plagiat merupakan tindakan tidak terpuji raden … · dokumen diaplikasikan sebagai teknik analisis...

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RADEN ADJENG KARTINI’S DREAMS OF MARRIAGE

AND EDUCATION IN THE ERA OF DUTCH COLONIALISM

IN INDONESIA AS SEEN IN LETTERS

OF A JAVANESE PRINCESS

A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree

in English Language Education

By

Novianti Sistalia

Student Number: 111214014

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2017

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

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iv

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your

ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are

higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your

ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

- Isaiah 55:8-9 -

“If you educate a man, you educate an individual.

However, if you educate a woman, you educate a whole

family.”

- Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru -

“I don’t know how my story will end, but nowhere in

my text will it ever read...”I gave up”.”

- Unknown-


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I dedicate this undergraduate thesis to

My beloved mother and father

My beloved brothers

My beloved nephews


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STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY

I honestly declare that this thesis, which I have written, does not contain the work

or parts of the work of other people, except those cited in the quotations and the

references, as a scientific paper should.

Yogyakarta, September 7th

, 2017

The Writer

Novianti Sistalia

111214014


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LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN

PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma:

Nama : Novianti Sistalia

Nomor Mahasiswa : 111214014

Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan

Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

RADEN ADJENG KARTINI’S DREAMS OF MARRIAGE

AND EDUCATION IN THE ERA OF DUTCH COLONIALISM

IN INDONESIA AS SEEN IN LETTERS

OF A JAVANESE PRINCESS

beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan

kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,

mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan

data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di Internet atau

media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya

maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya

sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

Dibuat di Yogyakarta

Pada tanggal : 7 September 2017

Yang menyatakan,

Novianti Sistalia


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ABSTRACT

Sistalia, N. (2017). Raden Adjeng Kartini’s Dreams of Marriage And Education

in The Era of Dutch Colonialism in Indonesia as Seen in Letters of A Javanese

Princess. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department

of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education,

Sanata Dharma University.

This research aims to analyze Raden Adjeng Kartini’s dreams of marriage

and education in the era of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, based on her letters

compiled in a book Letters of a Javanese Princess. Kartini letters are the witnesses

of her sharp, critical, and modern thoughts as a young girl in her era. She is

questioning and criticizing the limit of education particularly for girls and

polygamy marriage culture. However, as a priyayi girl, Kartini has a limited space

and freedom to fight the strong wall culture and to actualize her big dreams.

This research has formulated two problems: (1) “What are Kartini’s

dreams of marriage?” and (2) “What are Kartini’s dreams of education?”. Library

study method is used to collect the data from various references to get primary

and secondary data. The document analysis is applied as the data analysis

technique. In order to elaborate the findings, the writer uses the theories of dreams,

theory of polygamy marriage, education, and moral education. There are two

sources used in this research. They are primary and secondary sources. The

primary source is Kartini’s letters compiled in a book entitled Letters of a

Javanese Princess, while the secondary source is several printed books about

Kartini. This research applied sociocultural-historical approach to analyze

Kartini’s dreams of marriage and education based on the influence of Javanese

culture, economic and political context during Dutch colonialism era in Indonesia.

Based on the analysis, the first finding shows that Kartini strongly hates

the idea of poygamy marriage and is against polygamy marriage but it is

culturally legal. Marriage in her ideal dreams should be a harmonious relationship

between a man and a woman only. In contrary, she becomes a wife from a

widower with three concubines and seven children. It is because her deep love to

her father and she knows that her husband is a progressive smart man who will

respect and support her to actualize her dreams in educating young girls. The

second finding, Kartini’s dreams of education is to propose the equal

opportunities and roles for men and women in education. It is because women will

be the first educator for their children and educated women will raise the moral

standard of a nation. According to Kartini, education is not only aimed at

educating the brain, but also moral and a spiritual guidance.

Keywords: dreams, polygamy marriage, and education.


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ABSTRAK

Sistalia, N. (2017). Raden Adjeng Kartini’s Dreams of Marriage And Education

in The Era of Dutch Colonialism in Indonesia as Seen in Letters of A Javanese

Princess. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department

of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education,

Sanata Dharma University.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisa impian-impian Raden Adjeng

Kartini tentang pernikahan dan pendidikan pada masa penjajahan Belanda di

Indonesia, berdasarkan kompilasi surat-suratnya dalam sebuah buku berjudul

Letters of a Javanese Princess. Surat-surat Kartini merupakan saksi dari

pemikiran-pemikirannya yang tajam, kritis, dan modern sebagai gadis muda pada

masanya. Dia mempertanyakan dan mengkritisi terbatasnya pendidikan terutama

bagi para gadis dan budaya pernikahan poligami. Namun, sebagai seorang gadis

priyayi, Kartini memiliki ruang dan kebebasan yang terbatas untuk melawan

dinding kultur yang sangat kuat dan mewujudkan impian-impian besarnya.

Penelitian ini merumuskan dua permasalahan: (1) “Apakah impian-impian

Kartini tentang pernikahan?” dan (2)“Apakah impian-impian Kartini tentang

pendidikan?”. Metode studi pustaka digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data dari

berbagai referensi untuk mendapatkan data primer dan sekunder. Analisis

dokumen diaplikasikan sebagai teknik analisis data. Untuk menguraikan

kesimpulan dari penelitian ini, penulis menggunakan teori impian, pernikahan

poligami, pendidikan, dan pendidikan moral. Ada dua sumber yang digunakan

dalam penelitian ini, yakni sumber utama dan sumber kedua. Sumber utama

adalah kompilasi surat-surat Kartini dalam buku yang berjudul Letters of a

Javanese Princess, sedangkan sumber kedua adalah buku-buku tentang Kartini.

Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan sosiokultural-historis untuk menganalisa

impian-impian Kartini tentang pernikahan dan pendidikan berdasarkan pengaruh

konteks budaya Jawa, ekonomi, dan politik selama era penjajahan Belanda di

Indonesia.

Berdasarkan analisis, kesimpulan pertama menunjukkan bahwa Kartini

sangat membenci dan menentang pernikahan poligami namun hal tersebut legal

secara kultural. Dalam impian idealnya, pernikahan adalah hubungan harmonis

antara seorang pria dan seorang wanita. Sebaliknya, Kartini menjadi istri dari

seorang duda dengan tiga selir dan tujuh anak, karena cintanya pada Ayahnya dan

bahwa suaminya adalah seorang pria cerdas progresif yang menghormati dan

mendukungnya mewujudkan impian mendidik para gadis. Kesimpulan kedua,

impian Kartini dalam pendidikan adalah kesempatan dan peran yang sama bagi

pria dan wanita dalam pendidikan karena wanita akan menjadi pendidik pertama

bagi anak-anak mereka dan wanita berpendidikan akan menaikkan standar moral

suatu bangsa. Menurut Kartini, pendidikan bukan hanya bertujuan mendidik

pikiran, tapi juga tuntunan moral dan spiritual.

Keywords: dreams, polygamy marriage, and education.


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to express my deepest love, praise, and gratitude

to Jesus Christ for His eternal love, blessings and guidance through every ups and

downs, so I could accomplish my thesis.

My deepest gratitude goes to my supervisor Drs. L. Bambang Hendarto Y.,

M.Hum., for his time, most patience, and support to guide me in finishing my

thesis. It might be a part of his jobs but it means a lot to me.

My sincere love and deepest gratitude are adressed to my beloved family

(My parents Bapak Siswadi & Ibu Natalia Sri Surtini, my younger brother Wishnu

Yuliardani & his wife Ely Kusumawati, my grandpa Eyang Sutanto, Tante Iin,

Budhe Tanti & family, Om Papang & family, Om Heri & family) for their love,

prayers, and support. To my youngest brother Roy Juliardhana, who is now rest in

heavenly peace, this is my special gift for him. I have proved I will make it no

matter what. My love goes to my two beloved nephews Axel and Arsenio. They

both are the reason for me to do the best things in my life. I love them very much.

I would also like to express my special gratitude to my dearest previous

Academic Supervisor, Ch. Lhaksmita Anandari, S.Pd., M.Ed., for her most

support. Then, I thank my Academic Supervisor Yohana Veniranda, S.Pd.,

M.Hum., M.A., Ph.D. and all PBI Lecturers for the support and knowledge, PBI

Secretariat staffs (Mbak Dhaniek and Mas Yudho) and all the staffs of Sanata

Dharma University for the services.

My very special thanks go to to my ‘other blood’ families (Dewi

Mahanani, Tatha Kristanti, Hanita Thesa, Anggia Dewi, Angela Costarica,


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Catherina Sita, Angelina Diva, Muftiqul Dyas, Adityo Prawinanto, Eka

Amperawan, Dek Nanda, Mama Elizabeth & Papa Thomas, Mama Yohana

Indiyaningsih, Feri Tri Setiawan, and PBI Class A 2011) for the prayers, support,

and togetherness. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my life’s

savior, dr. Djunaedi and Ibu Anna Kartika, M. Psi. Last but not least, my love

goes to my Jonathon D. for being a loving and supportive man. I thank him for

always believing in my dreams and believing that I will make it.

I am happy and blessed because I am surrounded by great people in my

life. I thank everyone who cares me and who can not be mentioned one by one.

May God bless them all.

Novianti Sistalia


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

page

TITLE PAGE ....................................................................................................... i

APPROVAL PAGES ........................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION PAGES ....................................................................................... iv

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY .................................................... vi

PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ................................................ vii

ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................... viii

ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................. ix

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................. x

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... xii

LIST OF APPENDICES ...................................................................................... xiv

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study ............................................................ 1

B. Problem Formulations ................................................................ 4

C. Objectives of the Study .............................................................. 4

D. Benefits of the Study .................................................................. 4

E. Definition of Terms .................................................................... 5

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

A. Review of Related Studies ......................................................... 7

B. Review of Related Theories ....................................................... 8

1. Sociocultural-historical Approach ......................................... 8

2. Polygamy Marriage in Javanese Culture in Kartini’s Era ...... 9

3. Education in The Javanese Culture in Kartini’s Era .............. 11

4. Theory of Moral Education .................................................... 15


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page

5. Theory of Dreams .................................................................. 15

C. Theoretical Framework .............................................................. 17

CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study ..................................................................... 19

B. Approach of the Study ............................................................... 20

C. Research Procedure .................................................................... 21

CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS

A. Kartini’s Dreams of Marriage .................................................... 22

B. Kartini’s Dreams of Education ................................................... 36

1. Kartini and Her Study Experiences ........................................ 37

2. Fighting Against Discrimination of Education ...................... 39

3. Kartini’s Note for Education, “Give The Javanese

Education!” ............................................................................ 42

4. Opening the First School for Native Girls ............................. 49

C. The Relation of Education and Marriage ................................... 53

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

A. Conclusions ................................................................................ 56

B. Implications ................................................................................ 58

C. Suggestions ................................................................................ 62

REFERENCES ..................................................................................................... 63


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LIST OF APPENDIX

Appendix page

Appendix 1 : Summary of Letters of A Javanese Princess .................................. 65

Appendix 2: R.A. Kartini’s Biography ................................................................ 66


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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter provides five parts which are background of the study,

problem formulations, objectives of the study, the benefits of the study, and

definition of terms. The background of the study contains the reason of why the

writer chose this study. Problem formulations state the problems which are

discussed in the study. The objectives of the study present the aim of the study.

The benefits of the study identify the contribution of the study for the

development of knowledge. The definition of terms present some keywords and

their meanings which are used in this study.

A. Background of the Study

Literary works may open the eyes of the readers to know the reality of social,

cultural, political, moral, aesthetic, and education frame as well. Moody (1971, p.

8) states that literature will bring us into contact with some of the world’s greatest

minds and personalities, the great teachers and thinkers of all ages. Moreover, it

offers something of the lives and problems of people in other parts of the world

(p. 18). Through literature, people can also be more aware of the important issues

around them and realize the responsibility for their changes. As Collie and Slater

(2011, p. 4) state, one of the aim of learning literature is that a reader can discover

his thoughts, feelings, customs, possession; what he buys, believes in, fears,

enjoys; how he speaks and behaves.


