AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
NARIS EKA SETYAWATI Student Number: 054214093
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
NARIS EKA SETYAWATI Student Number: 054214093
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
beginning of the fairies.
Peter Pan
-Sir James Matthew Barrie-
If all the good people were clever
And
all
clever
people were good
The world would be nicer than ever
We thought that it possibly could
But somehow, ‘tis seldom or never
The two hit it off as they should,
The good are so harsh to the clever,
The clever, so rude to the good!
Good and Clever
Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma :
Nama
:
NARIS EKA SETYAWATINomor Mahasiswa
:
054214093Demi pengembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Perpustakaan
Universitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul :
A SATIRE ON SOCIAL CLASS AND GENDER
IN VICTORIAN SOCIETY REFLECTED THROUGH
THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN J. M. BARRIE’S
THE TWELVE-POUND LOOK
beserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikan
kepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,
me-ngalihkan 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 yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.
Yogyakarta, 10 Agustus 2009
Yang menyatakan
keeping me to be strong to finish this undergraduate thesis. Next, I would like to
thank my beloved dad and mom, Pak Nar and Bu Is, for their unconditional love and
to keep asking patiently on the progress of my thesis. I also thank my brother, Bowo,
for his success in study that makes me eager to finish my thesis.
My greatest appreciation is addressed to my sponsor Ibu Ni Luh Putu
Rosiandani, S. S., M. Hum. I really thank her for her patient guidance, suggestion,
time and ideas in improving this thesis. My thankfulness goes to Ibu Elisa Dwi
Wardani, S. S., M. Hum. who has spent the valuable time to check my thesis. I thank
her for her suggestions and corrections. My thankfulness also addressed to Pak
Tatang Iskarna S. S., M. Hum. who has introduced me to an amusing thesis defends.
I also would like to thank all English Letters lecturers for the experience and
knowledge through this pass four years. My thanks are to Mbak Ninik, to
administration and library staffs for their useful information and service.
I give my special gratitude to my nDut, Dicko, for his love, patient, and
understanding. From him I learn how to control my emotion and not to be selfish.
My thankfulness also goes to my comrades, Nanda, Gretha, Citra, Jonet, Boni,
Bzier, and Wulan, for the incredibly wonderful friendship. For “The Engagement”
play performance and Panggung Boneka, thanks for the experiences we have shared.
To all my 2005 companions, I am proud to be one of you. Lastly, I thank my friends
that cannot be mentioned here one by one.
APPROVAL PAGE ... ii
1. Theory of Character and Characterization ... 9
2. Theory of Satire ... 12
3. Theory of Gender ... 14
4. Theory of Social Class ... 15
5. Theory of The Relationship between Literature and Society 17 C. Review on History ... 18
A. The Characteristics of society in Victorian Era depicted through the Characterization of the Main Characters ... 27
1. Lower-class Working Women through Kate’s Characterization ... 29
a. Independent ... 30
b. Skillful ... 31
c. Hard worker ... 31
c. Harsh ... 39
3. Upper-class Woman through Lady Sims’ Characterization . 40 a. Nervous ... 40
b. Dependent ... 42
c. Obedient ... 43
B. Satires on Society in Victorian Era ... 44
1. Satire on Social Class ... 46
2. Satire on Gender ... 52
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ... 58
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 60
Pound Look. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata
Dharma University, 2009.
This thesis discusses satire on social class and gender in Victorian society that is implied in J. M. Barrie’s The Twelve-pound Look play. The reason in writing this thesis is my curiosity to understand satire. This play is chosen because the main characters and their characteristics represent the Victorian society that is satirized by the author. The main characters have experienced the life in the middle of Victorian society. The author tries to satirize the social conditions that are social class and gender through the main characters.
There are two problem formulations in this study. First is to analyze the main characters’ characterization to reveal the characteristics of society in Victorian Era. Second is to find out the satires on society in Victorian Era according to the evidences of previous analysis.
This study applies library research method as the main source to gain the data. The information from the internet is also used as second source. The sociocultural-historical approach is used in this study since it sees the relation between the work and the society in the real life. This approach is useful to analyze the society’s condition at that time.
Pound Look. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas
Sanata Dharma.
Skripsi ini membahas sindiran tentang kelas sosial dan gender pada masyarakat di jaman Victoria yang tersurat dari drama The Twelve-Pound Look
karangan J. M. Barrie. Alasan untuk menuslis skripsi ini adalah keingintahuan saya untuk memahami tentang satir atau sindiran. Drama ini dipilih karena tokoh-tokoh utama dan penokohannya menggambarkan masyarakat di jaman Victoria yang disindir oleh pengarang drama. Tokoh-tokoh utama telah mengalami kehidupan ditengah masyarakat Victoria. Pengarang mencoba menyindir kondisi sosial yaitu kelas sosial dan gender dari tokoh-tokoh utamanya.
Terdapat dua rumusan masalah dalam studi ini. Pertama adalah menganalisa penokohan tokoh-tokoh utama untuk mengungkap karakteristik masyarakat di Era Victoria. Kedua adalah untuk menemukan sindiran pada masyarakat di Era Victoria berdasarkan fakta analisis sebelumnya.
Studi ini menggunakan metoda penelitian pustaka sebagai sumber utama untuk mendapatkan data. Informasi dari internet juga digunakan sebagai sumber penunjang. Pendekatan sosio kultural-historikal digunakan dalam studi ini karena pendekatan ini melihat hubungan antara karya sastra dan masyarakat dalam kehidupan nyata. Pendekatan ini berguna untuk menganalisa kondisi masyarakat pada waktu itu.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Everyone in the world live his or her life in a certain society. People cannot
live alone and always need someone else in their life. They need to communicate
one another to deliver their information, value, and idealism. Human beings can
express their ideas, thoughts, and experiences in many ways. One of them is in the
form of literature. Literary works helps to connect the reader to the society and to
learn more about human dreams and struggle in different social condition. Wellek
and Warren in their book The Theory of Literature stated that literary works can play
the role as historical document that recorded social realities, which are artistically
portrayed by the author (1956:102). It means that literary works gives information
about history in the society. Reading literary works may enrich the reader’s
knowledge about history and social condition in the time when literary works are
written. It can also make people more aware of life as Perrine says that “by reading
it carefully, one can broaden, deepen, and sharpen his awareness of life and its
problem” (1974: 3).
