Social Life of Major Character in Jane Austens Novel Emma

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background
Literature is creativity work as the imaginative art of the writer with used language as its tools, in
which, the purpose of this one is to give information about various ideas of life include economic
life, politic, culture, customs, traditions, and religious. As describe by Wellek and Warren (1956: 95)
Literature represents life, and life, in a large measure, a social reality, even though the natural
world and the inner or subjective world of the individual have also been objects of literary imitation
Meanwhile, Koesnosoebroto (1988:10) stated that literary work is the creativity form in reflecting
distinctive side of peoples existence. Literature as an imaginative and creative work of the author
deals with the presentation of person, ideas and event fictitiously, which are present in drama,
poetry, and prose fiction.
By two sides of imaginative literature, imagination and social reality are two elements that cannot
be separated from authors life in creating literary work. An author can create a literary work based
on his imagination in seeing and inspiring social reality around him. Authors imagination can
describe certain side of society existence conform the authors objectives. However, the purposes of
the author in making a literary work will depend on how the authors see him and how the author
takes the position in social life.
By seeing the difference of author purposes in making a literary work , we can say that a literary
work is reflection of social reality where the author live and a literary working a response of author
can observe that, literary cannot be created. Great writer dissolve their personalities in the social life
and their writing is instinct with the culture of that society. When their language blends with the
culture of that society, they become truly great.
In the romanticism era some instance some of the English novelist such as Sir Walter Scott, Anne
Radcliffe, and Horace Walpole. In the Victorian era theres a constellation of Great Victorian novelist
Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Cleghorn, Gaskell, William Makepeace Thackeray and Anthony Trollope.
Jane Austen is one of the greatest of British fiction writers had a major impact on the development
of the English novel. Her six novel combine 18th and 19th century and concern modes, and have a
thematic unity and consistence excellent that make them one of the glories of English literature.

Jane Austen appealed to very different tastes. Evelina had shown what a woman novelist could do;
but Austens acuteness of observation and delicacy of literary delineation left her predecessor far
behind (Encyclopedia of knowledge, 1993:63)
Austen has her characteristics in creating work. Austens novels are set in her own upper middleclass English country environment. They all center on a young heroine and end in a happy marriage.
In Jane Austens novels, reader will find out a different portrait of woman. Jane tends to portrait the
public opinion of woman. In the year when this novel was written, England was in the romanticism
era and prepared herself to enter the Victorian era.
The plot depends little on coincidence or existing events. Instead the author shows how much
meaning and drama can result from misunderstood feelings, the neglect of social obligations and
ordinary human weakness. Her dry humor and witty elegance of expression delight even readers
who find her subject matter rather restricted, Austens literary skill and moral understanding
convert her novels into something much greater than they at the first seem. Her popular works are
Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park (1813), Emma (1816),
Northanger abbey (1818) etc. (The World Encyclopedia Vol. I, 1988:896)
Emma was Austens fourth novel, published in 1816, the major character of this novel is Emma
Woodhouse. She is slow, painful, progress woman toward maturity, left alone with her indulgent
father criticism for her same role. By her personality, style and force of example this commonplace
woman is shown holding a key role in the community. Emma has a great relationship with people
including with some people, which still have an opinion that someones social status is very
important. Gossiping in village is generally then a benign or essentially innocent activity. The
epitome of Austens Emma reveals as well as warns us on the consequences of interfering in the
lives of other people, even thought the intentions with which such instructions takes place were and
seldom are misguided or ill planned.
Emma s the story of self-styled protagonists gradual realization of her own luck of self-knowledge.
Along the way in the story there is much of heartbreak, romance and detailed, subtle character
portraiture. It is widely considered to be Austens finest work and the one, which most fulfils her
ambition to present the lives of the small communities of three or four families in a country village
realistically and excitingly. T is often very amusing and is a wonderful depiction of the workings of a
well-meaning but ill-directed mind wishing to act selflessly (www.bibliomania.com)

So based on the description above, the study proposed under entitled Social Life of Female Major
Character in Jane Austens Novel Emma. It hopes that this study can give description about social
life of major character in this story.