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Kartini’s letters compiled in a book entitled Letters of A Javanese Princess is

one of literature works that represent someone’s minds, thoughts, and

personalities. The book is best represents Kartini’s thoughts and feelings of

Javanese culture and her nation during Dutch colonialism in Indonesia. It has been

known for a long time that Raden Adjeng Kartini is one of Indonesia’s national

heroines, particularly for Indonesian women.

It is interesting that people only recognize her as an emancipation heroine or a

feminist. Her being as a national heroine entitled by President Sukarno has been

criticized since 1964. Harsja W. Bachtiar (2013), an Indonesian historian, in Seri

Buku Tempo: Gelap-Terang Hidup Kartini calls Kartini a heroine who was raised

by The Dutch. According to him, there are many other more appropriate figures

raised as national heroes such as Sultanah Safiatuddin from Aceh and Siti Aisyah

We Tenriolle from South Sulawesi. Indonesia also has Dewi Sartika and Rohana

Kudus who were more successful in actualizing their dreams in education

compared to Kartini. Moreover, Kartini’s decision to marry a man with three

wives was also questioned because Kartini always criticized polygamy marriage

culture. Kartini seems not to meet the expectation of a national hero.

Kartini did not take up arms, mobilized masses, or called for rebellion like

most other national heroes in Indonesia. She fought for this country through her

sharp ideas and intelligence for her country’s education. She expressed her

thoughts and dreams through her letters to some of her Dutch best friends, Stella

Zeehandelaar and Mevrouw Abendanon Mandri. These letters were then compiled


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and published as books with different titles and versions. Some of her letters are

missing or not published for political reasons.

In this research, the researcher used a book entitled Letters of A Javanese

Princess as the primary source of document analysis and library study. The book

is the English translation of Kartini’s letters which were originally in Dutch. It

was translated by Agnes Louise Symmers and prefaced by Eleanor Roosevelt.

Kartini's letters describe a struggle in the unfinished room in our nation that

even though the independence had been reached. Her attention was not limited to

her wish to promote women’s education but far beyond was to improve the lives

of her nation. A national figure, Tjipto Mangoenkoesoemo, said that in almost

every page he read, Kartini expressed a desire to see her nation rise from their

hundreds years of sleep (Soebadio & Sadli, 1990). According to Kardinah

(Kartini’s younger sister) as a young woman, Kartini had a broad view about art,

literature, European actual problems, parliament discussions, and many more

(Soebadio & Sadli, 1990).

Rosalind and Simmons (2009, p. 111) also state that Kartini’s thoughts were

so advanced that they were not easily understood by the common people around

them in her era. The fact that Kartini was very concerned with what this nation

needed to develop, was also explained by a history scholar, Prof. Dr. Sartono

Kartodirjo. According to him in the introduction page in “Letters of a Javanese

Princess,” “...Kartini is the most significant witness of the most profound thought

of her time and that her letters are prophetic, although her early death prevented

her seeing their fulfillment” (Kartodirjo, 1975 in Soebadio&Sadli, 1990, p. 70).


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This research was conducted to analyze Kartini’s dreams on marriage and

education during Dutch colonialism era in Indonesia. As a priyayi or a Javanese

princess, Kartini was different from any other priyayi. She did not want people to

see her as a priyayi. She was questioning and criticizing the feudalism culture, the

limit of education particularly for priyayi girls and polygamy marriage culture.

Even though Kartini had a limited space and freedom, she was able to express her

ideas in such an amazing way. She fought for the best education particularly for

women in Indonesia. Kartini believed that every woman had the responsibility to

be the first main educator for her children and her family. Through Kartini’s

letters, we will understand Kartini’s sharp thoughts about marriage and education

in future Indonesia.

B. Problem Formulations

Based on the background above, there are two problems which are going to

be discussed in the study, they are:

1. What are Kartini’s dreams of marriage?

2. What are Kartini’s dreams of education?

C. Objectives of the Study

This research attempts to analyze the dreams of Raden Adjeng on

marriage and education during the Dutch colonialism era in Indonesia.

D. Benefits of the Study

The first benefits of the study is for readers who learn and analyze

sociocultural aspects of Javanese culture, feudalism around Javanese noble life,

and colonialism era.


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The second benefit is for those who concern with educational views. They

can study about the importance of early education in Indonesia, particularly for

Javanese people during the colonialism era. They can also relate Kartini views of

education with education development nowadays.

The third benefit is for teachers and future teachers. Kartini’s ideas about

education are beneficial to broaden their views about the essence of true education

and teaching.

E. Definition of Terms

These are some keywords which used in this study in order to avoid

misunderstanding. The meaning of each keyword is limited.

1. Raden Adjeng

Raden Adjeng is a Javanese title used by unmarried female nobility. In

Javanese noble family, Raden Adjeng is used from the second generation down

(grandchildren) until the fifth generation down (Koentjaraningrat, 1957, p.9).

Kartini was born in a noble Javanese family. Her father, Raden Mas Adipati Aryo

Sosroningrat, was the Regent of Jepara. As a daughter of a noble Javanese family,

Kartini had the title Raden Adjeng before her name.

2. Priyayi

Priyayi is a term used for Javanese royal nobility. According to

Encyclopedia Britannica, Priyayi in traditional Javanese society, a class that

comprised the elite in contrast to the masses, or “common people” (wong cilik).

Until the 18th century the priyayi, under the royal families, were the rulers of the

Javanese states. After the Dutch gained control of the Javanese kingdom of


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Mataram (18th century) and introduced an indirect rule, priyayi was a title given

to administrators. Gradually they became professional civil servants. For this

reason, the term priyayi as a class was often addressed to Javanese civil servants.

Raden Adjeng Kartini's family was a priyayi family in Jepara, Central Java.

3. Letters of a Javanese Princess

Letters of a Javanese Princess is the title of a compilation of Kartini’s

letters which are compiled in a book. The letters were originally in Dutch

language and were translated into English by Agnes Louis Symmer. The book

was first published in 1964 and has been accepted in the Indonesian Translation

Series sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO).

4. Dreams

Freud (1956) says that dream can be understood as having two meanings. First,

dream can be described as an imaginative story that appears when someone is

sleeping. Second, dream can be described as a wish-fulfillment to be achieved.

The second definition gives a proper definition to portray Kartini's thoughts,

desires, and her struggles to achieve as a goal to educate her people by which she

wrote in her letters.


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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter consists of three parts. First is review of related studies,

second is review of related theories and third is theoretical framework. The review

of related studies presents some studies about Kartini’s Letters. In the review of

related theories, the researcher reviews some relevant theoretical foundations

related to the research. In the theoretical framework the researcher clarifies how

the theories are used to answer the research questions formulated.

A. Review of Related Studies

The researcher found two previous studies that discussed Kartini’s letters.

One of them used the same book of “Letters of A Javanese Princess” translated

by Agnes Louise Symmers, while the other used the book entitled “Habis Gelap

terbitlah Terang” .

The first researcher is Eva Evina (2014) from English Department Faculty

of Language and Literature Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga. Her

study entitles “English Department Readers’ Response Toward Two R.A Kartini’s

Letters In Book, “Habis Gelap terbitlah Terang” “. The study aimed to see

readers’ perceptions toward two different Kartini’s letters and to make the readers

aware of Kartini’s struggle to break the tradition for education. It consists of two

parts. The first one was the readers’ response before reading the book and the

second is the readers’ response after reading the book. The research applied the

reader-response criticism theory and subjective reader-response theory.


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The second researcher is Misana Tri Sundari (2015) from English

Education Department Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training State Islamic

Institute (IAIN), Tulungagung using the same book of Letters of A Javanese

Princess. The study entitles “A Study Of R.A Kartini’s Conflict In Letters Of A

Javanese Princess Translated by Agnes Louis Symmers”. This research discussed

what conflicts appeared in Letters of Javanese Princess, how the conflicts were

solved, and also revealed the education based on Kartini’s thought. It was also

explained how conflicts and solutions could be implemented in Education. The

study applied a document analysis as well as library study.

The two previous studies are different from this study. This study will

discuss deeper about Kartini’s thoughts, ideas, and dreams of marriage and

education as a priyayi in her letters. This research uses sociocultural-historical

approach to show the life of Kartini as a Javanese priyayi and in the Javanese

culture.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Sociocultural-historical Approach

The research uses sociocultural-historical approach. According to

Rohrberger and Woods (1971, pp. 9-11), this approach proposed that the only way

to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that produce it.

Civilization defines as the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people and

point out that literature takes these attitudes and actions as subject matter. The

traditional historical approach to the literature usually takes as its basis some

aspect of the sociocultural frame of reference, combining it with an interest in the


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biographical as well as a knowledge in literary history. Establishing the validity of

the text is important in this approach. Examines the works in relation to others by

the same author or to works of similar kind of subject matter by different periods

in all area of knowledge might enrich the experience of reading for this approach.

This research was based on the perspective of Javanese culture and

particularly Javanese priyayi culture during the Dutch colonialism in Indonesia.

Kartini's letters are the representations of her feelings, thoughts, and her dreams as

a priyayi of education and marriage in her Javanese society and her nation.

2. Polygamy Marriage in Javanese Culture in Kartini's Era

a. Marriage

In the Javanese culture, marriage is the establishment of a new,

autonomous household. In the traditional Javanese culture, most marriages are

arranged by the parents of the couple. The parents select the spouse based on three

factors bobot (social status), bibit (physical family gen), and bebet (wealth). The

parents also decide the date of the wedding (Geetz, 1961, pp. 54-55).

According to Soebadio & Sadli (1990, pp. 37-38), in Kartini's era, women

did not have the right to speak and to get their own choice. Most likely, the men

might have married or had several concubines. Before the transition to the 20th

century, a polygamy marriage was a common thing particulary in priyayi's

marriage life. This polygamy marriage was influenced by custom and religion at

that time. Parents, especially the priyayi, who did not fulfill the obligation to

marry off his daughter would get a bad name. Girls who did not marry were

regarded as a disgrace and a great sin. Marriage in Kartini's era was usually


10

performed at a very young age of a girl, about thirteen to sixteen years. A priyayi

girl who was already twelve years old, had to be secluded before her marriage

happened.

b. Definition of Polygamy Marriage

Polygamy is defined as a mating system in which an individual has more

than one mate simultaneously that can either be male or female (DeLecce, 2015).

Polygamy is actually a more general and broader term because it includes two

types of plurality marriage. It can be Polygamy as a term for having multiple

female mates or Polyandry to refer to a marriage of having multiple male mates.

c. Polygamy Marriage in Javanese Priyayi Culture During Dutch Colonialism

A polygamy marriage in the Javanese priyayi culture during Dutch

colonialism was considered as something common. It was also to symbolize the

power and the social status. The polygamy marriage in Javanese culture was

influenced by Islamic culture. R.M. Koentjaraningrat (1957, p. 66) writes in his

book “A Preliminary Description Of The Javanese Kinship System” that

polygamy had been customary among the Javanese before Islam came to

Indonesia. The period when Islam came, with its tolerance, polygyny began to

influence Javanese culture. This was practiced by the Sultan or The King, the

traditional priyayi families of administrative officials, among the nobility around

the principality courts in Central Java, and among wealthy people in the Kauman

Santri group. Many of administrative official priyayi had married into members of

the nobles in order to gain prestige (Koentjaraningrat, 1957, p. 7). A king, a

regent, and some other male priyayi would have more than one wife. They


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married women from the same social status or just an ordinary woman. In that

case, the social status level of the ordinary woman would be raised up.

According to R.M. Koentjaraningrat (1957, pp. 66-67), in a polygamy

Javanese household, the first or the main wife was not necessarily the first woman

whom the husband married. The first wife was the one who came from the same

social class and standing as the main wife. She was called as garwa-padmi. The

other wives, who were always from the lower class, were called selir or

concubine. Women of the same status never wanted to become selir.

The padmi would direct the household, controlled the servants, and

managed the household budget. She was also the main direct authority figure over

the children and shared her husband social life.

d. Selir

According to R.M. Koentjaraningrat (1957, p. 66), selir or concubine was

always the woman who came from the lower class and marrying a selir never

involved an elaborated wedding ceremony. The selir got a small apartment inside

the walls of the house, where she can cooked her own meals and raised her

children, assisted by a private female servant. Her husband called her to the main

building when he wanted to spend the night with her. The children of the selir had

no special prerogatives or privileges in the household.