In her Understanding Plays, Second Edition, Barranger said that drama“like
a novel or poem, as written words, is considered a literary text” (1994:4). As one of
literature, drama offers education that discusses the issues of life. Barranger
completed her statement by saying that:
historical periods... The aim of great playwrights is to expand our consciousness on old and new social and personal issues, and to endow us with new perspective on our humanity and the human condition (1994: 7-8).
According to Guth and Shnider, there are two basic kinds of drama or play:
comedy and tragedy (1981:585). Comedy is “the kind of drama that entertains us
and makes us laugh.” Tragedy is the opposite of comedy. It is “a play in which the
central character, or protagonist, is a great or admirable person who goes down to
defeat” (1981:586). This thesis concerns with the first type of play as stated in
Everyman’s Encyclopaedia, Fourth Edition that “What Every Women Knows, 1908,
and The Twelve-Pound Look, 1910, both excellent satirical comedies” (J. A Roy,
Chalmers, Darlington, 1958: 31). But comedy here is not only a matter of things that
entertain us and make us laugh. According to Barranger:
Comedy is not a mere matter of jokes, one-liner, or funny bits of business, like slipping on a banana peel or receiving the unexpected pie in the face. Comic action dramatizes a train of events manifested on the stage by a diversity of actives engaging subjects of human folly or triumph and it has consequences in the social world for the group... (1994: 90)
It means that comedy not a mere of a joke but something that can make us think
deeper related to the society. Guth and Rico make this statement stronger by saying
that:
Wielding humor as weapon, the comic playwright uses satire to do battle against callousness, stinginess or hypocrisy. Comedy satirizes traits that narrow life, forces that shut off possibility. It mocks bullies and pompous idiots (1997:1371).
This thesis analyzes The Twelve-Pound Look as one of satirical comedy
plays that can make people think seriously. This work was written in 1910, the early
gives greater influence to the following literature. Even though this play was written
after the reign of Queen Victoria, this play is used to satirize the Victorian Era. It
can be seen from the problems in the play that happened fourteen years ago before
the present acts of the play. The different class and gender becomes the issue of this
play and the focus of this thesis. James Mathew Barrie, the author of the play, used
his work as the satire on social class and gender in Victorian Era. In this work, he
ridicules the inability of the upper-class to do his or her job without lower class’
hands. The story goes as the noble man who is just about to be knighted being
mocked by a typist who was unfortunately his former wife. The typist still can see
the arrogance of the noble man and people who are underestimated by him even his
new wife. Barrie satirizes the social class and gender by putting the unexpected
lower class woman as the superior person in this play. He does not make the upper
class as the superior one but on the contrary.
It is worth to study this topic to be more aware of people around us. It will be
helpful to analyze this topic so that readers can learn to be more respectful to the
others even to the people who are considered as the lower class. It is worth to
analyze because it can give lesson to learn about life.
B. Problem Formulation
Based on the background of the study, there are two problem formulations
that can be formulated as follows:
1. What are the characteristics of society in Victorian Era depicted through the
2. What are satirized on society in Victorian Era as seen in The Twelve-Pound
Look?
C. Objectives of the Study
The purpose of the study is to find out the satire on social class and gender in
the Victorian Era. There are two objectives the writer tries to achieve in writing this
thesis. First is to reveal the characteristic of society in Victorian Era through the
characterization of main characters in The Twelve-Pound Look. Second is to know
what are satirized on society in Victorian Era as seen in the play.
D. Definition of Terms
There are several terms to be defined related to the title of this thesis and the
analysis that follow. These terms need to be clarified in order to give better
understanding of the study.
The first word is class. According to Langbaum in his book Victorian Age, the word such as lower classes, middle classes, working classes, upper classes, class
prejudice, class legislation, class consciousness, class conflict, and class war follow
in the course of the nineteenth century. Class indicates a change in attitude towards
the social division.
The second word is gender. In the book of Speaking of Gender, Showalter says that “term ‘gender’ stands for the social, cultural, and psychological meaning
imposed upon biological sexual identity” (1989: 2). It means that gender is social
agrees with the previous statements by saying that gender “is used to describe
socially constructed categories based on sex” (1993: 2).
The third word is satire. Soukhanov stated that satire is “the use of wit, especially irony, sarcasm, and ridicule, to attack the vices and follies of humankind”
(2005:1287). There is also further explanation in Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume
19 that satire is “the expression in adequate terms of the sense of amusement or
disgust excited by the ridiculous or unseemly,… that the utterance is invested with
literary form. Without humor, satire is invective: without literary form, it is mere
clownish jeering” (John Dryden, et al, 1970: 1086). Whereas a simple
understandable definition can be found in The New Encyclopaedia Britannica that is
“wherever wit is employed to expose something foolish or vicious to criticism, there
satire exists…” (David Worcester, et al, 1983: 268).