1.2. Research question

Referring to background explained previously, the research question in this study is what is the scial
life of major character in Jane Austens Novel Emma?
1.3. Objective of the study
the objective of the study is to give a description of the social life of major character in Jane Austens
novel Emma.
1.4. Significant of the study
The significant of the study divides in theoretically and practically. In theoretically as follows;

As a motivation for the lectures/teachers, and students to be more creative to formulate the
literary word in teaching and learning process.

As comparative study in studying and analyzing literary work especially novel and the other
literary works.

To establish the ability of the student in reading and understanding the content of the story
so they can interest to read literary work.

And practically as follows;

To help the reader to be more understand about novel

As addition information about the social life in Jane Austens novel Emma

To help senior high school or the students in University to be more interpreted and
interesting in reading literary work especially novel by using intrinsic approach.

1.5. Scope of the study

The scope of the study is limited on social life of major character in Jane Austens novel Emma
through the characterization, conflict and setting specifically Emma as the major character by
applying sociological approach (sociological criticism), which is supported by Marxist criticism.
1.6. Definition of term
In order to unify of description in this research, the writer should be define the key term which used
in this research

Social life defines as a form of life where a group of people living together in the same place
and cannot separately from the environment and they get connected by the interaction. In
the social life we learn about the relationship and the reciprocal influenced between many
kind of social indication such as economic, family or morality indication in the society, learn
about the society and the peoples attitudes particularly in their relationship to one social
system and how the system influenced the people and also how the people are involved to
influence that system

Chapter II
Literature review

This chapter discussed briefly about some experts opinion to support the analysis of social life in literary
work. It is divided into several sections, namely sociology of literature, sociological criticism, which is,
provides the reason why writers may affirm to criticize the values of the society in which they live.
Character and characterization provides the importance of character that can be analyzed by using
structural approach. Conflict, setting, review on the historical background of England at the time and
social condition which related to the story and also previous study that is provides as brief explanation
about study, which has done to comprehend the novel and to support this study.
2.1. Sociology of literature
Literature can be stated as the reflection of social life, because between literary works and social life has
a strong connection. It is obviously that we can find the social reality is illustrated in literary work. This is
because the authors as the social creature are surely influenced by a certain events in the place where
they live.
Based on Wellek and Warren (1956:94) literature has usually arisen in close connection with particular
social instruction; and in primitive society we may even be unable to distinguish poetry from ritual,
magic, work or play. Furthermore Wellek and Warren (ibid) state, Literature has also a social function,
or use, which cannot be purely individual. Thus a large majority of the questions raised by literary study
are, at least ultimately or by implication, social question.
The relation between literature and society can be classified into the sociology of authors, sociology of
literary work and sociology of literature. Sociology of the authors related with the social background of
the literary work, the authorsposition in society, the ideology of the author, which reflects in the
literary work. In this case, the sociology of athors concer with the activities of the author that relate with
literary work. Sociology of literary work, which relate with the social problem in the society. Thus,
sociology of literary work concern with the work itself. And the last, sociology of the literature deals with
the social impacts of literary work toward the readers and of course toward the society itself (Wellek
and Warren, 1956:95)
Meanwhile, according to Semi (1993:74), sociological review includes the following things:
1. Social context of the author. This concern with the social position of the author in society and its
relationship with readers community. Including social factor that might affect the author and
the content of literary work.

2. Literature as reflection of the society. This is about what extent the literary works considered as
the reflection of societys condition.
3. Social function of literature. This deals with relation between literature values and social values.
Amono in Jabrohim (2001:169) states An approach to literature that considered social aspect called
sociology of literature. This term basically have the same defines with sociological approach or socio
culture approach to the literature. This sociological approach defines scope many approach, each of the
approach is considered to specific theoretically attitude and view, but all of that approaches show one
same characteristic which is have an attention to literature as a social institution which is created by the
authors as the member of society.
Based on the explanation above we can say that the aim of the sociology study in literature is to find the
completed description about the relationship between authors, literary works and society.
2.2. Sociological criticism
Sociological criticism focuses on the relationship between literature and society. Literature is always
produced in a social context. Writers may affirm or criticize the values of the society in which they live,
but they write for an audience and that audience is society.
The social function of literature is the domain of the sociological critic.
Wellek and Warren (1956:94) state that , Marxist critics only study these relations between literature
and society but also have their clearly defined conception of what these relations. In general Marx
acutely perceived to obliqueness of the relationship between literature and society, in the introduction
to The Critique of Political Economy he admits that;
Certain periods is highest development of arts standing in no direct relation with the
general development of society, nor with the material basis and the skeleton structure of
its organization.
Wellek and Warren (ibd: 197)