3. Education in The Javanese Culture in Kartini's Era

a. The History of Education in Indonesia

According to John Parankimalil (2012), education is a systematic process

through which a child or an adult acquires knowledge, experience, skill and sound


12

attitude. Education makes an individual civilized, refined, cultured and educated.

It is important because education is the key to solve the various problems of life.

Education in Indonesia has a long history in its development. According to

The Indonesia-Dutch Colonial Heritage, the Indonesian education history can be

divided into five stages based on the era:

a. Early Kingdoms

Educations system in the era of Hindu-Buddhist civilisation was called

karsyan. Karsyan was a place of hermitage. This method was highly religious,

aimed to draw oneself closer to God.

b. Colonial Era

Formal education in the first form of elementary education was introduced by

the Dutch in Indonesia during the colonial era. The system was based on social

status of the colony's population, with the best available institution reserved for

the European population. In 1870, in line with the growth of Dutch Ethical

Policy, some of these Dutch-founded schools opened the doors for pribumi (locals

or native Indonesians). They were called Sekolah Rakjat (lit. folk school), the

embryo of what is called Sekolah Dasar (elementary school) today. The Dutch

introduced a system of formal education for the locals of Indonesia, although this

was restricted to certain privileged children. The Schools for the European were

modeled after the education system in Netherlands itself and required the

proficiency in Dutch language. Dutch language was also needed for higher

education enrollment. The elite Natives and the Chinese who were lack of Dutch

language skills could enroll in either Dutch Native or Chinese Schools. The Dutch


13

colonial government also established a number of universities and colleges for

native Indonesian on the island of Java.

c. Education in Kartini’s Era

During Dutch colonialism, education for Javanese people was influenced by

the social status and gender. At that time, only priyayi could entered the school

run by Dutch government. High education could only be joined by male priyayi. It

was because in Javanese culture, the female priyayi would be secluded after they

reached twelve years old. They were supposed to get married by the age of

fourteen to sixteen and took care of their family.

According to the book “Kartini Sebuah Biografi” written by Siti

Soemandari Soeroto (1979), in Kartini's era, the Dutch government launched

ethical politics. The colonial government used a strategy to take the hearts of the

colonies by providing access to education and information. The Dutch western

education was the first formal education known in Indonesia. During the

feudalism culture era, Javanese people had a custom that the daughters of the

aristocracy and the middle class were not allowed to leave the house to study and

mingle with the boys every day at school. Higher education was still largely

dominated by men. Men, mainly the priyayi and the middle class, got the chance

to attend higher school and even went to the Netherlands for further education.

Kartini and her sisters, as priyayi girls, had a chance to study in Europeesche

Lagere School or equivalent to primary school for six years. It was because her

father had a progressive mind and realized the importance of education.


14

In that era, there were some schools run by the Dutch. They had

Hoofdenscholen or King's School for noble men to be educated as Dutch officials.

There was some schools for teachers called Kweekschool. In Batavia, there was a

Sekolah Dokter-Djawa . For common people there was only one School of Java in

every district.

d. Japanese Occupation

During the Japanese occupation before World War II, a various operation of the

Dutch educational system was consolidated into one single operation that

paralleled the Japanese education system. The Japanese occupation marked the

deterioration of education in Indonesia, as schools were organized with the goal of

creating Greater East Asia of influence. As a result, schools begun training the

students in military and physical drills that were anti-West oriented. It also

included indoctrination of Japanese culture and history.

e. Post-Independence

After Indonesia finally declared its independence in 1945, the surviving

education system was fragile and unorganized. In addition, there was also a

shortage of teachers, as most of the teachers had been either Dutch or Japanese.

Very few Indonesians had experienced in managing schools. Eager to address the

neglect of focused education on native population, the government of Indonesia

had to completely create a system from scratch and reject the colonial European

system. An act was enacted in 1945 as Chapter 8, article 131, clause 1 states that

"every citizen has the right for education". The Ministry of Education, Instruction

and Culture was founded. The new institution sought to create an education that


15

was anti-discriminatory, elitist and capitalist, in order to promote nationalism of

the new republic of Indonesia.

4. Theory of Moral Education

Beside the approach used, some theoretical views are used to support the

research to analyze Kartini’s letters.. The theory of moral education is to highlight

Kartini’s educational views, particulary about the importance of intelligence and

moral education for a nation. Dewey (as cited in Kohlberg, 1980, p. 20) states that

the aim of education is growth or development, both intellectual and moral. Ryan

and Bohlin (1999, p.10) state that if we are each to be fully human, then, we need

to form a strong moral character. Our success or failure in forming moral

character will determine our destiny and our nation. According to Misnatun (2014,

p. 192), the most valuable education is education based on planting moral.

Within families, moral education is very valuable to obtain by a child.

According to Hoffman, Bandura & Walters (as cited in Stanley, 1980, p. 343),

parental styles influence the child’s moral development. It is clearly understood

because family is the crucial source and plays the main role for the growing child.

In relation to children moral maturity, Holstein, Peck, and Havighurst (as cited in

Stanley, 1980, p. 343) found that moral maturity in children is related to active

participation in family discussions and decision making.

5. Theory of Dreams

The theory of dreams is used to portray Kartini's dreams of marriage and

education. Dreams can be understood in two meanings. First meaning is having to

do with sleeping and second meaning is related to goal, hope, and wish.


16

a. Dreams in Sleeping

Dreams are often understood as an imaginative story that appears when

someone is sleeping. The famous theory of dream is proposed by Sigmund Freud.

Freud (as cited in Furham, 2015) proposes that dreams are imaginative stories that

appear when someone is sleeping. Dreams arise out of our inner conflicts between

unconscious desires and prohibitions against acting out desires. He claims that

dreams are the road to the unconscious. Dreams concern one’s past and present.

Every dream at its core is an attempt at wish-fulfilment.

b. Dreams as Goal, Hope, and Wish

Angel Morgan (2014) states that “Dreams” are not always dreams when

we are sleeping. As it turns out, the pop culture generally speaks of dreams are

more accurately defined as: hopes, wishes, aspirations, or visions for one’s current

or future life.

A dream is a type of target to the ultimate realization of desire or wish. It

becomes the ultimate destination and represents what someone wants and why.

Dreams can be big and seem unrealistic at a first glance. Some dreams could look

five to ten years into your future or even span the entire lifetime. Dreams are

always complement each others with goals. If we only have dreams without any

goals to support them, we can easily feel overwhelmed by the enormity of our

dreams. On the other hand, if we only have goals but no dreams, we can easily fall

into the trap of focusing so much on the steps that we lose sight of our destination.

Thus, dreams allow someone to be on the look for the golden opportunities that

may not be in line with the current goals, but that are strongly aligned with the


17

dreams. Dreams also help someone to evaluate whether the overall strategy and

associated goals are working or not.

Martin Luther King, JR. (1992), also describes the term dreams in his

famous speech “I Have A Dream”. According to him, dreams can be envisioned as

hopes and visions for better future; not only for one person’s life but also for

society, nation, and the world as a whole.

C. Theoretical Framework

This study employs sociocultural-historical approach, particularly in the

point of view of Javanese culture and Javanese priyayi culture. Javanese culture

on marriage and education are used to analyze a view about Kartini’s life around

her Javanese society in its correlation with Kartini’s thoughts and feelings about

marriage and education.

The theory of marriage in Javanese culture by Geertz is to highlight the

meaning of marriage in Javanese culture. Some theories about polygamy

marriage, polygamy Javanese household, and selir in Javanese priyayi culture

particularly during Dutch colonialism are used to find out how Kartini’s view and

thoughts about polygamy marriage were developed.

The history of education in Indonesia is aimed to give an explanation

about how education grows in Indonesia, from the early era, colonialism era,

Japanese occupation, until the post independence era. The history of education

during Kartini’s era is to give a clear view on the education during Dutch

colonialism, particularly how the education at the time shaped Kartini’s views

about education.


18

Theories of education by Kohlberg, Ryan and Bohlin, and Misnatun are to

highlits that education is also function to form character and moral. It is the key to

valuable education. The theories of moral education in family from Hoffman,

Bandura and Walters, Holstein, Peck and Havighurst as cited in Stanley (1964)

are used to analyze and explain Kartini’s thoughts about moral education in

family for the development of a nation.

The theories of dreams are defined in two meanings. First meaning is the

famous theory of dreams proposed by Sigmund Freud as cited in Furham (2015) is

to portray dreams dealing with the visions when we are sleeping. Second

meaning, dreams define as goal, hope, and wish. The theories proposed by Dr.

Angel Morgan, Martin Luther King, JR are used to portray Kartini's hopes,

wishes, visions of marriage and education.


19

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter consists of three parts which are object of the study, approach

of the study, and method of the study. This object of the study is the explanation

of the book analyzed. The approach of the study presents the chosen approach.

Finally, the method of the study explains the steps of how the research was

conducted.

A. Object of the Study

The object of the study is Raden Adjeng Kartini’s letters compiled in a

book titled “Letters Of A Javanese Princess”. This soft cover book, originally in

Dutch, was translated into English by Agnes Louise Symmers, edited by Hildred

Geertz, with a preface by Eleanor Roosevelt. The book was first published by The

Norton Library New York in 1964. This work has been accepted in the Indonesian

Translation Series sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This book consists of 246 pages and contains

78 letters which were written by Kartini to her Dutch friends. The letters were

written in Jepara, a small city in Central Java, which was Kartini’s hometown;

and Rembang where Kartini lived after she married to a Bupati (Regent). The 78

letters were written from May 25, 1899 until September 7, 1904 or several years

before Kartini died.

The book is about Kartini who has a Javanese title Raden Adjeng in front

of her name because she is a priyayi daughter. However, Kartini feels that her life

as a Javanese priyayi builds a high barrier for her freedom and her dreams. Kartini


20

was born on April 21st, 1879. She was a daughter of a high Javanese civil servant

in the Dutch colonial government. It is described in the book that her father gives

her an unusual privilege of attending a colonial elementary school until she is

twelve. Kartini’s next four years then are spent in seclusion at home according to

a Javanese custom. During these years and up until her untimely death, Kartini

maintains and broadens her contact with Dutch intellectual life through extensive

reading and correspondences with numerous Dutch friends. Kartini’s

correspondences show her intellect and literary talent, and her urgently-expressed

desire to be free of the restrictions of her culture particularly on education and

marriage. After lengthy efforts, she obtains a scholarship from the Netherlands

government to continue formal studies in Holland. However, she gives up this

hard-won opportunity in order to marry a progressive-minded Javanese official.

Together they begin the implementation of her long-cherished plan to open a

small school for Javanese girls. On the 13th

of September, Kartini’s first son was

born, and four days later, Kartini passed away in a very young age.

B. Approach of the Study

The purpose of this study is to analyze the dreams of Raden Adjeng

Kartini as a priyayi of marriage and education during the Dutch colonialism era in

Indonesia. Sociocultural-historical approach is used to analyze and answer the

problem formulated in this study. Kartini's letters will be analyzed to figure out

her dreams as a priyayi toward education and marriage which were influenced by

Javanese culture, economic and political context during Dutch colonialism era.


21

This approach makes use of a socio-cultural view on Javanese culture on marriage

and education and some theories to analyze the problems.

C. Method of the Study

In conducting the research, document analysis was used as the data

analysis technique. The writer used library study by collecting data from various

references as the method to get primary and secondary data. Various references

from books, journals, and the online sources are also used in this research.

First, the primary source in this study uses Kartini’s compilation letters in

a book titled “Letters of A Javanese Princess”. The writer read it for many times

to deepen the understanding of the content and find interesting and important

topics to be discussed. Second, the writer decided to analyze Kartini's dreams as a

priyayi on marriage and education during Dutch colonialism era in Indonesia by

using socio-cultural point of view. Third, the writer identified, marked and gave

notes to the sentences related to Kartini’s thoughts on marriage and education.

The writer was also tried to find the other references and some relevance sources

to support the study and help the writer to analyze the problems.