The last word is Victorian. Victorian is “relating to, belonging to, or typical of the reign of the British Queen Victoria.” It is “conventional, hypocritical, or
prudish showing or typical of attitudes commonly associated with the Victorian Era,
especially prudery or conventionalism (Encarta Webster’s Colledge Dictionary,
Second Edition, 2005: 1602). According to Myers and Simms, Victorian Era is “the
period of English literature from 1832 to 1901, named after the reign of Queen
Victoria (1837-1901). Generally speaking, the period was one of great progress in
science, economics, and social welfare, and thus optimistic attitudes concerning the
future of Britain were spawned. Literature mirrored the time’s bourgeoning progress
with theses of class struggle and social and moral reform although the age was
known for its accent on solemnity, decorum and rectitude. The term “Victorian” is
prudery, and hypocrisy typical of the Victorian middle class. Thus, the Victorian Era
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
B. Review of Related Studies
James Mathew Barrie was one of great playwrights in his era. People
consider him as a talented writer. His first career was being an article writer then
turned to be novelist. Among his great works, the most famous one is Peterpan. This
succeeds of Peterpan made him urged to work harder. When his play The Little
Minister became well-known and made him rich, he turned from novelist to
playwriting. Even though Peterpan is the most famous works of Barrie, there are
many noticeable plays and one-act plays to consider. One of them is The Twelve
Pound Look. Sampson in his book The Concise Cambridge History of English
Literature says that “A triple bill of 1910 contains a very good one-act play, The
Twelve Pound Look...” (1959: 990). It means that The Twelve Pound Look is one of good plays of Barrie’s. This simple study had made the thesis writer curious on its
goodness. It is not only a kind of good review on the previous study about the play
but it implies that there is something worth to study beyond this statement. Sampson
adds his statement on the writer, J. M. Barrie, by saying that:
(He) had, like all true fabulist, an undeluded view of life: and beneath the light and whimsical texture of The Admirable Crichton, Dear Brutus, The Will, and The Twelve Pound Look, there is a gently irresistible rejection of illusion that is more impressive than the ferocities of the realist (1959: 991-992).
It can be concluded that Barrie is a very good writer. Among his plays there is an
only a play to entertain the reader but it gives more than what is stated. On his last
statement, Sampson says that “A Family Man (1921) says less in three acts and
several scenes about the domestic autocrat than Barrie had said in the one scene of
The Twelve Pound Look” (1959: 993). In other words it can be said that there is a
domestic autocrat illusion in this play. It means that there is dictator or absolute ruler
in the marriage that is not directly stated in the play.
In Everyman’s Encyclopædia, Forth Edition, there is a sentence says that
“...What Every Woman Knows, 1908, and The Twelve Pound Look, 1910, both
excellent satirical comedies;...” (J. A. Roy, et al, 1958: 31). It can be seen from the
statement that The Twelve Pound Look contains satirical comedies to consider. The
New Encyclopædia Britannica agrees with the previous statement. It says that “...;
sometimes satirically, as in The Twelve Pound Look (1910), on the typist as the
symbol of female emancipation;...” (Denis Mackail, et al, 1983: 197). It means that
The Twelve Pound Look is a satirical play with female typist to symbolize the female
emancipation.
A further study is done by Hochman. It is stated in his book of Mc.
Graw-Hill Encyclopædia of World Drama, Second Edition that
Barrie also wrote a number of one-act plays, the best known of which probably The Twelve Pound Look (1910), the story of Kate..., who has left her wealthy husband and barrenness of their life to find dignity and self-respect by working as a typist (1984: 265).
In other words it can be said that The Twelve Pound Look tells about the story of
Kate who fight for dignity and self-respect. She left her husband and barrenness to
From the related studies above it can be concluded that The Twelve-Pound
Look is one of Barrie’s satirical comedy plays. It is not a mere comedy that can
make people laugh but there is unstated view of the writer. It can make the reader
think deeper and be sensitive to the people and surrounding. It can be seen from the
typist female symbol, who left his husband, barrenness, and the dictator ruler in the
marriage, for dignity and self-respect.
Those studies above are closely related to this study. Their discussions are
helpful for the analysis, but they have not answered the problems in this study. In
this analysis, the main issues are the criticisms on the social class and gender
differentiation which exists on the society when the play is published. Sampson and
Roy, et al’s studied that The Twelve-Pound Look is satirical and contains illusion is
too broad, it has not answered the problems. Mackail, et al and Hochman’s study is
narrower than the previous studies. Although it has not answered the problem
formulations, it is helpful to see that there are some issues of society, female, and
dignity in The Twelve-Pound Look. Based on those considerations, the study is
carried out on more specific area of the text that is the study on the function of the
work as a satire on the social class and gender in Victorian Era.
C. Review of Related Theories
The writer applies some theories related to develop this thesis. The theories
are:
1. Theory of character and characterization
Character is one of the most important elements in literary work. It is the one
work alive and interesting to read. It can draw the reader to be engaged in the story.
According to Abrams, characters are:
The person presented in a dramatic or narrative work who are interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral and disposition qualities that are expressed in what they say (the dialogues) and by what they do (the action) (1981: 20).
It implies that there is a relation between the presentation of a character as well as
his personality traits and what the readers get from it. According to Rohrberger and
Wood, a character “is a person who acts out in a particular time and place in a
pattern of events” (1971: 20). It means that there is a plot in a literary work that the
character act in particular time and place.
Robert Stanton stated that based on the importance, characters are identified
into two ways namely, major and minor characters. The center of the story is
focused on the major or main characters. The main characters have an important role
because the acts in a story are usually focused on them. The acts of the story are
focused on this character from the beginning until the ending. While minor
characters appear in certain setting, just necessarily become the background for the
major characters (1965: 17).
Furthermore, Stanton in his book An Introduction to Fiction says that there
are some indications to understand the character. First is from the character’s name
fits the character. Second is the author description and comments on the character
clearly. Third is from the other characters’ opinion and attitude toward the character
meant. Fourth, as the most important indication is the character’s own dialogue and
behavior because every speech, every action is a manifestation of the character
character clearly or directly to the reader. Therefore, the reader is “lopsided or
oversimplified” in making an impression of the character in a story (1965: 18). It
means that the reader has their opportunity to give judgments and impression about
each character in the story. It can be said that if the author describes the character
unclearly, the reader could get his or her judgment to the work.
To present characters in a narrative or dramatic works, an author may use the
ways a character portrayal which is often known as characterization. According to
Baldick, characterization is
the representation of persons in narrative or dramatic works which may include direct methods like the attributions of qualities in description or commentary, and indirect (or ‘dramatic’) methods inviting the readers to infer qualities from characters’ action, speech, or appearance (1990: 34).
It means that characterization can be seen from direct methods in the form of
description from the author and indirect method such as character’s action, speech,
and appearance. According to Rohrberger and Woods, Jr., characterization is “the
process by which an author creates character, the devices by which he makes us
believe that a character is the particular type of person he is” (1971:20). In other
words, characterization is a process used by the author to create a character.
