Analysis of The Theme Through The Protagonist in Oliver Goldsmith's 'The Vicar Of Wakefield'.

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ABSTRACT

Dalam skripsi ini, penulis membahas tema dari sebuah novel berjudul The Vicar of Wakefield, karya dari Oliver Goldsmith, seorang penulis berkebangsaan Irlandia.

Melalui protagonis dalam novel ini, penulis mendapati tema dari novel ini adalah Kebahagiaan akan datang dalam kehidupan seseorang bila seseorang tersebut tetap berjuang dan tidak menyerah dalam permasalahannya. Tema ini diambil dari penggambaran Dr. Primrose, seorang pendeta yang mula-mula memiliki kehidupan yang bahagia dan tentram, namun hal tersebut harus direggut darinya karena permasalahan yang datang silih berganti. Tetapi dia tidak pernah menyerah berupaya mengembalikan kebahagiaan dalam keluarganya yang hilang.

Protagonis dalam novel ini berusaha mengembalikan masa kejayaannya yang hilang akibat usaha yang dia miliki bangkrut, dia tetap berjuang keras demi mengembalikan kehidupan yang layak bagi keluarganya. Selain permasalahan financial tersebut, masalah-masalah lain pun timbul, peranan Dr. Primrose sebagai ayah yang baik, orang yang beriman pada Tuhan, dan seorang pekerja keras pun diuji melalui setiap permasalahan yang muncul.

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APPENDICES

SYNOPSIS OFTHE VICAR OF SAKEFIELD

Dr. Primrose has six children, and they live in town named Wakefield. They

are happy family until on the evening of his son George's wedding to Arabella

Wilmot, the Vicar loses all his money through the bankruptcy of a merchant. The

wedding is called off, George is sent away to town and the rest of the family move to

a new place on the land of Squire Thornhill. They also meet a poor and eccentric

friend, Mr. Burchell, at an inn, rescues Sophia from drowning and Sir William

Thornhill, the uncle of Mr. Thornhill. Dr. Primrose works hard to fulfill the family’s

needs as a worker in the land which belongs to Mr. Thornhill.

Dr. Primrose shows that there are no obstacles that can change him as a good

person and responsible father for his family. He struggles when his daughter, Olivia,

is missing. He never gives up finding her everywhere. During his pursuit,

accidentally he meets his son George who was sent to town. Dr. Primrose is able to

find Olivia accidentally, after he has a long journey finding her. He finally knows that

the bad guy is not Mr. Burchell, but Mr. Thornhil is the one who kidnaps his

daughter. So Mr. Thornill is sent to prison for his crime. The happiness which was

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The happiness continues when finally Mr. William Thornhill, the landlord, trusts him

to be his assistant in running his company.

BIOGRAPHY OF OLIVER GOLDSMITH

Oliver Goldsmith was born in an Irish village (usually believed to be Pallas,

near Ballymahon) on 10th November 1730. His father was a poor Anglican

clergyman. He is the fifth of eight children. He entered Trinity College, Dublin when

his age was almost 16 years old. He became a hack writer, turning out books and

articles on all sorts of subjects for London booksellers. They were a novel, `The Vicar

of Wakefield'; a play, `She Stoops to Conquer'; and a long poem, `The Deserted

Village'.

He claimed to be a physician with a degree from a foreign university, and

people called him "doctor." Nobody came for treatment, however, so he turned to

writing. Goldsmith's essays `The Citizen of the World', published in 1762, won the

attention of Samuel Johnson, then England's leading man of letters. Oliver Goldsmith

died on April 4, 1774, because of fever.

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODECTION

BACKGROEND OF THE STEDY

Although The Vicar of Wakefield did not achieve any greatness until the 19th

century, I would like to analyze the theme through protagonist from this book. The

Vicar of Wakefield discusses the loss of nobility, faith, and innocence. But mostly I

want to show the character of Dr. Primrose as the protagonist to reveal the theme.

In this book, the reader will see the character of a man who never gives up

although many obstacles come in his family life. He shows his persistence in dealing

with the problems to make his family life better.

This book gives its readers a moral message which is still applicable in our

life nowadays. As a human, we cannot run from problems, but the important part is

how we face the problems.

Oliver Goldsmith’s novel is chosen because I am interested in the background

of Goldsmith’s writings which are usually based on his social life. From Goldsmith’s

writings, it can be seen by the reader that the focus centers on the simple agrarian life

style of the yeoman farmer and the struggles of a man in facing his life. This focus

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raised in the rural culture of Ireland, and he came from a poor family, but he

struggled and gained success. (www.smarrpublisher.com/page6056). His writings are

greatly influenced by his social background.