Fourth, the writer determined the approach and theories to be applied in

this study. The approach was the socio-cultural approach. The study employed

theories about Javanese culture on marriage and education and the history of

education in Indonesia. Some theories about polygamy marriage, theory of hope

were used to portray the term “dream”, and theory of moral education.


22

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

There are two parts in this chapter. The first part analyses the dreams of

Kartini on marriage which is aimed to answer the first problem. The second part

of this chapter analyses the dreams of Kartini on education for the nation,

particularly for women. This second part is also aimed to answer the second

formulated problem.

A. Kartini’s Dreams of Marriage

Kartini’s dreams were the representations of her desire, wish, hope, and a

broaden vision to educate Javanese people, particularly for the young women. She

also had a strong vision and wish to break the feudalism polygamy marriage by

educating Javanese people.

Dream is generally described as an imaginative story that appears when

someone is sleeping (according to Freud in Furham, 2015). Dreams are usually

related to our goals in real life. The term “dreams” is not always “dreams” when

we are sleeping. A dream can be a type of target to the ultimate realization of

desire or wish. It becomes the ultimate destination and represents what someone’s

want and why (www.timethoughts.com). Angel Morgan (2014) states that as it

turns out, the pop culture generally speaks of dreams as more accurately defined

as: hopes, wishes, aspirations, or visions for one’s current or future life.

Kartini’s dreams as hopes and visions for her people’s better future shared

similar thoughts with Martin Luther King’s dreams. Martin Luther King (1992),


23

with his famous speech “I have A Dream” envisioned dreams as hopes and

visions for better future. Dreams can be envisioned not only for one person’s life,

but also for society, nation, or the world as a whole. Moreover, when the person

who owns the dreams has died, the dreams will still be alive. Kartini did work

hard and struggled for her people, not only for her own future life. Kartini’s

dreams of marriage and education became a stepping stone for this nation,

particularly for Indonesian women.

In Kartini’s era, feudalism in Javanese noble society was very strong.

Geertz (1961) states that in Javanese culture, marriage means the establishment of

a new autonomous household and most marriages are arranged by the parents of

the couple. They select the spouse based on three factors bobot (social status),

bibit (physical family gen), and bebet (wealth). The parents also decide the date of

the wedding.

Historically, in a marriage life, a noble man with more than one wife, or

polygamy, was a common thing. Since the ancient era and before Islam came into

Java, polygamy marriage was part of feudalism culture. Koentjaraningrat (1957, p.

66) states that polygamy had existed in Java before Islam came to Indonesia. The

period when Islam came, with its tolerance, polygamy in the name of Islamic law

began to influence Javanese culture.

Siti Soemandari Soeroto (1979) wrote in her book “Kartini Sebuah

Biografi”, the tradition of polygamy marriage also occurred among the priyayi in

Jepara. Kartini’s father was one of the priyayi in Jepara who did a polygamy

marriage. Her father, R.M. Sosroningrat, was a regent in Jepara. Kartini and her


24

younger siblings were the children of Sosroningrat’s garwa ampil or concubine.

Kartini’s mother was actually the first woman whom R.M. Sosroningrat married,

but she did not belong to a noble family. According to Koentjaraningrat (1957), in

a polygamy Javanese household, the first or the main wife was not necessarily the

first woman in the family. The first wife was the one who came from the same

social level and standing as the husband. She was called as the padmi. The other

wives, who were always from the lower class, were called selir or concubine.

Before Sosroningrat was promoted to be a regent, he married a woman

who had a nobility background. Many of administrative official (priyayi) had

married members of nobility in order to gain prestige (Koentjaraningrat, 1957, p.

7). Kartini was raised in a polygamy family. Even though Kartini’s mother and

step mother lived in harmony as a wife and a concubine, polygamy marriage

became Kartini’s main enemy. Kartini hated a polygamy marriage since she grew

up as a teenage girl. When she started to understand a deep meaning of marriage

and polygamy, she realized that her dearest father did the polygamy marriage.

Moreover, the fact that the woman who was taking care of her and was the other

wives of her father had made her very disappointed.

Kartini then became very critical to the feudalism polygamy marriage

tradition. According to Seri Buku Tempo: Gelap-Terang Hidup Kartini (2013,

p.15), Kartini’s views about polygamy marriage were also influenced by Marie

Ovink-Soer’s article in the Dutch weekly women’s magazine, De Hollandsche

Lelie. Marie Ovink-Soer was the wife of the assistant resident of Jepara. She was

very close to Kartini’s family. Kartini and her younger sisters called her moedertje


25

or dearest mother. Marie Ovink was also a feminist figure in Dutch. She wrote an

article about the matchmaking and polygamy marriage customs in Javanese

culture. She shared her opinions about how terrible the customs for Javanese

women. Kartini read the article and it influenced her views about polygamy

marriage. She realized how the high wall tradition of marriage and polygamy had

made the women suffered. In that era, Javanese noble women had to go into

seclusion when they were twelve years old until they got married. They had to

marry chosen men when they were fourteen to sixteen years old. Kartini felt that

there was great discrimination and no freedom for women at that time because of

the feudalism tradition. She wrote her feelings in her letter to Stella Zeehandelaar

on May 25, 1899:

“But we must marry, must, must. Not to marry is the greatest sin which

the Moslem woman can commit; it is the greatest disgrace which a native

girl can bring to her family. And marriage among us—miserable is too

feeble an expression for it. How can it be otherwise, when the laws have

made everything for the man and nothing for the woman? When law and

convention both are for the man; when everything is allowed to him?” (p.

34)

In her letter, Kartini tells Stella Zeehandelaar that according to the Javanese

custom, the girls must marry. Particularly, it will be a greatest sin for a Moslem

woman if she does not marry and will also bring disgrace to her family. In

accordance with that, Soebadio & Sadli (1990, p. 37) state that in Kartini’s era,

parents who did not fulfill the obligation to marry off his daughter would get a

bad name, particularly if they were the priyayi. Kartini also states her feeling

about the discrimination that the women should accept, because the marriage laws

and convention are only made for the man.


26

Kartini wrote about the unfair marriage Moslem law and the custom to

Stella Zeehandelaar through her different letters. On her letter dated on November

6, 1899, Kartini strongly restates her thoughts and feelings to Stella:

“The Moslem law allows a man to have four wives at the same time. And

though it be a thousand times over no sin according to the Moslem law

and doctrine, I shall over call it a sin. I call all things sin which bring

misery to a fellow creature. Sin is to cause pain to another, whether man

or beast. And can you imagine what the hell-pain a woman must suffer

when her husband comes home with another—a rival—whom she must

recognize as his legal wife? He can torture her to death, mistreat her as he

will; if he does not choose to give her back her freedom, then she can

whistle to the moon for her rights. Everything for the man, and nothing

for the woman, is our law and custom.” (pp. 41-42)

In this part of letter, Kartini strongly states her deep thoughts about how Moslem

law and polygamy marriage custom provide everything for the man. According to

Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi in Concept polygamy and prophets marriages, Moslem

law gives permissions to the man to have four wives at the same time. Muslim

men are allowed to marry two, three, or four wives with condition as stated in the

Qur'an Surah an-Nisaa: “...marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but

if you fear that you will not do justice (between them), then (marry) only one...”

(Surah an-Nisaa, 4:3). Moreover, it is explained that polygamy marriage in Islam

has the history background of Prophet Muhammad marriages. Prophet

Muhammad married Lady Khadija, who was fifteen years older than him, at the

age of 25. Lady Khadija passed away when Prophet Muhammad was fifty years

old. After that, during his life until age 63 Prophet Muhammad married 10 wives.

His marriages were not for a lust or a power symbol reason. All the marriages of

the Prophet, other than with Lady Khadija, had good political or religious rational

reasons. The main reason was for providing protection and dignity to widows, so


27

that others may follow that example. Other reasons were to set the slaves free, to

forge friendly relations for sake of Islam, the desire to be related to the Prophet,

and to break a taboo and show an example. Kartini believes that a polygamy

marriage causes every woman to suffer the hell-pain when the husband has

another wife. She has a deep empathy because her mother is also the victim of this

marriage. Even though a polygamy marriage is not a sin according to Moslem

law, Kartini considers it as a sin. According to Kartini, the meaning of sin is to

cause pain to another creature.

In another part of Kartini’s letter dated August 1900 to Mevrouw

Abendanon-Mandri, she mentions that the customs and conventions as a gigantic

evil:

” I am still young, but I am not deaf nor blind and I have heard and seen

much, too much, it may be, so that my heart is drawn with pain and I am

swept violently forward in opposition to those customs and conventions

which are the curse of women and children! Helpless in bitter grief, I

wring my hands and feel myself powerless to fight against an evil so

gigantic! and which, O cruelty! is under the protection of the Islamic

Law, and is fed by the ignorance of the women themselves, the victims of

the sacrifice. Fate allows that cruel wrong which is called polygamy to

stalk abroad in the land.” (pp. 68-69)

This shows that in this very young age, Kartini sees and feels that polygamy

marriage is a cruel rule which cannot be avoided by women. She feels helpless

and powerless to fight the gigantic evil of the high wall custom because it is

legitimated by religion law. Related to the religion law of polygamy marriage,

Daniel Lev (1996, p. 193) states that the attempts to ban polygamy have often

failed because the Qur’anic passage allows it clearly. All of the misery, however,

in Kartini’s opinion is also caused by the ignorance of the women themselves and


28

the relentless egoism of a man. Moreover, she noticed that most of the women in

her era let it happen and sacrificed themselves to suffer as stated on her letter

dated August 23, 1900 to Stella Zeehandelaar:

“…while here the women have no say at all in the matter, but are simply

married out of hand, according to the will of their parents, to

whomsoever those powerful ones shall find good. In the Islamic world

the approval, yes, even the presence of the woman is not necessary at a

marriage. Father can come home any day at all and say to me, “You are

married to so and so.” I must then follow my husband. It is true I can

refuse, but that gives the man right to chain me to him for my whole life,

without ever having come near. I am his wife although I will not follow

him, and if he will not allow me to be divorced, then I am bound to him

all my life, while he is free to do as he pleases. He may marry as many

women as he chooses without being concerned in the least about me.”

(pp. 81-82)

This also means that the women do not have rights to say anything nor even

decide about their marriage. Everything is based on the parents’ will. Their father

will choose a decent man and arrange the marriage for the daughter. The woman

must follow the husband and obey them. The husband is allowed to have other

wives. Moreover, he is also allowed to have another woman without getting

married.

Kartini hated the idea of customary marriage. She had a deep thought

about a harmonious marriage. Kartini shared her thoughts and the facts about

polygamy marriage in Javanese society through a letter dated August 23, 1900 to

Stella Zeehandelaar:

“God has created woman as the companion of man and the calling of

woman is marriage. Good! it is not to be denied, and I gladly

acknowledge that the highest happiness for a woman is, and shall be

centuries after us, a harmonious union with the man of her choice. But

how can one speak of a harmonious union as our marriage laws are now?

I have tried to picture them to you. Must I not for myself, hate the idea of

marriage, scorn it, when by it the woman is so cruelly wronged? No,


29

fortunately every Moslem has not four wives or more, but every married

woman in our world knows that she is not the only one, and that any day

the man’s fancy can bring a companion home, who will have just as

much right to him as she. According to the Islamic Law she is also his

wife. In the directly ruled regions, the women have not such a hard time

as their sisters in those ruled by the princes, as in Surakarta and

Djokjakarta. Here the women are fortunate with only one, two, three, or

four co-wives. There, in the principalities, the women would call that

child’s play. One finds there hardly a single man with but one wife.

Among the nobility, especially in the circle surrounding the sultan, the

men have usually twenty-six women. Shall these conditions endure,

Stella?” (p. 82)

According to Kartini in her letter above, it is a God’s will that woman is created as

man’s companion. Kartini’s thought is actually in accordance with what Qur’an

states about marriage. The Qur'an says: ”From His signs is that He has created for

you spouses from yourselves so that you may get peace (and tranquilty) through

them; and He placed between you love and mercy. In these are signs for the

people who reflect (Surah ar-Room, 30:21).”