Characterization should also be conveyed into a good way to create a clear image to
the reader’s perception.
According to Holman and Harmon there are three fundamental methods of
characterization in Fiction. First is the explicit presentation by the author of the
character through directs EXPOSITION means that the author directly describes the
character. Second is the presentation of the character in action means that without
representation from within CHARACTER means that emotion experience reflected
in the character (1986:81).
It can be concluded that character and its characterization are important
element in literary work. There are two kinds of characters; main or major character
and minor character. Some indications to understand the character can be seen from
the character’s name fits the character, the author description and comments on the
character, from the other characters’ opinion and attitude toward the character, and
the character’s own dialogue and behavior. The characterization can be seen from
the author’s explanation, presentation of the character, and representation from
within character.
2. Theory of Satire
According to Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms, satire can be
described as “the literary art of diminishing or derogating a subject by making it
ridiculous and evoking toward it attitudes of amusement, contempt, scorn, or
indignation” (1985: 187). A satire is an author’s style to criticize a subject he
dislikes or disagrees with. He also says that satire “uses laughter as a weapon, and
against a butt that exists outside the work itself” (1985: 187). Laughter is satire’s
weapon to criticize the reality. Moreover, Holman and Harmon in their book A
Handbook to Literature state that satire is “a literary manner that blends a critical
attitude with HUMOR and WIT for the purpose of improving human institutions or
humanity” (1986: 447). The use of humor and wit in satire is not a mere laughter but
correcting the sense of humanity. Satire has an aim to criticize someone or
According to Frye, there are two essential things of satire; “one is wit or
humor that is founded on fantasy or a sense of the grotesque or absurd and the other
is an object of attack” (1957: 224). An author can express his feeling and thought
through satire whether it uses fantasy or truth to be satirized. He also states that
“satire demands...at least an implicit moral standard” (1957: 224). A satire should
contain morality to teach the reader. Soukhanov stated that satire is “the use of wit,
especially irony, sarcasm, and ridicule, to attack the vices and follies of humankind”
(2005:1287). Moreover, in Encyclopedia Americana is stated that in its more
frequent sense, satire is
A literary manner in which the follies and foibles or vices and crimes of a person, mankind, or an institution are held up to ridicule or scorn, with the intention of correcting them. This manner may be present in many art forms and may employ many methods (Petro, Stack, Weinbrot, 1995: 294)
It means that satire’s intention is to correct a person, mankind, or an institution.
Moreover in the same book, Petro, et al stated that satire suggest not mere laughter.
Its purpose is for correction with the target to ridicule by the satirist’s unmasking of
pretense, falsity, deception, and arrogance. Thus, the truth in life is the material for
satire (1995: 294).
Holman and Harmon divide satire into two major types; formal or direct
satire and indirect satire. In direct satire, the satiric voice speaks out in the first
person, address to the reader or else to a character. Indirect satire is expressed
through “narratives of the characters or groups who are the butt are ridiculed not by
what is said about them, but what they themselves say and do” (1986:448).
According to Abrams, in indirect satire, the objects of the satire are characters who
sometimes made even more ridiculous by the author’s comments and narrative style
(1981:188).
It can be concluded that satire is not a mere humor to ridicule person or
institution but it has the intention for correction. The truth in the society is the
material for satire in the form of irony, mockery, and parody. There are two ways to
deliver the satire. They are direct and indirect satire.
3. Theory of Gender
In Literature and Gender by Goodman, she stated that “gender refers ways
of seeing and representing people and situations based on sex difference” (1996:
vii). Showalter gives his contribution with the statement that “term ‘gender’ stands
for the social, cultural, and psychological meaning imposed upon biological sexual
identity” (1989: 2). It means that gender is a social construction which is based on
sex difference. Coates in Women, Men, and Language agrees with the previous
statements by saying that gender “is used to describe socially constructed categories
based on sex” (1993: 2). Moreover in her other book of Language & Gender,
Interdisciplinary Perspectives she said about gender-differentiated language that it
“use may play a significant role in the continued marginalization of women in the
professions, particularly in terms of career progress and development” (1995: 13).
The gender differentiation in language also contributes in the marginalization of
women. She continued her statement by saying that:
It means that starting from the early nineteenth-century, there are two divisions of
gender differentiation in Britain: men are for public world of business and women
are for domestic world of home and family. Moreover, Showalter stated about men
and women status in the society by saying that gender stereotype in many cultures
mostly champions men in any area of life. Regarding the biological characteristics
that women have, many societies count women to be weak. This opinion brings out
the assumptions that women are the second form of human nature, the second class
in society, and thus to be less than men (1989: 3).
4. Theory of Social Class
People who belong in a certain community in a certain period have always
communicate with other in term of social life. There is always a differentiation
between one another within a group of people in the society. People might make
their own group of social classes to be able to distinguish with others. As stated by
Maciver and Page in their book of Society: An Introductory Analysis, social classes
are “more or less spontaneous formations expressive of social attitudes” (1950: 348).
People are naturally forming the social classes in the society as their expression of
social attitude. The class system comes “from and profoundly influences the whole
mode of life and thought within the community” (1950: 348). The differentiation of
classes made people’s ways of life and think according to people in the same group.
Moreover, Maciver and Page said that “wherever social intercourse is limited by
considerations of status, by distinctions between “higher” and “lower,” there social
class exists” (1950: 348). The social class occurs when there is a distinction between
According to Landis, there are some factors that have been used to
distinguish the social classes in the society including “years of education, amount of
income, type of possessions, even type and quality of home furnishings” (1974:
118). The differentiation of social classes can be seen from some factors such as
education, wage, and belonging. There is also a statement in The New
Encyclopaedia Britannica that “the different income, personal security, and
knowledge also give different behavior towards people of different levels. The lower
class is usually lacks of dignity especially on the authority” (Weber, et al, 1983:
875). It can be said that the class status affects people’s social life in their behavior.
The stratification system tends to lower the lowly status’ dignity. Whereas higher
status tends to be stronger as he said further that the higher groups usually have
stronger view of their claim and merit than the inferior (Weber, et al, 1983: 874).
