I INTRODUCTION - An analysis on the character development of the protagonist in Henry James' "The Portrait of a Lady" - Widya Mandala Catholic University Surabaya Repository
CHAPTERI
INTRODUCTION
L I Backgroundofthe study
It would be dill'icult to definc what litcrature is.
'I'he great
eiglrteenth
century English Critic, Dr. SamuelJohnsoq once said that literatlre is like light;
everyoneknows what light is but lcw can define or cven describeit. ln a widest
sense,literatureisjust aboutanythingwrittcn.
A study oll literatureinvolvcs tltc rcadcr's inraginationand fceling so that
they feel as fhoughthey becomethe part ofliterary text they read. It is supported
by llowe, Hollander and Bromwich. They (1979.2) state that litcrature means
ilnaginativewritings which can $e stories,novels,plays, poemswhich portray or
rcflcctor dealwitlr ltutltallcxistcncc.
Literatureis a kind of art that offers pleasureand illumination. It is made
fior relaxation,it brings clistractionlrom the monotony or strain of day to day
conc€rns.Literature can tak€ us out of the track of weary routine. According to
Barnet, llerrnan, and lltrto (1992:l), literaturc is a performanccin words which
holds an attentionwith a completecornpositionin itself. lt is not regardedas a
sourccof factual inftrrmation,but offi:rs a uniqtrc dclight or satisfaction-This is
also supportedby Robin Maylread. Ilc (19(15:3)statesthat literature is to be
enjoyed,
Literature seems to give something important and valuable about
perceptionof the world and its situationwith the intriguesof humanbeings-I{ere,
the authors and playwrights are demandedto loathe their expertise.Through the
language and also gestures,they portray or suggest something significant which
leave a great impressionto the reader.
Learning literary work is not as easy as pcople think. It needs a deep
reader'
disCussionto reveal the messagefrorn the poet or the narrator to the
However,
Becauseof this problem, mosl students discourageto study literatureany
they must study it becauselitcraturc also supportsthe education.By learning
lilerary works suchas: pocm, short skrry. novcl, and drama.the readercan
get not
sotrtc
only cnjoytncnt but also undcrstandingalxrul culturc. lifc valuc, lhcls tnd
is the
other things. Little (1966:l) states that wherever there is education"there
reader's
study of literature. ln addition, studying litcrature can also broaden the
vocabularyand grammar.
Accordingtothewriterherse|llearninga|iteraryworkisusefu|-[thasa
relationto hurnanlifb, able to broadenmind and also deepeninsight by obsewing
and learningfrom humanbeing'sproblemsand their solutions'Robert and
Jacobs
(19S9:2) argue that literature can hclp people grow into a broader cultural'
philosophicand religiousworld, to recognizehtrmandreamsand strugglein order
If someone
to develop mature sensitivity for the condition of all living things.
humanlife of
otrservesa literarywork carcfully,he can get nlore knowledgeabout
to the better
which the positive aspectscan be applied to real life and guide them
is a force that
value of life. According to Kenne
INTRODUCTION
L I Backgroundofthe study
It would be dill'icult to definc what litcrature is.
'I'he great
eiglrteenth
century English Critic, Dr. SamuelJohnsoq once said that literatlre is like light;
everyoneknows what light is but lcw can define or cven describeit. ln a widest
sense,literatureisjust aboutanythingwrittcn.
A study oll literatureinvolvcs tltc rcadcr's inraginationand fceling so that
they feel as fhoughthey becomethe part ofliterary text they read. It is supported
by llowe, Hollander and Bromwich. They (1979.2) state that litcrature means
ilnaginativewritings which can $e stories,novels,plays, poemswhich portray or
rcflcctor dealwitlr ltutltallcxistcncc.
Literatureis a kind of art that offers pleasureand illumination. It is made
fior relaxation,it brings clistractionlrom the monotony or strain of day to day
conc€rns.Literature can tak€ us out of the track of weary routine. According to
Barnet, llerrnan, and lltrto (1992:l), literaturc is a performanccin words which
holds an attentionwith a completecornpositionin itself. lt is not regardedas a
sourccof factual inftrrmation,but offi:rs a uniqtrc dclight or satisfaction-This is
also supportedby Robin Maylread. Ilc (19(15:3)statesthat literature is to be
enjoyed,
Literature seems to give something important and valuable about
perceptionof the world and its situationwith the intriguesof humanbeings-I{ere,
the authors and playwrights are demandedto loathe their expertise.Through the
language and also gestures,they portray or suggest something significant which
leave a great impressionto the reader.
Learning literary work is not as easy as pcople think. It needs a deep
reader'
disCussionto reveal the messagefrorn the poet or the narrator to the
However,
Becauseof this problem, mosl students discourageto study literatureany
they must study it becauselitcraturc also supportsthe education.By learning
lilerary works suchas: pocm, short skrry. novcl, and drama.the readercan
get not
sotrtc
only cnjoytncnt but also undcrstandingalxrul culturc. lifc valuc, lhcls tnd
is the
other things. Little (1966:l) states that wherever there is education"there
reader's
study of literature. ln addition, studying litcrature can also broaden the
vocabularyand grammar.
Accordingtothewriterherse|llearninga|iteraryworkisusefu|-[thasa
relationto hurnanlifb, able to broadenmind and also deepeninsight by obsewing
and learningfrom humanbeing'sproblemsand their solutions'Robert and
Jacobs
(19S9:2) argue that literature can hclp people grow into a broader cultural'
philosophicand religiousworld, to recognizehtrmandreamsand strugglein order
If someone
to develop mature sensitivity for the condition of all living things.
humanlife of
otrservesa literarywork carcfully,he can get nlore knowledgeabout
to the better
which the positive aspectscan be applied to real life and guide them
is a force that
value of life. According to Kenne