Kartini shares opinion that a harmonious marriage should be only between

a man and a woman or called a monogamy marriage. In her time, according to the

convention and Islamic Law, a man could marry some other women. Polygamy

marriage was a common thing among the nobility, particularly the Sultan or the

king. Kartini states on her letter dated August 23,1900, that it is a common

situation that a Sultan would usually have 26 women (p. 82). However, Kartini

revealed to Stella that the conditions gave an effect to her way of seeing a

marriage. Kartini hated the idea of marriage, particularly a polygamy marriage.

In the next part of the letter, Kartini wrote to Stella that she tries to find

out women’s opinion about marriage custom and polygamy marriage:


30

“Our people have grown so accustomed to them, and moreover they see

no other way in which every woman would be provided for. But in her

heart almost every woman that I know curses this right of the man. But

curses never help; something must be done. Come, women, girls, stand

up; let us reach our hands to one another, and let us work together to

change this unbearable situation.” (p. 82)

In the above letter, Kartini shares an opinion that Javanese people have been very

accustomed to live with the polygamy marriage convention. Moreover, Kartini

notices people’s tendency that marriage is the only good way to provide women’s

life. Almost every woman she knows, deep in their hearts, curses the marriage

custom which gives everything to the man’s rights. The custom has existed for

centuries and nobody dares to change it. The custom is considered as good and

perfect. Kartini realizes that women must do something to change the custom

instead of cursing. She encourages the women and the girls to stand up for their

rights and work together to change the situation.

Furthermore, according to the book “Kartini Sebuah Biografi” (1979), at

that time, in the midst of Kartini's daily bustle and her struggling to fight for

women’s rights, a messenger came from Rembang to her house. The messenger

brought a marriage proposal from the regent of Rembang, Raden Adipati Djojo

Adiningrat to Kartini. At that time, Kartini was 24 years old, an age which was

according to the Javanese culture had already past the age limit for marriage.

Kartini faced a dillema. Her father was very happy with the proposal and

wished Kartini to get married soon. Meanwhile, Kartini was still waiting for the

Governor General of the Dutch East Indies to reply her application letter. Kartini

wished to be able to continue her education to a school in Batavia. On the other

hand, according to his father, Djojo Adiningrat would be very well suited to be


31

her husband. He had a progressive mind, attended school in the Netherlands, and

was known as a competent official who regulated the area well.

Though being excited, Kartini's father understood Kartini’s views on

marriage, especially the polygamy marriage. Djojo Adiningrat had been a

widower since the garwo padmi or the wife passed away. However, he had three

garwa ampil or concubines and seven children. Kartini's father pointed out that

with all the real circumstances of Djojo Adiningrat, he was still known as a

progressive and modern educated Regent. Kartini's father asked his daughter to

consider the marriage proposal. Kartini herself was very surprised with the

marriage proposal of the Regent of Rembang. Her first thought was why another

barrier came across her dreams. Siti Soemandari Soeroto (1979, p. 337) in her

book "Kartini Sebuah Biografi", wrote about Kartini’s feeling to the marriage

proposal. According to Kartini’s younger sister, Roekmini, Kartini shared her

feeling through a letter dated on March 20, 1913 to Mrs. De Booy-Boissevain.

Kartini expressing her complaint such “Ah, why there should be another obstacle

in my path. This is strange.”

According to her younger sister in the book "Kartini Sebuah Biografi"

(1979), at that time, Kartini wanted to continue her education, get a diploma, and

get a job. However, Kartini had a great desire to please her father because she

loved him so much. Kartini truly understood that his father wanted to see her get

married soon and happy, especially because his father was also often got a

pressure from his fellow Regent and the other priyayi in Jepara related to Kartini’s

position. His father's health condition also decreased after a heart attack.


32

Kartini requested three days to deliberate her future. A historian, named

Hilmar Farid (2013, p.104) in Seri Buku Tempo “Gelap-Terang Hidup Kartini”

states “Within three days, Kartini was doing something unusual for a daughter of

an official of her time”. Farid explains that according to his sister's letters, Kartini

was trying to communicate with Djojo Adiningrat to know more about the

background of the man who proposed to her. This sort of thing never happened

before in society.

During her deliberation, Kartini had a thought coming across her mind. If

Djojo Adiningrat was really like what her father described then later as the wife of

a Regent, Kartini would be able to implement ideals to promote education for

women. Moreover, after knowing that Djojo Adiningrat was highly educated man

and highly concerned with education as well as the social progress in his region,

she believed that Djojo Adiningrat was regarded as a progressive minded and

modern Regent.

At that time, according to Seri Buku Tempo Gelap-Terang Hidup Kartini,

after three days Kartini decided to accept the marriage proposal with some

requirements to Djojo Adiningrat. First, Djojo Adiningrat had to approve the ideas

and ideals of Kartini. She asked him to allow her to open a school and teach the

daughters of officials in Rembang. The second requirement was related to the

marriage ceremony. Kartini did not want any customs such as squating, kneeling

and worshiping the feet of the groom.

All of the requirements were accepted by Djojo Adiningrat who had the

modern-thinking. Nevertheless, the decision to accept the proposal did not truly


33

come from Kartini’s desire. According to Saparinah Sadli and Haryati Soebadio

(1990) in the book “Kartini Pribadi Mandiri”, Kartini deeply loved her father.

The choice to accept the marriage was in fact to please her parents.

Kartini then told her engagement through her letter dated on August 1,

1903 to Mrs Abendanon-Mandri who was like a mother for Kartini. In her letter,

Kartini says that the people of Jepara rejoice to know that Kartini will get married

soon. Kartini also mentions about the man who soon will be her future husband:

“And the simple-minded hearts rejoice now because their dream is to be

realized, they are happy because their wish for their bendoro is coming

true. Do not be uneasy; my betrothed will not cut my wings short; the

fact that I can fly is just what has raised me so high in his eyes. He will

only give a larger opportunity to stretch out my wings; he will help me to

broaden my field of work.” (pp. 225-226)

In the letter, Kartini says that it seems to be a highly expected by them over the

years. Kartini tells Mevrouw Abendanon-Mandri that she is willing to undergo a

polygamy marriage because her future husband respects her as a woman. Kartini

convinces that her ideals to realize her dreams to educate women will not be

interrupted by the marriage. Even Djojo Adiningrat is very supportive and allows

Kartini to attain her dreams.

Kartini also wrote a short letter dated on August 1, 1903 to announce her

future marriage to Mevrouw Van Kool:

“A few words to announce to you, as briefly as possible, a new turn in

my life. I shall not go on with our great work as a woman alone! A noble

man will be at my side to help me. Oh, he is such a loveable, good man,

he has a noble heart and a clever head as well. It is a great change; but if

we work together, and support and help one another, we may be able to

take a far shorter road to the realization of our hopes than could either

alone.” (p. 224)


34

Kartini says that she will no longer be alone in realizing her great work. A good

man with a noble heart and is educated as well, will be her companion. Kartini’s

two letters state a clear impression that Kartini admires her future husband.

Kartini reveals that her marriage with Djojo Adiningrat will lead her way to

actualize her hopes and dreams. Only this time, Kartini will fulfill the dreams

together with her future husband.

Two months before Kartini’s wedding, she wrote a letter dated on August

25, 1903 to Mevrouw Abendanon-Mandri. Kartini shared about her plan after

getting married to Djojoadiningrat:

“I shall find a rich field of work at Rembang, and thank God, there I shall

not stand alone. He has promised to stand at my side and support me; it is

also his wish and his hope to support me in my efforts to help our people.

He himself has already labored diligently for their welfare for years. He

too would like to help in the work of education...” (p. 228)

The letter shows that she will continue her dreams to work on an education field.

Moreover, Kartini feels grateful because her future husband will support and help

her in the work of education. Kartini states that Djojo Adiningrat shares the

dreams to help their people with education as well.

Finally, on November 8, 1903, Kartini and Djojo Adiningrat got married.

Kartini then moved to Rembang with Djojo Adiningrat. Kartini shared about her

feelings on her wedding day in a letter dated on December 11, 1903 to Mevrouw

and Mijnheer Abendanon from her new home in Rembang:

”I sat on a stool near him, silent, my eyes full of tears and my heart

overflowing with emotion. There was happiness, there was gratitude,

there was pride; pride in him, that he had gained such a warm place in the

hearts of the people; gratitude because one of my dearest dreams was

realized, and happiness because I sat there at his side.” (p. 234)


35

In her letter above Kartini expresses that on her wedding day, Kartini feels the

emotion that makes her cry. She feels happy, grateful, and proud of her husband.

Kartini becomes tolerant about marriage life ideas, particularly to accept Djojo

Adiningrat’s polygamy marriage life.

Futhermore, Kartini wrote about her feelings on her marriage as well to

Professor Anton and Mrs. Anton through a letter on April 10, 1904:

“My husband (and it is known through the whole of Java that I am

different from others; yet he has bound himself to me) is not my husband,

he is my best friend. Everything that I think has been thought by him too,

and many of my ideas have already been expressed by him in deeds. I

have planned to be a pioneer in the struggle for the rights and freedom of

the Javanese woman. I am now the wife of a man whose support gives

me strength in my efforts to reach the ideal which is always before my

eyes. I have now both personal happiness and also my work for my

ideal.” (pp. 238-239)

In the above letter, Kartini describes her husband as her best friend and that her

husband can bound to Kartini’s mind yet personality. Kartini’s heart fills with joy

because her husband supports her dreams and they share the same thoughts. In

fact, she is proud of her husband for supporting their ideas in deeds. She feels

gratitude because through marriage she is able to realize her dreams of working

for the freedom of Javanese women, to educate and establish a school for native

women.

Marriage in Kartini’s dream should be a harmony relationship between

only a man and a woman. Apparently, the strong culture in her era made her even

not be able to refuse her own polygamy marriage. However, her decision to accept

the polygamy marriage with Djojo Adiningrat had brought her closer to her

dreams to educate women.


36

B. Kartini’s Dreams of Education

Dutch colonialism in Indonesia gave effects toward people’s life,

including the education in Indonesia. In Kartini’s era, the Dutch government

enacted what they called the Ethical Politics. The idea of Ethical Politics was to

give education to Indonesian people, particularly to Indonesian nobles. Later, the

Dutch Government would hire them as skilful workers with lower salary.

Siti Soemandari Soeroto (1979) wrote in her book “Kartini Sebuah

Biografi”, that at that time, the Ethical Politics idea was not a new idea for

Kartini. She had been thinking about her people who lived in poverty and

poorness as the effects of the Dutch colonialism. She came into a conclusion that

to overcome the problem, education should be given to Indonesian people. Kartini

realized that western education was important for education in Indonesia.

However, Kartini did not try to make her nation become Dutch or half Dutch. Her

nation should hold on firmly to her character and culture (p. 4).

In her era, Kartini did not only have to fight against ignorance and poverty

as a result of Dutch colonization to her nation. She also had to deal with the

tyranny of the feudal customs among the middle and upper level nobility. The

strict feudal custom regulations had become major obstacles to the progress of the

nation. Feudal customs also drew a clear line between men and women, which

brought so many disadvantages for women particularly in education. Kartini

demanded that the girls were allowed to study and continue their education up to

high levels. Education would raise the dignity of women and would destroy the

feudalism custom.


37

1. Kartini and Her Study Experiences

The book “Letters of A Javanese Princess” states that in Kartini’s era, the

nobility feudal custom strictly prohibited girls to leave the house or to go to

school and mingle with the boys every day. Kartini wrote about this in her first

letters dated on May 25, 1899) to Stella Zeehandelaar as follows:

“My grandfather, Pangeran Ario Tjondronegoro of Demak, was a great

leader in the progressive movement of his day, and the first regent of

middle Java to unlatch his door to that guest from over the sea-Western

civilization. All of his children had European educations; all of them

have, or had (several of them are now dead), a love progress inherited

from their father; and these gave to their children the same upbringing

which they themselves had received. Many of my cousins and all my

older brothers have gone through the Hoogere-Burger-School—the

highest institution of learning that we have here in India; and the

youngest of my three older brothers has been studying for three years in

the Netherlands, and two others are in the service of that country.” (p. 32)

This shows that Kartini and her sisters are lucky because their father has inherited

a progressive nature and understand the importance of education from their

grandfather. Their grandfather, Pangeran Ario Tjondronegoro, is a great leader of

progressive movement and realized the importance of education. Kartini’s father,

Sosroningrat, sends his children to Dutch School. Sosroningrat does not care

about the customs and sends his daughters to Europe Lagere School, including

Kartini. Furthermore, Kartini wrote to Stella:

“Certainly, Stella, I cannot thank my parents enough for the free bringing

up which they have given me. I had rather have my whole life one of

strife and sorrow than be without the knowledge which I owe to my

European education.” (p. 41)

The letter shows that education is something precious for Kartini because her life

will be in sorrow if she lives without knowledge. Kartini and her sisters feel

grateful for being very lucky to enjoy European education at school.