Furthermore Milton in Selden (1989:135) said that our individual roles and identities are not the
outcome of a unifies culture and an organic social process but are produced by a fundamentally unjust

and oppressive social organization. Marxist believe that human self-realization is blocked by class
domination at every level (economic, political and ideological)
Gottwald (1982:474) state that the sore point lies in the move from social observation to sociological
criticism. Social is a catch-all category for group behaviors and meanings, whereas sociological refers
to methods and theories for systematically describing and explaining group behaviors and meanings.
Sociological criticism is an approach to literature that examines social groups, relationship, and values as
they are manifested in literature. Sociological approach emphasizes the nature and effect of the social
forces that shape power relationships between groups or classes of people. The former view brings into
focus the social milieu; the latter emphasize the work. One of the important forms of the sociological
criticism is Marxist approach (www.bcs.bedfordstmartins.com)
An essay with entitle Sociological Approach 9Taken from Literary Criticism: An Primer: 1996) state
that:
Karl Max developed a theory of society, politics, and economics. He criticized the
explotation of the working classes, or proletariat, by the capitalist classes who owned the
mises, factories and other resources of the national economies. Marx believed that history
was the story of class would share the wealth equally. This classless society could only come
about as a result of a revolution that would overflow the capitalist domination of the
economy
Sociological criticism, then, reflects the way literature interacts with society. Sociological critics show us
how literature can function as a mirror to reflect social realities and as a lamp to inspire social ideals.
From the above quotation we knows that analyzing social critique in a literary work such as novel can
tell us the authors feeling, considering that is a critique is one of expression of someones feeling as well
as it can be our sight about someones way of thinking considering that critique comes from a serious
awareness to express ones ideas.
2.3. Character and characterization
Character is an important element in prose fiction. It is used to identify the personality of any people on
the story especially those who affect the development of the story. A character plays a role in every part
of the story from the beginning up to the end of the story.

A story has important role, because the story tells about the characters. Character is the person who act
or describe in the story. Kennedy in (1988:65) tries to define character as an imagined person who
inhabits a story. Meanwhile, Abrams (1971) defines a character as a literary genre: a short and usually
witty, sketch in prose of distinctive type of person. Moreover Abrams quotes a definition of characters
i.e. the persons, in a dramatic or narrative work, endowed with moral and disposition qualities that are
expressed in what they say, i.e. the dialogue and what they do, i.e. the action (Koesnosoebroto:65). In
short, character is a people who act in literary work such as drama, novel, or short story, which
performing themselves through the dialogue and the action.
Thus, a character in a story is just like a living creature in real life. A character is the one who is
responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story. Characters are extremely important because
they are the medium through which a reader interacts with a piece of literature or we can say that the
character is one of the most important tools available to the author. Whatever the literary character
are, they are essential to the meaning of any literary work. By getting to know them, and how they
function: their behavior, attitude and thought, we learn something about life.
Characterization is the totally appearance characteristic of character in the story. As stated by
Nurgiantoro (1995; 1965), characterization is the illustration of character through behavior and
utterance. In short, characterization is a way used by the author to describe the characters presented in
the story through the dialogue and action.
Characterization is used to convince the readers about the character. Thus, the character must be
believable and consistent. Koesnosoebroto (1988:66) state that to be believable and convincing
characterization must be observed at least three principles, i.e.: First, the characters must be consistent
in the behavior or the character way remains stable. Second, the characters must clear be motivated in
whatever they do especially when there is any change in their behavior. Third, the characters must be
plausible or lifelike, credible, realistic, and probable.