Mayer gives his contribution to The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, Fifteenth
Edition with his statement on the three types and characteristics of Social Class in
Britain. They are the upper class, the middle class, and the working class. The upper
class are those who
are able to develop a distinctive style of life based upon expensive cultural pursuits and leisure activities, from which the great majority of the population is excluded, to exert a considerable influence upon economic policy and political decisions, and to procure for their children a superior education and economic opportunities that help to perpetuate family wealth (1973: 948)
The statement above implies that the upper class can get better life and facilities in
the society. Whereas the middle class and working class often has been treated
based on their occupations. The middle classes are clerical workers, those engaged
self-employed workers, such as small shopkeepers, farmers and (in some societies) the
wealthier peasants. The working class constituted essentially by manual workers in
extractive and manufacturing industry. The characteristic of the working class is
lack of property and dependence upon wages, relatively low levels of living and of
education, restricted access to education, limited opportunities for leisure and
cultural activities. There are also different levels within the working class; skilled,
semiskilled, and unskilled workers, corresponding broadly with differences in
income level (1973: 948). It can be concluded that the middle classes are defined
upon their occupations and the working class represents by manual workers in
manufacturing industry. They are those people who are lack of property and
dependence upon the wages.
5. The relationship between literature and society
In the book of The Theory of Literature, Wellek and Warren say that
“literature is an expression of society.” Writers, in certain aspects, express their
experiences and his conceptions about life in their works. As a result of this, it can
be said that literature reflects and expresses life and their greatness of artistic value
from a work of art is resulted and caused by its “representatives” and “social truth”
(1956: 95).
Wellek classifies the relations between the literature and society into three.
The first relation between literature and society is in sociology and the profession of
the author and institutions of literature. The problems appearing in this case are the
economic basics of literary production, the social provenance and the status of the
and activities. Second, the relation between literature and society is used to solve the
problem of the social content, the implications and social purpose of the works of
literature itself. Third, relation between literature and society is used to solve the
problem of the audiences and the actual social influence of literature (1956: 95-96).
It means that the author should be aware of the social situation as reflected in the
literature as an expression of the society.
The common approach to the relations of literature and society is the study of
works of literature as social document, as assumed pictures of social reality (1956:
102). It means that the appropriate approach is the one which describe the literature
as social document and it is a picture of society. Moreover, the study will be
meaningful if we know the artistic method used by the author whether it is realistic
by invention, satire, caricature, or romantic idealization (1965: 105). Wellek
explains about writer’s idea and knowledge that:
The author expresses his idea and knowledge about his society in the world of literature by using language as a medium in his fiction characters. The fiction characters in the world of fiction such as heroes and villains afford interesting indications of social attitude, which is similar to the characteristics of people in his real history (1956: 104).
It can be concluded that the writer use characters in their fiction as the
representation of society in certain period.
D. Review on the Historical Background
According to John P. McKay in A History of Western Society, the British
society consists of three big social class structures. It stands the aristocracy classes
upper class. The person included to these classes is determined by heredity. The
middle classes are separated into three smaller groups. They are the upper-middle
class, the middle class, and the lower-middle class. Most of them worked as a
businessman, an industrialist, a merchant, a shopkeeper, a small trader, and a tiny
manufacturer. They could be easily closer with the upper class because they could
earn money nearly as much as people in the upper class. The working class is
separated into “labor aristocracy” class, semiskilled and unskilled urban workers.
The social order separated the tiny elite of very rich and the sizable mass of
dreadfully poor (1983: 846-854).
The social class structures in Britain also occur in the Victorian Era. Arnstein
in his book of Britain Yesterday and Today: 1830 to the Present emphasizes that a
class of gentleman and lady remained at the top of the social ladder (1988:204). He
describes their condition as follow
“Ladies were ladies in those days”, recalls Darwin’s granddaughter in her revealing account of a late-Victorian and Edwardian girlhood. Ladies did not do things themselves. They told other people what to do and how to do it. The author’s Aunt Etty never made a pot of tea in her life. She never sewed on a button or mailed a letter, and she never put on a shawl or answered a doorbell except on those rare occasions when no maid was immediately at hand.. (1988:205)
It can be said that ladies in Victorian and Edwardian Era do not do work for
themselves. They ask for the servants’ help to do what they want. The ladyship is
not the only thing that shows the social status. People’s place to live also shows their
social status in the society. Kevin Flude in his The Kensington Walk article stated
that “Kensington was dominated by the great houses of its leading aristocrats”
Moreover he said that “In the 19th Century the area became a fashionable area for
the middle and upper classes…” (2003:10).
The differentiation of status in the society is not the only characteristic of the
British society especially in the 19th century and the following centuries. Another
characteristic in the British society is the differentiation on gender. It is stated in The
New Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 16 that:
in the new industrial societies of the 19th century, women still lacked many of the civil rights (especially property rights) and political rights enjoyed by men, and although they have now gained these rights in most modern societies, consider considerable differences remain: women workers are concentrated in the less skilled and lower paid occupations; disproportionately few women are in the higher professions;… (Simmel, et al, 1983: 954).
It can be said that women are segregated by those men in English society. It can be
seen from the distinguish profession and salary.
In the social structure of the society, women did not have the same right as
men. They had to work indoor while men were outdoor. According to Trevelyan,
men were accustomed to privation and to long hours of outdoor work. They were
ready to turn their hands to tree felling and rough handicraft. The women were ready
to bear and run large families. Men and women had a kind of description of what
they should do. The role of women in the society was strictly limited. They were not
even regarded as the member of the society because the social consciousness only
acknowledged men as the society (1958: 474). Additionally, Pauline Weston
Thomas in her article A Woman’s Place in C19th Victorian History states that
It clearly seen that Victorian women’s place is in the home. Even though they
already have the thought of independent, it does not do any difference.Even though
it does not make any difference, one of the things that make women thought of
independent is the invention of typewriter. Marshall McLuhan in his Understanding
Media says “...when the first wave of female typists hit the business office in the
1890s,... the female typists was a popular figure of enterprise and skill” (1983:259).