38

Another part of the “Letters of A Javanese Princess” also states that since

Kartini was only a little girl, she had been dreaming to study in Europe. Kartini

stated clearly about her ideal dream to study in Europe in her letter to Stella

Zeehandelaar on January 12, 1900:

“To go to Europe! Till my last breath that shall always be my ideal. If I

could only make myself small enough to slip into an envelope then I

would go with this letter to you, Stella, and to my dearest best brother…”

(pp. 49-50)

In the above letter, Kartini expresses her ideal and her eagerness to go to Europe

to study. Moreover, her older brother whom she loves the most has already gone

study in Europe.

At that time, Kartini told Mevrouw Abendanon-Mandri in her letter on

August 1900 that her teacher back at school asked her to study in Holland. It was

when Kartini had to leave school because she had to go into her seclusion. Kartini

came to school to say goodbye to the School Principal and her best friend, Letsy.

Once her teacher had asked her if she could not go to Holland to study with Letsy:

“ “Would you not like to go?”

“Do not ask me if I would like to go; ask me if I may,” came hoarsely

from her trembling lips.” (p. 72)

The letter shows that deep inside her heart Kartini really wishes she could go to

Holland to study but it seems impossible for her. Her parents will not give a

permission to her because she has to undergo to seclusion. Kartini has a big

intention behind her ideal dream to study in Holland. She also shared her intention

on her letter to Mevrouw Ovink-Soer on October, 1900:

“I want to go on with my studies in Holland, because Holland seems to

me in all respects a more suitable place of preparation for the great task

which I would undertake.” (p.96)


39

Kartini states that she would like to prepare the great task which she would

undertake and Holland seems to be a suitable place.

Kartini shared her further ideas about why she had to go to Holland and

the great task she would undertake to Van Kool. Henri Hubertus Van Kool was a

member of Dutch Parliament. He came to visit Jepara on April 20, 1902 and

stayed at Kartini’s house. Kartini and her sisters were very happy and they

discussed many things. When Van Kool asked Kartini about her plan to go to

Holland, Kartini shared her ideas to Van Kool on her letter on May 17, 1902 to

Stella Zeehandelaar as follows:

“I let him finish quietly, before I brought my own ideas to the light of the

day; “Mijnheer Van Kool, if I should go to Holland, my intention is to be

educated for a profession, that of teaching preferably, and when I come

back I plan to open an institute for the daughters of native officials. It is

to study that I wish to go there.” (p. 167)

Based on the letter, the great task that Kartini mentioned to Mevrouw Abendanon-

Mandri is clearly open here. Kartini wants to study in Holland because she has a

dream to open an institute for the daughters of native officials. Kartini has desires

to teach and educate the native girls, for that purposes she wants to study teaching

profession in Holland.

2. Fighting Against Discrimination of Education

It is clearly stated in the book “Kartini Sebuah Biografi“(1979) that in

Kartini’s era, the discrimination on education was based on the gender. In

education, the boys had many chances to continue their education. They could

continue their education to HBS in Semarang after graduating from Europesche

Lagere School. Some boys also went to Netherland to continue their study. On the


40

contrary, after graduating from Europesche Lagere School, according to the

Javanese custom the girls would enter the seclusion. They were not allowed to

continue their study at HBS. The similar thing also happened to Kartini and her

sisters. Kartini describes the situation to Stella Zeehandelaar through in her first

letter on May 25, 1899:

“We girls, so far as education goes, fettered by our ancient traditions and

conventions, have profited but little by these advantages. It was a great

crime against the customs of our land that we should be taught at all, and

especially that we should leave the house every day to go to school. For

the custom in our country forbade girls in the strongest manner ever to go

outside of the house. We were never allowed to go anywhere...” (p. 32)

In her letter above, Kartini states how the Javanese custom forbids the girls to

leave the house and to go to school as free as the boys. The girls, particularly

members of the priyayi, do not get proper education as the boys could get.

Moreover, it is a great crime against the customs and no girls are free to continue

their education. While the boys can continue their education and study, the girls

have to stay at home.

Kartini noticed that Javanese feudal customs system only gave benefits to

the men. The suppression of equality for women broke Kartini’s heart. Once

again, Kartini shared her thoughts about the discriminaton in her letter dated

August 23, 1900 to Stella Zeehandelaar:

“I should teach my children, boys and girls, to regard one another as

equal human beings and give them always the same education; of course

following the natural disposition of each. And then I should let down the

bars which have been so foolishly erected between the two sexes.” (p.

83)

Kartini states that later she would not let her children to live with discrimination

as she goes through. Boys and girls must have equal chance as human being but


41

without forgetting their nature as man and woman. Kartini wants to let down the

discrimination which is foolishly erected between two sexes.

Based on “Letters Of A Javanese Princess”, at the age of twelve, Kartini

had finished her school at Europesche Lagere School. She could not continue her

school, because according to the Javanese priyayi culture, Kartini must enter the

seclusion. She wrote about her experience and her feelings about the seclusion in

her first letter to Stella Zeehandelaar on May 25, 1899:

”When I reached the age of twelve, I was kept at home—I had to go into

the “box”. I was locked up, and cut off from all communication with the

outside world....My parents were inexorable; I went into my prison. Four

long years I spent between thick walls, without once seeing the outside

world.” (p. 33)

This shows that at the age of twelve, Kartini has to stay at home. She should not

go anywhere and cannot communicate with the outside world. In the traditional

Javanese society the term used is seclusion. Kartini has to undergo her seclusion.

Kartini refers to it as "the box" and she clearly feels like being in a prison for a

very long time. It is because Kartini is an active and critical woman, critical, and

has great curiosity. In another part of the letter, Kartini wrote:

“How I passed through that time, I do not know. I only know that it was

terrible. But there was one great happiness left me: the reading of Dutch

books and correspondence with Dutch friends was not forbidden. This—

the only gleam of light in that empty, somber time, was my all, without

which, I should have fallen, perhaps, into a still more pitiable state.” (p.

33)

The quotation shows that Kartini feels that it is terrible to imagine how she will

pass through the time during the seclusion. Luckily, she can read Dutch books and

have a correspondence with her Dutch friends. Those two things, at least, are her


42

only happiness. While in the seclusion, Kartini finds Stella Zeehandelar who

becomes her pen pal through a Dutch magazine that Kartini reads.

Kartini read many of various types of books and exchanges ideas with her

Dutch friends about many things. Despite being in seclusion, Kartini precisely

grew up into an insightful, intelligent, and very critical young girl.

3. Kartini’s Note for Education, “Give The Javanese Education!”

According to “Seri Buku Tempo Gelap Terang Hidup Kartini”, in

Kartini’s time, Javanese people suffered. Drought and crop failure made Javanese

people poor. The suffering increased because many were addicted to opium.

Kartini also criticized and highlighted the Dutch government opium’s policy

which monopolized the opium trade.

Kartini shared her sharp opinion about opium in her letter on May 25,

1899 to Stella Zeehandelaar:

“The opium tax is one of the richest sources of income of the

Government—what matter if it go well or ill with the people?—the

Government prospers. ......Hunger will make a man a thief, but the

hunger for opium will make him a murderer.” (p. 35)

This shows that Kartini highlights the effect of the Dutch government’s opium

trade monopoly. She states that the opium tax is the richest sources income to

make the government prosperous. It causes harm to Javanese people because the

addiction of opium will cause a man to be a murderer.

Kartini had her own way for educating the Javanese people not to fall in

opium and poverty. She assured provision of more equitable education was the

key to the Javanese development progress. In her letter to Stella Zeehandelaar on

January 12, 1900; Kartini stated her thoughts as follows:


43

“...When the Government provides a means of education for the people,

it is as though it placed torches in their hands which enabled them to find

the good road that leads to the place where the rice is served... We wish

to equal the Europeans in education and enlightenment, and the rights

which we demand for ourselves, we must also give to others” (p. 57)

In the above letter, Kartini states that the Dutch-Indian Government is afraid to

provide education for Javanese people. It is because if the people are smart

enough to provide their lives, they would no longer depend on the Government.

Kartini wishes the equal education for her people to be enlightened. Furthermore,

in another part of the letter, Kartini continues her statement about the Government

who does not provide equal education for Javanese people:

“Oh, now I understand why they are opposed to the education of the

Javanese. When the Javanese becomes educated then he will no longer

say amen to everything that is suggested to him by his superiors” (p. 62)

Based on the statement above, Kartini wants to emphasize the reason why the

Dutch Government does not give them equal education. She states that if the

Javanese people become educated, they will no longer obey to everything that is

suggested by the Dutch Government.

Kartini also wrote about the equal education and the importance of

education for the Javanese people in her letter on June 10, 1902 to Mevrouw

Abendanon-Mandri:

“We do not wish to make of our pupils half Europeans or European

Javanese. We want a free education, to make of the Javanese, above

everything, a strong Javanese. One who will be blessed with love and

enthusiasm for his own land and people, with a heart open to their good

qualities and to their needs.” (p. 172)

This shows that, according to Kartini, the aim of equal education for the Javanese

is not to make Javanese pupils become half European or European Javanese. It is


44

to make Javanese people realize their good qualities and to be aware of their own

needs. Kartini wishes every Javanese to love and to be enthusiastic to the land and

the people.

According to Joost Cote (1992) in “Letters From Kartini: An Indonesian

Feminist 1900-1904”, on January 1903, Kartini wrote a memorandum about

education entitled “Give The Javanese Education!”. The memorandum was

addressed to an official of the Dutch Ministry of Justice. In the memorandum,

Kartini emphasized the needs of education for Javanese people, particularly the

need to educate women for the development of the nation.

In the memorandum Give The Javanese Education!, Kartini wrote about

providing education for the nobility as the main way to educate a nation:

“While it may be absolutely impossible to provide an entire population of

27 million people with education immediately, it would not be

impossible to begin by providing education to the upper layers of that

population and developing it in such a way that they could be of benefit

to those below them. The people are very attached to their nobility; what

emanates from them finds ready acceptance amongst them.” (p. 529)

In the above memorandum, Kartini states that if it is impossible to provide

education for a nation with 27 million people, the government can take the first

step to provide education for the nobility. It is considered beneficial because the

people in Java are loyal to the priyayi. What is emanate from the priyayi will be

accepted by the people.

Unfortunately, according to Kartini, the government took an advantage of

people’s loyalty to their nobility. People got nothing or a very little benefit from

their government because the government abused the power to the people for their

own concerns.


45

At that time, Kartini knew the concept of adeldom verplicht or nobility

involves obligation from Stella Zeehandelaar. Kartini believed that the absurd

feudalism could be diminished by the principle that the higher nobility, their

duties and obligations towards the people became heavier (Seri Buku

Tempo:Gelap-Terang Hidup Kartini, 2013, p. 11). Therefore, this had to change

because the nobility should earn and be worthy of the reverence of the people.

Kartini also wrote in the memorandum:

“The Government must prepare the nobility for this and this can only be

achieved by giving the nobility a sound education, one not exclusively

based on an intellectual education but one which also provides a moral

education.” (p. 529)

This quotation shows that Kartini strictly states that the only way for the nobles to

realize their obligation is to provide education. The most important thing is not

only to provide the intellectual education but also to foster and improve the

character of the nobility. Moral education is an important thing to shape the

nobility’s character. Ryan and Bohlin (1999, p. 10) state that if we are each to be

fully human, then, we need to form a strong moral character.

