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Salah Asuhan and the Romantic Tradition in the Early Indonesian Novel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

C. W. Watson
C. W. Watson
Affiliation:
University of Hull
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Extract

The orthodox approach to a criticism of early Indonesian novels has always been to see the novel as an expression of the clash between adat and modernism, between the old conservative traditions upheld by the elders of the village community and the new Weltanschauung of the members of the younger generation. The latter have been exposed to Western traditions of thought, and their desires and ambitions refuse to be contained by the traditional patterns of a society to which they feel close but whose narrowness they regard as crippling to their own personal development. This conceptualization of the problems of Indonesian society between the wars has gone almost unchallenged; nearly all discussion of its literature has been framed within its reference. Professor A. Johns's article in Quadrant is perhaps the most recent formulation of this approach. The intellectual, educated elements of society which Johns sees summed up in the figures of Kartini, the champion of women's rights, and Goenawan Mohammed, a contemporary literary figure, seek to develop ideas and attitudes which have no currency in traditional society. Their attempts to modernize society arouse opposition, but it is not this which pains them so much as their being misunderstood and their unwillingness to break with the society of their fathers to which they feel a close attachment.

Type
Articles
Information
Modern Asian Studies , Volume 7 , Issue 2 , March 1973 , pp. 179 - 192
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1973

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References

1 Johns, A., ‘Through Myth and Dream: the Indonesian Quest for Reality’, Quadrant (September–October 1969); cf. Idrus, ‘Novels and the East-West Conflict’, Quadrant (November–December (1966).Google Scholar

2 E.g. in Lowenthal, Leo, Literature and the Image of Man: Studies of the European Drama & Novel, 1600–1900 (Boston: The Beacon Press, 1957);Google Scholar and Goldmann, L., The Hidden God, Thody, Philip (trans.) (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1964).Google Scholar

3 Nur St Iskandar, Salah Pilih (Balai Pustaka [hereafter BP], 1928).Google Scholar

4 Pane, Armijn, Kort Overzicht van de Moderne Indonesische Literatuur (Djakarta: BP, 1949), p. 17;Google Scholar and cf. Jassin, H. B., Kesusasteraan Indonesia Modern Dalam Kritik dan Esei, Vol. I (Djakarta, 1967), p. 29.Google Scholar

5 E.g. M. Siregar, Azab dan Sengsara (1921); Nur St Iskandar and Abd. Ager, Tjinta jang Membawa Maut (1926); Adinegoro, Darah Muda (1927); Kedjora, Karam dalam Gelombang Pertjintaan (1926); and many others.Google Scholar

6 Watson, C. W., ‘Some Preliminary Remarks on the Antecedents of Modern Indonesian Literature’, BKI, 127–4.Google Scholar

7 See, for example, van der Wal, S. L. (ed.), De Opkomst van de Nationalistische Beweging in Nederlands-Indie (Groningen: J. B. Wolters, 1967), pp. 371–97.Google Scholar

8 Rinkes, D. A., ‘Volkslectuur’, Gedenkboek voor Nederlandsch-Indie 1898–1923 (Batavia-Weltevreden-Leiden: G. Kolff, 1923), p. 183.Google Scholar

9 Merari Siregar, Azab dan Sengsara (1921).Google Scholar

10 Among picaresque novels I would include M. Kasim, Moeda Teroena (1922), and St Pamoentjak, Pertemoean. Cf. Armijn Pane's comments in op. cit., p. 14.Google Scholar

11 A fairly comprehensive list of Western novels translated into Indonesian can be found in Jassin, H. B., ‘Kesusasteraan Dunia dalam Terdjemahan Indonesia’, Kesusasteraan Indonesia Modern Dalam Kritik dan Esei, Vol. II (Djakarta: Gunung Agung, 1967).Google Scholar

12 van der Wal, S. L., Het Onderwijsbeleid in Nederlands-Indie 1900–1940 (Grorungen: J. B. Wolters, 1963), p. 407.Google Scholar

13 The issue of censorship is mentioned in the following books and articles: Rangkuti, Alwi, Kesusasteraan Indonesia, 2nd ed. (Medan, 1968), pp. 34 f;Google ScholarToer, P. A., ‘BP Harum Namanja Diduria Internasional dahulu. Kini Hampir-Hampir tidak Bernjawa Lagi’, Star Weekly, 9.2.1957;Google ScholarDrewes, G. W. J., review article in BKI, 107, 403–5.Google Scholar

14 Drewes, op. cit., p. 404.Google Scholar

15 It is sometimes suggested that Belenggu and Buiten Het Gareel were rejected by Indonesian staff members because of doubts about the moral content of the first, and the quality of the language in the second—it was originally written in Sundanese. If it had been solely a question of language then I am sure the manuscript could have been revised. I suspect that it was the strong nationalist content which deterred BP from publishing it.

16 Hindia Serikat (1913), No. 2, p. 31.Google Scholar

17 See the comments of Usman, Zuber, Kesusasteraan Baru Indonesia (Djakarta: Gunung Agung, 1957).Google Scholar

18 I was shown Indonesian translations of the correspondence by Mr G. Tarigan of the IKIP Bandung. I have also seen a photocopy of the Dutch original of a letter from A. Moeis. Even though the Indonesian renderings are rather stilted and awk-ward it is still quite easy to make out the substance of the correspondence. I believe the originals are still in the possession of BP.

19 ‘She didn't want to and couldn't become the wife of a Malay because she was a European … if she wanted to it was very easy to order him to kneel on the ground and kiss the toe of her shoe.’

20 ‘He felt that the dove was grasped firmly in his hand and wouldn't want to be set free by him ever again.’

21 ‘In situations like those Corrie's stubbornness let itself show as well. She felt it wasn't necessary to give and explanation, because her husband wouldn't accept that explanation.’