is aimed at the finding out how
Nyai Ontosoroh is able to turn over the mainstream point of view and whether the
novel confirms or rejects the post colonial theory. This research used post-colonial
theory, especially one which is coined by Bhabha who stated that the colonized tend
to imitate the colonizer to keep their existence in the colony which called as mimicry
phenomenon. As the result of imitating the colonizer, they will face identity problem
and trapped in liminal space or third space which will lead them into a new identity,
not the colonizer or colonized but the ‘black-western’. This research found that Nyai
Ontosoroh is able to turn over the mainstream point of view about concubine by
getting knowledge from the west but the novel does not confirm Bhabha’s postcolonial theory.
Keywords: Concubine, Mimicry, Liminal/third space, Identity.