Kartini always believed that moral education was important in educating

people of a nation. It can be seen in her letter on January 21, 1901 to Mevrouw

Ovink-Soer:

“But is an intellectual education everything? To be truly civilized,

intellectual and moral education must go hand in hand.”(p. 65)

In the letter Kartini strongly states that intellectual education is not above

everything. She believes that a nation can be truly civilized if the people are

intellectually and morally educated. It is in accordance with Dewey’s theory that


46

states the aim of education is the growth or development, of both intellectual and

moral (cited in Kohlberg, 1980, p. 20).

Furthermore, Kartini wrote in the memorandum that without the inclusion

of moral education even the best of education systems could not achieve the

results which might be expected (p. 530). According to Misnatun (2014, p. 192),

the most valuable education is education based on planting moral. In her letter to

Mevrouw Abendanon-Mandri on January 21, 1901, Kartini also shared her same

thoughts:

“Education means the forming of the mind and of the soul. I feel that

with education of the mind the task of the teacher is not complete. The

duty of forming the character is his; it is not included in the letter of the

law, but it is a moral duty.” (p. 99)

This means that Kartini has a deep thought about education. It means the character

of a person should be educated as well. The success or failure in forming moral

character will determine our destiny and our nation. Kartini also states that the

duty of a teacher is not only teaching the subjects, but forming and developing the

character of the students. It is a teacher’s moral duty as an educator.

Kartini thought that woman was the most important factor to support the

education for the soul. She wrote about it in another part of her letter in 1900 to

Mevrouv- Ovink-Soer:

“And who can do most for the elevation of the moral standard of

mankind? The woman, the mother; it is at the breast of woman, that man

receives his earliest nourishment. The child learns there first, to feel, to

think, and to speak. And the earliest education of all foreshadows the

whole after life.” (p. 65)

It is clearly seen that here Kartini states her opinion that woman’s position as a

mother becomes the first place to educate and form the moral character of her


47

children. The future life of a child is in the hand of a mother whose great task is to

provide the earliest education in the family. It is in accordance with the theory that

parental styles influence the child’s moral development (Hoffman, 1963; Bandura

& Walters, 1963 in Stanley, 1964, p. 343). It is clearly understood, then, that a

family is the crucial source and plays the main role for the growing child.

It became a strong reason for Kartini to say that the education of woman

had always been an important factor in emphasized the need to educate the

women for the development of society in her memorandum. She shared the

thought in a letter dated on October 11, 1901 to Stella Zeehandelaar:

“Who could deny that the woman has a great task to perform in the moral

development of society? It is she, precisely she, who is the one to do this;

she can contribute much, if not most, to ensure the improvement of the

moral standards of society.” (p. 127)

In her memorandum Give The Javanese Education!, Kartini strongly states the

great contribution of the woman can give to develop society’s moral standards.

Furthermore, she wrote:

“It is the hand of the mother which first plants the germ of virtue or

wickedness in the heart of the individual where it usually remains for the

rest of the person’s life. But how can Javanese mothers now educate their

children if they, themselves are uneducated? The education and

development of the Javanese people can never adequately advance if

women are excluded, if they are not given a role to play in this.” (p. 530)

In the above quotation, Kartini explains that a mother has a great task to introduce

virtues to her children. The initial nurturing will influence the rest of the

children’s life. But how can a mother educate her children while they are now

uneducated? The fact, at that time the discrimination in education was such a great

wall. Kartini emphasized that if the women were not given a proper role in


48

education, the education and the development of Javanese people would never

happen.

In relation to achieve the Javanese development, in the memorandum,

Kartini shared her thoughts and her ideas to prepare the daughters of the nobles

for education:

“In the meantime provide education, instruction, for the daughters of the

nobility; the civilizing influence has to flow from here to the people;

develop them into capable, wise, fine mothers and they will vigorously

spread enlightenment amongst the people. And as persons of intellectual

and spiritual enlightenment they will in many different ways be of

assistance to their people and to their society.” (pp. 530-531)

Based on Kartini’s opinion, the focus is to educate the daughters of the nobility as

the main bridge to prepare the civilization. Despite their future task as a wise and

fine mother who is capable to educate the next generation, the intelligent and

spiritually enlightened women will develop their society in many ways.

Furthermore, in her Note for Education Kartini had an idea to open a

school to educate children and the teaching system in that school:

“For the time being a single school could be opened, a boarding

institution so that children could be totally educated in this spirit;

however the institution should also be open to day pupils. The medium of

instruction should be the Dutch language. It is only a knowledge of a

European language, and in the first instance of course, Dutch, which will

in the foreseeable future, be able to civilize and bring spiritual freedom to

the upper layers of Native society!” (p. 534)

It is clear that Kartini has modern thoughts and ideas about building a boarding

institution. She also thinks about the concept of the curriculum and the medium of

instruction. In her opinion, the knowledge of European language can be the

stepping stone to open the civilization. Indeed, one of Kartini’s dreams is to open

a school with her own curriculum and regulation to bring freedom and enhance


49

civilized Javanese people by starting everything in giving education to the upper

layers, in this term is the priyayi.

4. Opening the First School for Native Girls

According to Tashadi (1985) in “RA Kartini”, some people criticized and

questioned about Kartini's success in achieving her goals to educate women in

Indonesia. Many only know that Kartini died young before she managed to reach

his goal. However, many Indonesian people do not know that Kartini successfully

opened the first girl school. All her ideas later became nation-wide movement

milestone in the progress of female education in Indonesia.

In the early 20th

century, there were only some Sekolah Guru (Teacher’s

Training School) and a Sekolah Dokter Djawa (Javanese Doctor School) in

Indonesia. Every districts only had the 2nd

grade of Elementary School. Kartini

was the first Javanese woman who thought about education for Javanese girls. She

also shouted her ideals and ideas about the importance of education for the

women. Kartini wanted to establish a school for the noble girls who graduated

from Europe Lagere School and need to continue their study. In that era, Kartini’s

thoughts and ideas about the school curriculum she aspired were different from

the general government schools. Kartini shared her ideas about the school through

her letter on January 27, 1903 to Heer E.C. Abendanon:

“It is true that in “our school” (how pleasant that sounds) we want to give

more of a moral than an academic education. If it is not erected by the

Government we would not have to follow the prescribed paths, and we

want the whole idea of our school to be the education of children, not as

though they were in a school, but in a home, as a mother would bring up

her own children.” (p. 213)


50

This shows that Kartini is keen on establishing a school which is different from

the common government school. The big idea is to educate the students as if a

mother guides her own children. Kartini believes that education is not only to

sharpen the brain and the intellect, but morality and character as well. In this case,

according to Kartini a mother has an important teaching role to influence the

formation and development of the child’s character. It becomes the reason why

Kartini wants to teach the students in her own school like a mother educates her

own children.

It is stated in the book “Kartini Sebuah Biografi” (1979) that on June

1903, Kartini and her sister finally opened their first school for noble girls around

Jepara. The school which was opened in Kabupaten or the district received the

daughters of native officials as students starting from six years old. However, it

became the first school in the Dutch East Indies which was not regulated by the

Dutch Government system. Kartini apprised in joy about the school progress to

Mevrouw Abendanon-Mandri through her letter on July 4, 1903:

“Moeske, we have begun our work. We thank your husband for his

advice to begin at once, just as we were. We had not dared to hope that it

would begin so easily. We started with one pupil, quickly the number

jumped to five, tomorrow morning eight will come to the kabupaten, and

soon there will be ten. The day before yesterday the djaksa of Karimun

Djawa brought a daughter to me. Picture it, Moeske, they send their

daughters away from home and let them eat with us here in a strange

place.” (p. 222)

This is to show that Kartini is so overwhelmed with joy to see the progress of the

school she has established together with her sister. Moreover, she is contented by

the officials’ enthusiasms to take their daughters to Kartini’s school. The school


51

starts with a pupil, within a few days the number increase to five and soon will

have ten pupils. Kartini’s school is well-received by the people around Jepara and

also by the people of the Karimun Djawa island which is across the Java sea.

In the another part of her letter on July 4, 1903 to Mevrouw Abendanon

Mandri, Kartini also told about the learning activities in her school:

“The children come here four days in the week, from eight to half past

twelve. They study writing, reading, handiwork and cooking. We

teachers do not give lessons in art unless the pupils show a special

aptitude for it. Our school must not have the air of a school, nor we that

of schoolmistresses. It must be like a great household of which we are the

mothers. We will try and teach them love as we understand it, by word

and deed.” (p. 223)

Thus, Kartini says that the school is open four days a week for four and a half

hours. The children study writing, reading, handiwork, and cooking. The lessons

are not given according to the system applied at common government school, but

are based on the fun learning way for the students. Kartini’s school is equivalent

with elementary school based on the range of the pupils’ ages and the curriculum.

According to Misnatun (2014, p. 191), Kartini’s ideas of such education was the

education based on the skill for future occupation. The education skills which

taught by Kartini were aimed to create independent women in the future.

Alongside the basic subjects such as reading, writing, and handiwork; the

essential skills for future housewives such as cooking were also taught. Kartini

also applied what became the basic idea and the desire to teach character

development and moral values. She was also educating the students as a mother

guiding her children.


52

Unfortunately, Kartini could not any longer devoted her energy and

thought on the school progress due to her marriage. After the marriage, she had to

move to Rembang with her husband. Her younger sisters took the responsibility to

promote the school. The numbers of the students even multiplied as what Kartini

said in her letter to Professor and Mrs. Anton on April 10, 1904:

“We began to teach at home in Japara, and now our younger sisters are

carrying on the work there. Our little school now has one hundred and

twenty pupils, daughter of native officials. My sisters give them

instruction. But here too I have begun our work; my own little daughters

were my first pupils. So you see that the little Javanese are beginning to

realize the dream of their girlhood.” (p. 239)

Based on the letter, we know that the school which is established by Kartini and

her sisters develops very well in Jepara. The numbers of the students achieve to

hundreds and they are the daughters of native officials. Kartini is filled with joy

because the Javanese daughters have already started to actualize their dreams

since their childhood.

Kartini herself taught the daughters of her husband. Together with her

husband, they were working on the plan to open the school in Rembang. Kartini

shared the plan in her first letter on December 11, 1903 to Mevrouw and Mijnheer

Abendanon after she moved to Rembang:

“In January I hope to be able to open our little school. We are looking for

a good teacher, and till we have found one, I shall have charge of the

lessons myself. Several parents have already asked me to teach their

children. Our idea is to open a school for daughters of the native officials

here, if we can get a suitable teacher. If we could find a good governess,

then she could care for the mental development of our children and also

for the formation of their characters.” (p. 234)


53

The quotation tells that Kartini and her husband hope to open a school for

daughters of the native officials in Rembang. The ideas are based on the school

that Kartini had already established in Jepara. It emphasizes on skills, mental

development, and the formation of the characters. It seems that Kartini’s school in

Jepara has been known well because there are several parents have already asked

Kartini to teach their children.

No doubt, Kartini’s path to establish a school for the girls became a major

influence on the development of education in other regions. A new milestone for

women’s education in Java had begun. Schools began to establish in many areas

such as Sekolah Kepandaian Puteri or school for girls in Batavia, Madiun,

Semarang, Bogor, Malang, Cirebon, Surabaya, Surakarta, and Rembang (Tashadi,

1985, p. 84). It became a good sign for women’s education to step forward.

Slowly but sure, even after Kartini died, her dreams are actualized. Many girls

who are now attending schools and continue their education to the higher levels

are parts of Kartini’s dreams.

C. The Relation of Education and Marriage

At that time, Kartiini was very active in calling for the importance of

education. More specific, she stressed the importance of education and science to

advance Javanese women. According to Kartini, with education through school

and other ways, a woman does not need to go into seclusion. Women can acquire

skills that can sustain their own lives and also determine their ways of marriage.

They can determine which men they want to choose as their life companions and

do not have to get caught in polygamy marriage. Moreover, according to Kartini,


54

in marriage life a well educated woman has important roles. The economy of

society depends heavily on how women manage finances in the household.

Moreover, women are the carriers of civilization because the early education and

development of a child is in the hands of women as mothers. Educating and

raising children should no longer considered as secondary matter, the task must be

shared by both parents.

