Institutional Repository | Satya Wacana Christian University: Binary Opposition of Calon Arang and Empu Baradah in Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s The King, The Witch and The Priest T1 392014515 BAB I
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
And it is true, Calon Arang did foster a foul temperamental and took great pleasure in
the misfortune of others. She was a witch who possessed a mastery of evil mysteries
and hence a very powerful force to be reckoned with. As a priestess she bowed to
Durga, the goddess of destruction, at whose temple she had numerous followers. As a
shaman, she knew a great number of powerful mantras. Woe be to the person who
defied her- and few had the courage to even try – for her spells were most efficacious.
(The King, The Witch And The Priest, p: 15)
Opposite with Calon Arang in a village lives a man who very wise and he devotes to
his Lord, his name is Baradah. Quotation bellow will be explains Baradah
characteristics.
Living at the same time and the same Kingdome was a hermit-priest by the name of
Baradah. Because as a teacher he carried the title “Empu”, he was therefore called
“Empu Baradah”. He was a virtuous man and very pious, too, strictly adhering to the
tenets of his faith and constanly exhibiting devotion to his gods.
(The King, The Witch And The Priest, p: 23)
Upon years ago there was a women lived in Girah village part of “Daha”
Kingdome. She is famous as an evil who Bowes to “Batari Durga” mother of
goddess. She is also a master in black magic so it makes the woman becomes as a
temperamental and arrogant person. If anyone makes a mistake to her, she will wreak
her anger not only through her words but also she does not hesitate to kill them. The
consequences Girah people do not like her. The name of the women is “Calon
Arang”. In the other part of “Daha” Kingdome, there is a friendly man live. He
always gives polite greeting through his smile to other people if he meets with them.
He is a very famous man as a spiritual teacher in “Lemah Tulis” village. Actually, he
1
2
is a smart person. He has high knowledge and master in hymns, prayers, and
liturgical formulate of Veda sacred. It makes him becomes very wise and willing to
help other people if they need some helps. People of “Lemah Tulis” village really like
him and call him “Empu Baradah” because he is a human as almost a god. The
quotations above are as examples the differences between Calon Arang and Baradah
characteristics.
In this study the writer would like to analyze Calon Arang and Baradah
characteristics in novel The King, The witch, and The Priest written by Pramoedya
Ananta Toer. The writer is interested in this study because there are some interesting
points that can be learned. In the novel Calon Arang is described as a person with
temperamental and arrogant indeed in her personality. But on the other side, she is a
mother who really loves her daughter dearly and fights for her daughter happiness
although she must sacrifice her own life. The novel also tells us that even though
Baradah has god’s characteristics, he also has weaknesses. As a father, he should take
responsibility of his daughter. In fact his daughter is not happy when he got married
with other woman after his wife was passed away. Because of those reasons, the
writer is interested to analyze both of the characteristics.
From the description above, it can be seen that Calon Arang and Baradah is
the opposite characteristics. In structuralism theory, there are some opposite
characters between each other which is known as binary opposition.
Structuralism
also believes that primary signifying system in the text such as: male/female,
3
heterosexual/homosexual and etc is the best found of binary opposition that the reader
organizes, and then uses to interpret the text. Taken from “Course in General
Linguistic” Ferdinand De saussure (Bressler, 1994: p. 99)
Based on those backgrounds of this study, the writer would like to explore
Calon Arang and Empu Baradah characteristics through Structuralism theory.
INTRODUCTION
And it is true, Calon Arang did foster a foul temperamental and took great pleasure in
the misfortune of others. She was a witch who possessed a mastery of evil mysteries
and hence a very powerful force to be reckoned with. As a priestess she bowed to
Durga, the goddess of destruction, at whose temple she had numerous followers. As a
shaman, she knew a great number of powerful mantras. Woe be to the person who
defied her- and few had the courage to even try – for her spells were most efficacious.
(The King, The Witch And The Priest, p: 15)
Opposite with Calon Arang in a village lives a man who very wise and he devotes to
his Lord, his name is Baradah. Quotation bellow will be explains Baradah
characteristics.
Living at the same time and the same Kingdome was a hermit-priest by the name of
Baradah. Because as a teacher he carried the title “Empu”, he was therefore called
“Empu Baradah”. He was a virtuous man and very pious, too, strictly adhering to the
tenets of his faith and constanly exhibiting devotion to his gods.
(The King, The Witch And The Priest, p: 23)
Upon years ago there was a women lived in Girah village part of “Daha”
Kingdome. She is famous as an evil who Bowes to “Batari Durga” mother of
goddess. She is also a master in black magic so it makes the woman becomes as a
temperamental and arrogant person. If anyone makes a mistake to her, she will wreak
her anger not only through her words but also she does not hesitate to kill them. The
consequences Girah people do not like her. The name of the women is “Calon
Arang”. In the other part of “Daha” Kingdome, there is a friendly man live. He
always gives polite greeting through his smile to other people if he meets with them.
He is a very famous man as a spiritual teacher in “Lemah Tulis” village. Actually, he
1
2
is a smart person. He has high knowledge and master in hymns, prayers, and
liturgical formulate of Veda sacred. It makes him becomes very wise and willing to
help other people if they need some helps. People of “Lemah Tulis” village really like
him and call him “Empu Baradah” because he is a human as almost a god. The
quotations above are as examples the differences between Calon Arang and Baradah
characteristics.
In this study the writer would like to analyze Calon Arang and Baradah
characteristics in novel The King, The witch, and The Priest written by Pramoedya
Ananta Toer. The writer is interested in this study because there are some interesting
points that can be learned. In the novel Calon Arang is described as a person with
temperamental and arrogant indeed in her personality. But on the other side, she is a
mother who really loves her daughter dearly and fights for her daughter happiness
although she must sacrifice her own life. The novel also tells us that even though
Baradah has god’s characteristics, he also has weaknesses. As a father, he should take
responsibility of his daughter. In fact his daughter is not happy when he got married
with other woman after his wife was passed away. Because of those reasons, the
writer is interested to analyze both of the characteristics.
From the description above, it can be seen that Calon Arang and Baradah is
the opposite characteristics. In structuralism theory, there are some opposite
characters between each other which is known as binary opposition.
Structuralism
also believes that primary signifying system in the text such as: male/female,
3
heterosexual/homosexual and etc is the best found of binary opposition that the reader
organizes, and then uses to interpret the text. Taken from “Course in General
Linguistic” Ferdinand De saussure (Bressler, 1994: p. 99)
Based on those backgrounds of this study, the writer would like to explore
Calon Arang and Empu Baradah characteristics through Structuralism theory.