It can be said that starting from 1890s, typist became the figure of women. The
typist’s work is helped by the invention of the first successful portable typewriter in
1909 (1983:443).
The positions among women in the society are also distinguished by their
status in the society. According to Clark in his English History that:
Women of the lower class experienced worse than women of the middle class that they were employed with low rage, and besides, they suffered from justice treatments which were done by the society (1971: 445).
It means that lower class women are in the very low status and treatment in the
society. Women had no control over their education and were taught about domestic
duties only. Starting at a young age, they were taught that a woman should get
married and had children. They were born, raised, and educated to become wives
and nothing else. A woman not expected to work unless she was the lower class and
had no choice. Therefore, they often had plenty of time to look pretty. Women who
were not in the work force were seen as a higher class than working class women.
E. Theoretical Framework
Theory of character and characterization is used to answer the first problem.
and indications to understand the character. It also gives information to reveal the
characteristics of the character. It will be helpful to analyze the main characters in
the play. Theory of Satire is used to describe the satire itself and satire on the social
condition in Victorian Era. A satire is used to satirize the society through humor to
ridicule the society in the form of irony, mockery, and parody. Theory of Gender is
used to reveal the differentiation between men and women position in the society. It
also gives information on the background of the play and may reveal the unstated
meaning hidden from the play. Theory of Social Class is used to reveal the
character’s background and from this theory the readers are able to see the class
divisions in the society and including in which classes are the characters in the play.
Another reason is that it depicts some important information to know about the real
social condition in the Victorian Era. The relation between literature and society is
used to see how far the relationship between literature and society are. From this
theory, the readers might recognize there are some reasons why literature and
society has a close relationship that is affected by some factors. The information of
the Victorian Era is used as the additional source in analyzing the play. It gives
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
This study deals with one of James Mathew Barrie’s plays entitled The
Twelve-Pound Look. It was first published in 1910 and produced at the Duke of
York’s Theatre on March 1 the same year of publication. In this thesis the writer
uses The Twelve-Pound Look that is included in a book entitled The Plays of J. M.
Barrie, (edited by A. E. Wilson) which is published by T. and A. Constable LTD.,
Printers, Edinburgh, in 1948. This is a one-act play that is taken from page 760 to
780 of The Plays of J. M. Barrie. There are also eighteen others Barrie’s writings
including eight one-act plays in this book.
The Twelve-Pound Look is a play that generally describes one moment in
time of Kate, Sir Harry Sims, and Lady Sims life. Even though it is only one-act
play, it implies the satire in it. It tells about the woman typist named Kate who is
unintentionally invited to her former husband’s house for a job. She has to reply the
congratulation letters that cannot be done by the Sims family. There, Kate can see
the life of her former husband and the way he treats his new wife. She also gets
unpleasant welcome and treatment from her former husband. But now Kate can
stand on her feet and fight for her dignity in front of Sir Harry Sims. Her arrival in
the house makes different atmosphere in Sir Harry Sims and Lady Sims’ life. He
discovers a lot of things that he does not realize and cannot find it himself. Thus,
Lady Sims can see the positive side of woman career for life and gives her another
B. Approach of the Study
According to Mary Rohrberger and James Woods, Jr., in Reading and
Writing About Literature, literature has “an aesthetic value… The readers make an
aesthetic value through their response towards the literary work” (1971: 3). It means
that the readers can give their reasonable judgment to a literary work. That is why
the readers must know what a literary work is, how to read it, and how to judge it. It
is a requirement when a critical approach is engaged in order to investigate the
positive aesthetic value in a work of literature. There are five kinds of critical
approaches according to Rohrberger and Woods, Jr. (1971: 6-13), they are formalist
approach, the bibliographical approach, the sociocultural-historical approach,
mythopoeic approach, and psychological approach.
The most suitable approach for this study is the sociocultural-historical
approach. It is because this approach concerns with the social, cultural, and
historical environment in the literary work. It will be helpful to reveal the truth
behind the text significant to the culture or society of certain place and period. This
is to point out that the creation of the literary work must be related with the society
in which it is produced, reflect the culture, and related with the history. According to
Rohrberger:
Critics whose major interest is the sociocultural-historical approach insist that the only way to locate the real work is in reference to the civilization that produced it. They define civilization as the attitudes and actions of a specific group of people and point out that literature takes this attitudes and actions as its subject matter. They feel therefore, that it is necessary that the critic investigate the social milieu in which a work created and which it necessarily reflects (1971:9)
This approach insists that the real work is in reference to the civilization that
work. The historical critic examines either the work itself or the work in relation to
other works by the same author or to works similar kind of object matter by different
author in the same or in the different period.
C. Method of the Study
This study used the library research method. It means that during the process
of this study, the writer took the data from the library. The information from the
internet is also used as second source. The primary data was J. M. Barrie’s The
Plays of J. M. Barrie. The secondary sources were taken from A History of Western
Society by McKay, English History by Clark,An Introduction to Fiction by Robert
Stanton, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms by Baldick, Literature
and Gender by Goodman, Language & Gender, Interdisciplinary Perspectives by
Sara, Frye’s Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essay, Landis’ Sociology: Concepts and
Characteristics, Second Edition, A Handbook to Literature by Holman and Harmon,
The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, and TheEncyclopedia Americana.
The additional books are taken from Hugh Holman and William Harmon’s A
Handbook to Literature, Abrams’ A Glossary of Literary Terms, Rohrberger and
Woods, Jr.’s Reading and Writing About Literature, Hans P. Guth and Patricia Strandness Shnider’s Living Literature: Our World Today, Rene Wellek and Austin
Warren’s The Theory of Literature.