In the end, even though Kartini decided to accept polygamy marriage with

a widower with three concubines and seven children, she had succeeded in

realizing her thoughts about the importance of education for women and

actualizing her dreams to educate young girls. Kartini made her own choice for

the man who deserved to be her husband and determined the wedding process as

her wish. Despite the fact that Kartini accepted the polygamy marriage, her

marriage was an example of a marriage that had a harmonious relationship. They

built their marriage relationship based on equality in such positive ways. Kartini

became an example figure of a well educated wife and mother in her era. Kartini

and her husband became great supportive partners. They often disscussed, shared

the same ideas, and worked together to educate Javanese people, particulary for

the young girls. Kartini was also educate the children of her husband very well.

However, she never forgot her nature as a woman to take care of her family.

There are messages that Kartini wanted to conyey about the importance of

education for women’s life. First, education empowered women to take the right

decisions in their life and to create their own paths. Second, education makes

women understand the difference between right and wrong and gives them


55

confidence to stand up against something that is wrong. Third, it gives women a

voice and ability to project their innate capacity for love, passion, strength,

power, kindness to educate their children as the future generations.


56

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS

This chapter consists of three parts, namely conclusions of the study,

implications of the study, and the suggestions. The first part provides the answers

of the problems of the study. The second part encloses the implication of the study

to education and teaching. The third part contributes some suggestions proposed

for the future researcher.

A. Conclusions

This part will present the conclusions about the analysis in chapter four.

From the analysis, two conclusions can be drawn. The first conclusion is about

Kartini’s dreams of marriage and the second is about Kartini’s deams of

education.

The first conclusion is about Kartini’s dreams of marriage. There are two

parts based on the analysis about Kartini’s dreams of marriage. First, it is strongly

pointed that Kartini hates the idea of polygamy marriage and against polygamy

marriage. According to her, arraged marriage and polygamy marriage that occured

at that time were only brought suffering to women. Women did not have the right

to choose who will be the future husband nor to express any opinions about the

marriage they wanted. Marriage in Kartini’s thought should be a harmony

relationship between only a man and a woman. It was actually related to woman’s

feeling when they saw her husband with another woman and they had to share

husband. They felt the injustice feeling, but they could not say anything about


57

their feeling because the culture did not allow them to do so. The second

conclusion is to point out Kartini’s decision to accept polygamy marriage with

Djojo Adiningrat, a widower with three concubines and seven children. Based on

her letters, this apparent betrayal of her earlier ideal is perhaps the sharpest point

of speculation and controversy surrounding Kartini’s life. There are two main

reasons that drive and cause Kartini to accept the marriage. They are related to

Kartini’s love to her father and her struggling to actualize her dreams to educate

women. Initially, Kartini feels the burden to accept the marriage, but she realizes

that she needs an assistance to actualize her dreams. It is because the Javanese

feudalism culture which was too strong for her to fight at that time. Kartini notices

that her future husband is a progressive, competent, virtuous, works for his

people, and shares the same ideals with Kartini. It is proved that during their

marriage until she dies, Kartini’s husband always supports and helps her to

educate and establish school for native girls. In the end, it is proved that Kartini’s

decision to accept polygamy marriage has brought benefits and kindness to be a

milestone for the women’s education development in Indonesia. Kartini’s decision

to enter into a polygamy marriage perhaps reveals her most astute and insightful

understanding of the realities of the strong wall of traditions.

The second conclusion is about Kartini’s dreams of education. In her

letters and in the Memorandum that Kartini wrote, she pointed out the importance

of education to an individual is to create independent individual and to open the

good qualities for individual needs. Educated individuals will create strong well-

educated society. Education based on Kartini’s view does not have narrow


58

meaning. It is not only aimed at educating the brain, but also moral and a spiritual

guidance. According to Kartini, moral education is important for the continuity of

a nation. To be truly civilized, intellectual and moral education should go hand in

hand. Kartini dreams of education also proposed the equal opportunities and roles

for men and women in education. It is because women play an important role to

be the first educator for their children. Based on Kartini’s view, with education

skills, indigenous women can develop and make a source of livelihood to be

independent. Well-educated women can raise the moral standard of a nation.

B. Implications

Letters of A Javanese Princess is not only an ordinary compilation of

Kartini’s letters in a book. It also reveals the deeper thoughts of Kartini and her

biggest dreams of her people of this nation. Beyond everything that came to her

great mind, Kartini had a modern thoughts for someone particularly a woman in

her era. Her thoughts and modern ideas about the importance of education

particularly for women and moral education for a nation have become a

fundamental milestone for education movement in Indonesia.

Kartini’s thoughts about the importance of moral education is still relevant

with some education issues in Indonesia. Kartini strongly stated that intellectual is

not the only important thing to educate people. Intellectual education and moral

education should go hand in hand. The aim of education is not only about

teaching and learning. Education should build both the brain and the character as

well. We can see some education issues in Indonesia related to the importance of

intellectual and moral education.


59

Nowadays, education in Indonesia tends to become the commodity of

trade and bussiness. Education seems to become so expensive for so many people

in Indonesia, particularly for people in the middle and lower economy class. The

tuition fee in many school become more expensive but on the contrary the quality

of the human resources and the facilities are lower. Some people who are in

charge for the money to develop the school often do irresponsible things if they do

not have good moral character. They corrupt the money for their interests. The

emergence of schools offering expensive quality and facilities has caused more

gaps in education. The “expensive” education and best facilities could only be

afforded for wealthy class. The ideas to develop a better school with great

facilitites are not completely wrong. The moral question for parents, educators,

and the students themselves would be: “Is this for the sake of better education

quality or fancy pride?”. Education is a fundamental right for every person in this

country. Education is not for bussiness but the government, the parents, and the

educators should provide education for this country. It does not mean that

education should be all free of charge. The tuition fee must be use wisely for the

quality development of the human resources and the facilities as well. It is for the

sake of an equal better education in Indonesia.

In education, the teacher plays an important role as an educator. The

teacher is the students’ role model in school. The teacher is a supervisor of both

intellectual and moral for the students. In this modern era, there are many teachers

in Indonesia who have low awareness of their moral duty as a teacher. Many of

them work as teachers only to raise money but their skills quality as a teacher are


60

still need to be questioned. The recent issues in Indonesia that should be a

concerned for education are the cases of sexual harassement by the teachers in

schools. Teacher should be a role model and be prohibited by ethics to do

inapropriate things to their students. The bad effect will not only for the teacher

but might gives bad experience both to the students and the education world. This

is why the teachers should have a real passion and awareness to be an educator.

The teachers’ duty is not only about teaching the lessons to the students in class,

but the teachers take the biggest responsiblity to the students’ character and moral

development as well. They should not only improve their intelligence, develop the

brain and skills. Both the teachers and the students must build themselves good

characters and morals based on their roles in education.

The importance of intelligence and moral education also play an important

role to educate the students. This becomes a strong guidance for the students to

accept and deal with the globalization influences. The world nowadays gives them

an easy access to the whole world by gadget, social media, and television.

Students got two side-effects from this easy access. The positive side is they can

improve their knowledge, creativity, and relationship not only from the school but

from things around the world in a very easy way. The negative impacts have

become some issues in Indonesia. Plagiarism is the most common issue in

education world. It is because the students have an easy access to see everything

in the internet. The most concerned issues recently are about sexual harrasement,

bullying, and murderer by young students and teenagers. The biggest trigger is

they need a guidance and good control to accept what they get from the media.


61

This will be the responsibility of both parents and schools to plant good moral

character to their children. They need to be educate how to deal with the media

wisely in order to prepare them to be ready to accept the influence of

globalization.

The other implication is related to Katini’s ideas about the importance of

education for women. She fought hard to educate young girls to be intelligent and

skillful women in the future. The implications of education for women promoted

by Kartini, brings so many benefit impacts to women nowadays. The researcher

asked some female friends in PBI about the importance of becoming educated

woman and what can they get from learning in English Language Education Study

Program (ELESP) Sanata Dharma University as a woman. In general, to be an

educated woman gives them a confidence for themselves and their future life.

Besides the knowledge, they can be an independent women and get a proper job

for their own life, their family, and to help their future husband. Whereas as young

women they decided to study in ELESP because they want to be a teacher. They

realize they will not only teaching their students but their children in the future.

They want to share their knowledge and insights to their students and the children.

Even if they become a housewife in the future after get higher education in

ELESP, to be educated woman are still consider important. The knowledge they

got when they are studying in ELESP, will be useful to educate their future

children.


62

C. Suggestions

The researcher suggests that the future ressearchers analyze the Letters of

A Javanese Princess from different perspective other than socio-cultural. The

researcher identifies that many of Kartini’s letters are identified in socio-cultural,

particularly about the Javanese culture, feminism, and few researchers identified

the psychological side of Kartini. However, the future researchers may do deeper

research about Kartini’s thoughts and critical thinking about the social issues

toward The Dutch Government policies during the colonialism.

In addition the future researchers may also do the research about the

criticism on Kartini’s letters by comparing two books that compiled Kartini’s

letters. The future reearcher also suggested to discuss about moral education and

spiritual education based on Kartini’s views.


63

REFERENCES

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history-lesson.html

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Misnatun et.al. (2014). Pendidikan pos modernisme. Yogyakarta: Ar-Ruzz

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Moody, L. B. (1971). The teaching of literature. London: Longman Group

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APPENDIX


65

Appendix 1

Summary of Letters Of A Javanese Princess

Kartini was born on April 21st, 1879. She is a daughter of a high Javanese

civil servant in the Dutch colonial government. As a priyayi daughter, she has to

use a Javanese title Raden Adjeng in front of her name. However, Kartini feels

that her life as a Javanese priyayi builds a high barrier for her freedom and her

dreams. Kartini and her sisters are lucky because their father gives her an unusual

privilege of attending a colonial elementary school until she is twelve. Kartini’s

next four years then are spend in seclusion at home according to custom. During

these years and until her untimely death, Kartini maintains and broadens her

contact with Dutch intellectual life through extensive reading and

correspondences with numerous Dutch friends. The 78 letters in this book is

written from May 25, 1899 until September 7, 1904 or several days before Kartini

died. Kartini’s correspondences show her intellect and literary talent, and her

urgently-expressed desire to be free of the restrictions of her culture particularly

on education and marriage. After lengthy efforts, she obtains a scholarship from

the Netherlands government to continue formal studies in Holland. However, she

gives up this hard-won opportunity in order to marry a progressive-minded

Javanese official. Together they begin the implementation of her long-cherished

plan to open a small school for Javanese girls. On the 13th

of September, Kartini’s

first son was born, and four days later, Kartini passed away in a very young age.

Adapted from: Letters of A Javanese Princess


66

APPENDIX 2

Biography of R.A Kartini

Raden Adjeng Kartini was born on

April 21, 1879 in Mayong, a district in

Jepara. She is the fifth child of eleven

brothers and sisters. Her father is

Raden Mas Adipati Ario Sosroningrat,

a regent who governed Jepara at that

time. Her mother is MA Ngasirah,

descended from the common people.

Kartini went to The Dutch elementary

school called Europe Lagere School at the age of six until her age of twelve. At

that time, according to the Javanese tradition, an adolescence priyayi girl had to

go into seclusion. During her seclusion, Kartini wrote articles in Dutch magazine

and found her best Dutch penpal, Stella Zeehandelaar. Kartini was also managed

correspondencies with another Dutch friends. Kartini struggled to achieve her

dreams of women’s education and shared her critical views through her letters.

Kartini and her sisters were also taught reading, writing, and some household

skills for young girls at their home. On November 8, 1903 at the age of 24, Kartini

married to Raden Adipati Djojo Adiningrat, a regent in Rembang. Together with

her husband, Kartini started to realize her dreams and opened the first girl school

in Rembang.


67

On September 17, 1904, at the age of 25, Kartini died in the regency of

Rembang, of complications from giving birth to her first and only child, Raden

Mas Soesalit Djojoadhiningrat. President Soekarno entitled her as a national

heroine on May 2, 1964 with Keputusan Pesiden Nomor 108 Tahun 1964.

Adapted from: https://www.biography.com/people/raden-adjeng-kartini-37859


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