Novel is much easier to understand. Through novel the main idea of the story

can be clearly seen. Novel is ‘a lengthy fictitious prose narrative portraying characters

and presenting an organized series of events and settings.’ (Shaw, 1972 : 257), and

theme is ‘the central and dominating idea in a literary work.’ (Shaw, 1972 : 378). But

one of the important parts in revealing the theme of a novel or any other literary

works is the protagonist character as ‘the leading character of drama, novel, or other

literary works.’ (Shaw, 1972 : 305). That is why based on the above reasons, I would

like to analyze theme through protagonist of this novel.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBNEM

1. What is the theme of the novel?

2. How does the protagonist help to reveal the theme?

PERPOSE OF THE STEDY

1. To show the theme of the novel.

2. To show how the protagonist helps to reveal the theme.

Universitas Kristen Maranatha

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METHOD OF RESEARCH

The library research is used in analyzing the theme of the novel and a

formalist approach is applied. First of all, I read the primary text entitled The Vicar of

Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith. Then I make some research to gather the information

that is related to the thesis from some references and the internet to support the

analysis of the primary text. Finally, then I start to analyze the novel using the

theories that support my analysis and draw some conclusions.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE THESIS

The thesis is divided into three chapters. Chapter one is the Introduction,

which consist of the Background of the Study, Statement of the Problem, Purpose of

the Study, Method of Research and Organization of the Thesis. Chapter Two is the

Analysis of Theme through Protagonist in The Vicar of Wakefield. Chapter Three is

The Conclusion of what has been analyzed in the previous chapter. The next part is

the Bibliography, which contains the list of all the references which have been used.

At the end of the thesis, the Summary of The Vicar of Wakefield and the author’s

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CHAPTER THREE

CONCLUSION

Having analyzed the novel, I am of the opinion that the theme of the novel is happiness will come to one who keeps struggling in one’s life. I think that the author

has successfully revealed the theme through the protagonist of the novel, Dr. Primrose. The protagonist’s struggles and characteristics also help me to reveal the theme of this novel.

The struggles in this novel are portrayed when Dr. Primrose looses his fortune because of bankruptcy, but he feels thankful to God in his bad condition, and he keeps finding ways to get their happiness back.

Dr. Primrose, the protagonist is portrayed as a person who can survive from his bad condition and keeps struggling to find his happiness. He is a clergyman who keeps his faith in God although his life is full of struggles, and he is also described as a person who never gives up in every circumstance, and he is also a good father for his children, he also leads his family to get their happiness, and learn to be thankful in every circumstance and during his journey to find his fortune. And he is also a hardworking person, who never gives up finding his fortune so that he and his family can get their happiness back.

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From the story, I can conclude that happiness is everything that one wants to have in one’s life, but to achieve it; one needs to struggle in one’s life. Struggle is a condition when someone has to give all his or her efforts to come out from his or her bad condition to the happiness that everyone has dreamed for.

Life is full of obstacles, so one must struggle and must have courage to face it so that one can get one’s happiness. Dr. Primrose is an ordinary man, but he shows extraordinary actions in facing his life. His life changes, from wealthy condition into poor condition, but his actions show that he does not give up to his bad condition. He struggles hard to face his bad condition, he keeps his faith in God and he believes that he is able to pass his bad condition and get his happiness back with God’s protection. As father for his children, he shows full responsibility and he struggles to keep his family as comfortable as possible in facing the bad condition.

Dr. Primrose’s struggle can also be seen when he has to find a job to fulfill the family needs. He believes that his hard working will be able to bring back happiness and joy to his family. From his struggles I can find that struggle makes one aware in facing one’s life, and it makes one wise in making decision that will affect one’s life in the future.

Happiness will come to one who keeps struggling in one’s life, just like what

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his writing by using the character of Dr. Primrose to show the struggles and the happiness.

Finally, the author shows how Dr. Primrose is able to find his happiness. I believe that all people as human being, have their own problems, but one can achieve one’s happiness if one struggle hard for it, and keep one’s faith to God. One can learn from Dr. Primrose, that he never gives up to bring his happiness back, but before he can get his happiness, he has to fight for it, he struggles hard and keeps his faith in God.

I believe that the theme of this novel is universal, as it can happen to all people who are dealing with bad conditions. I think that the author makes the readers aware that although they have so many obstacles in their life, they should not give up, because their happiness will come if they keep struggling and never give up in their bad conditions.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

References:

Shaw, Harry. Dictionary of Literary Terms, New York : Mc Graw Hill Book

Company, 1972

Internet websites

Godsmith, Oliver. www.Theatrehistory.com/british/goldsmith001.html. May, 17th.

2005.

Vicar of Wakefield, The Concise Oxford Companion to Irish ...

www.highbeam.com/ref/doc0.asp... May, 17th

. 2005.

Primary text:

Goldsmith, Oliver. The Vicar Of Wakefield. New York : Published by Pocket Books,