There are some steps to get the solution to solve the problem formulations
stated in the first chapter. First of all, the writer read and reread The Twelve-Pound
Look in order to get deeper understanding on the content of the play. Second, after
the point is the British society in the Victorian Era. Then there are two problem
formulations created dealing with the Victorian society. Third, after the writer
considers that the information of related studies and some theories are adequate, the
analysis is began. The analysis is focused on the characters’ characteristics in the
play that reflected the condition of society in Victorian Era. This analysis is taken
from several ways: the author’s description of the characters, the character’s speech,
attitude, and what the others think about them. Related to the character’s
characteristics, the characteristics of Victorian Era can be seen. After collecting
those data, then they are matched with the related theories of satire as stated in A
Glossary of Literary Terms, A Handbook to Literature, Encyclopaedia Britannica,
Volume 19 and Encyclopedia Americana. In order to reveal the condition of society
in the Victorian Era especially the class system, social status, and women’s position
in the society, the books of secondary sources are used. The next step was applying
the sociocultural-historical approach by Mary Rohrberger in her book Reading and
Writing About Literature to answer the problems. To solve the problems, this
approach can relate the problems with the theories. Thus, the analysis is done in
analytical way with the theories’ support. Finally, the writer drew the conclusion
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This chapter is divided into two parts. Each part will answer each question
stated in the problem formulation in chapter one. The first part will discuss the
characteristics of society in Victorian Era revealed through the characterization of
main characters in The Twelve-Pound Look. The second part will find out the social
condition in the Victorian Era which are satirized in the play.
A. The characteristics of society in Victorian Era depicted through the characterization of main characters in The Twelve-Pound Look
Character is an important element in literary works. It is the one that makes
the story alive, understandable, and interesting to read. It can draw the reader to be
engaged to the story. There are two kinds of characters; major and minor characters.
Stanton says that the focus of the story lies on the main characters (1965: 17). It
focuses on the experience of the main characters from the beginning until the
ending. Considering the theories, the main characters analyzed in The Twelve-Pound
Look are Kate, Sir Harry Sims, and Lady Sims.
To understand the characters, there are four indications to consider: the
character’s name, the author’s description and comments on the character, the other
characters’ opinion and attitude, and the character’s own dialogue and behavior
(Stanton, 1965: 18). According to Baldick, characterization can be seen from direct
methods in the form of description from the author and indirect method such as
say that there are three fundamental characterizations; the author directly describes
the character, the presentation of the character in action, and emotion experience
reflected in the character (1986:81). Those theories will be used in the analysis.
The theory of relationship between literature and society is used to bridge the
characteristics of society in Victorian Era as the truth in the real world and the
characterization of the main characters in The Twelve-Pound Look. Wellek and
Warren in their book The Theory of Literature stated that literary works can play the
role as historical document that recorded social realities, which are artistically
portrayed by the author (1956:102). According to Rohrberger, the real work is in
reference to the civilization that produces it (1971:9). It is needed to investigate the
place and society that reflects a created work. J. M. Barrie’s The Twelve-Pound
Look is one of the plays that can reflect the society when the play was written. The
evidence that this play was produced in 1910 is reflected from Kate’s act of bringing
the typewriter. It was possible to bring the typewriter not until 1909 when the
portable typewriter was invented (1983:443). According to the book of The Plays of
J. M. Barrie, The Twelve-Pound Look first performed at stage in 1910. This play
reflected the society in Victorian Era because it was produced in 1910 but the story
is about Sir Harry Sims and Kate’s life when they were married. It was fourteen
years ago which means in 1896 that was when Queen Victoria reign Britain.
The description on the main characters is needed to reveal the characteristics
of society in Victorian Era depicted in The Twelve-Pound Look. This analysis is
conducted with the help of theory of gender, theory of social class and review on the
historical background which can show the relation between the play and the fact in
1. The Characterization of Kate (Katherine)
This character is the last character seen through the appearance in the play.
However, it does not mean that this character is a minor character. It can be seen
from her role in the second page through the end of the play. The whole story of the
play is dominated by this character. Those facts make her one of the main characters
in The Twelve-Pound Look. Her characterization can be seen from her name, action,
speech, appearance, author’s description, and other characters’ description.
Kate’s full name is not plainly mentioned in this play. There is not any noble
or family name stated in the play. Kate’s simple name shows her social class in the
society that she is not one of the upper classes. It is because a woman from noble
family in Victorian society used the title “Lady” before her nick name whereas Kate
does not. The clue about Kate’s full name can be seen from her conversation with
Sir Harry Sims.
(And it is here that HARRY re-enters in his city garments, looking so gay, feeling so jolly that we bleed for him. However, the annoying
KATHERINE is to get a shock also.)
(Barrie, 1910:767)
SIR HARRY. It isn’t Harry to you. My name is Sims, if you please. KATE. Yes, I had not forgotten that. It was my name, too, you see.
SIR HARRY (in his best manner). It was your name till you forfeited the right to bear it.
(Barrie, 1910:768)
KATE (hopelessly dense). I suppose so. I was only remembering that you used to think you knew her in the days when I was the lady.
(Barrie, 1910:769-770)
It can be concluded that Kate’s full name was Lady Katherine Sims. It was before
ladyship when she left Sir Harry Sims. She is now supports and lives her live by
herself.
Since leaving her husband, Kate has to support her life. That is why she
decided to have a job. She is described as a typist. She is glad to do her job and is
very proud of her being a typist. It can be seen from the way she carries the
typewriter. She thinks being a typist is not reflection of slavery but power to stand
on the dignity as human being.
(These sentiments carry him off light-heartedly, and presently the disturbing element is shown in. She is a mere typist, dressed in uncommonly good taste, but at contemptibly small expense, and she is carrying her typewriter in a friendly way rather than as a badge of slavery, as of course it is. Her eye is clear; and in odd contrast to LADYSIMS, she is self-reliant and serene.)
(Barrie, 1910:765)
From the quotation above, it can be seen that Kate considers about her appearance
although it seems cheap in Sir Harry Sims and Lady Sims’ point of view. It is also
described that Kate has clear eyes and is independent. Her self-reliance or independence can be seen from the way she works for her life. She supports her life
without relying on someone else as Sir Harry Sims’ new wife, Lady Sims, does.
The critique on Kate’s appearance and occupation from Sims’ point of view
shows one of the characteristics of society in Victorian Era which deals with the
social classes’ differentiation. Two factors that have been used to distinguish the
social classes are type of possession and profession. In this case, Kate is considered
as the lower class society or the working class. It can be seen from the way she
dresses which is in a small expense and her profession as a typist. Another proof that
independence indirectly shows that she is a lower class society. It is because in
Victorian Era, women from the upper class society did not do work for their life.
Kate is also described as a skillful and hard worker. Her spirit to work is reflected from the way she does her job. She always begins to work without waiting
for the order. She knows what she has to do and does it well. This spirit makes her to
be a better employee. Thus, it can be seen in the conversation below:
(She continues to type, and LADY SIMS, half-mesmerised, gazes at her nimble fingers. The useless woman watches the useful one, and she sighs, she could not tell why.)
LADY SIMS. How quickly you do it. It must be delightful to be able to do something, and to do it well.
KATE (thankfully). Yes, it is delightful.
(Barrie, 1910:766)
SIR HARRY (heartened). Nobody. A typist at eighteen shilling a week! KATE (proudly). Not a bit of it, Harry. I doubled that.
(Barrie, 1910:779)
Kate’s determination to do the best for her life makes her able to get reward, the
doubled-wage. She is proud of being a typist and of being independent.
Besides being described as determined worker, she is also described as a
responsible person. This characteristic can be seen from the conversation below:
SIR HARRY. Will you please to go.
KATE. Heigho! What shall I say to my employer? SIR HARRY. That is no affair of mine.
(Barrie, 1910:769)
It can be seen that Kate thinks about her responsibility for her job and her employer.
From the conversation above it also can be seen that Kate is brave. She dares to say a word after Sir Harry Sims turns her out of his house. She does not want to be
thinks right. Her daring also can be seen from the beginning of her conversation with
Lady Sims.
KATE (respectfully, but she should have waited to be spoken to.) Good morning, madam.
LADY SIMS (in her nervous way, and scarcely noticing that the typist is a
little too ready with her tongue). Good morning. (As a first
impression she rather likes the woman, and the woman, though it is scarcely worthmentioning, rather likes her. LADY SIMS has a maid for buttoning and unbuttoning her, and probably another for waiting on the maid, and she gazes with a little envy perhaps at a woman who does things for herself.) Is that the type-writing machine?
KATE (who is getting it ready for use). Yes (not ‘Yes, madam,’ as it oughtto be). I suppose if I am to work here I may take this off. I get on better without it. (She is referring to her hat.)
LADY SIMS. Certainly. (But the hat is already off.) I ought to apologise for my gown. I am to be presented this week, and I was trying it on. (Her tone is not really apologetic. She is rather clinging to the glory of her gown, wistfully, as if not absolutely certain, you know that it is a glory.)
(Barrie, 1910:765)
From the conversation above and the author’s description, it is seen that Kate dares
to greet the host, Lady Sims, who is supposed to do first. Kate also dares to reply a
question without mentioning “madam” as she has to. Although Kate is considered as
a worker in Sir Harry Sims’ house, she dares to do what she wants and thinks. It is
reflected from her act of taking off her hat before the host gives her permission to do
so. Her daring is not only to Lady Sims but also to Sir Harry Sims.
SIR HARRY (withering her). The ordinary way of business! This is what you have fallen to—a typist!
KATE (unwithered). Think of it!
SIR HARRY. After going through worse straits, I’ll be bound. KATE (with some grim memories). Much worse straits. SIR HARRY (alas, laughing coarsely). My congratulations. KATE. Thank you, Harry.
Kate dares to stand on her dignity as human being without emotionally replying Sir
Harry Sims’ mocking. She is able to twist his mocking reflecting to the reality she
had experienced that being Sir Harry Sims’ wife was worse than she becomes now.
Even though Sir Harry Sims underestimates her job, she does not feel offended and
humiliated. Kate thinks that she has found her freedom as a human being. It is
because she can escape from Sir Harry Sims’ dictatorship when they were married.
Kate’s daring also can be seen from her confrontation with Sir Harry.
SIR HARRY. Do you know what you brought here to do?
KATE. I have just been learning. You have been made a knight, and I was summoned to answer the messages of congratulations.
SIR HARRY. That’s it, that’s it. You come on this day as my servant! KATE. I, who might have been Lady Sims.
SIR HARRY. And you are her typist instead. And she has four men-servants. Oh, I am glad you saw her in her presentation gown.
KATE. I wonder if she would let me do her washing, Sir Harry? (Her want of taste disgusts him.)
(Barrie, 1910:769)
The conversation above shows that Kate dares to fight for her dignity despite her
status as a servant. She even dares to say that she is not the servant but Lady Sims is.
She frankly expresses her opinion because she thinks that she has to open Sir Harry
Sims’ mind. She wants him to know that he is unfair in treating people. Her daring
to open Sir Harry Sims’ mind is reflected through the conversation below:
SIR HARRY (clinching it). I tell you I am worth a quarter of a million. KATE (unabashed). That is what you are worth to yourself. I’ll tell you what
you are worth to me: exactly twelve pounds. For I made up my mind that I could launch myself on the world alone if I first proved my mettle by earning twelve pounds; and as soon as I had earned it I left you.
SIR HARRY (in the scales). Twelve pounds!
KATE. That is your value to a woman. If she can’t make it she has to stick to you.
Sir Harry Sims’ arrogance does not make Kate feel humiliated. Even though he said
that he is worth a quarter of a million, it means nothing to Kate. He is only worth 12
pounds for her. It is the value for Kate to get rid of Sir Harry Sims’ autocracy. The
dependent woman will stick to him to support her life but Kate had earned money
for herself. The day Kate earned the twelve pounds, she left him for her better life.
Kate’s daring makes her able to show her power toward others. It can be seen from
the author’s comment on Sir Harry.
SIR HARRY (showing a little human weakness, it is to be feared). Say first that you’re sorry.
KATE. For what?
SIR HARRY. That you left me. Say you regret it bitterly. You know you do. (She smiles and shakes her head. He is pettish. He makes a terrible announcement.) You have spoilt the day for me.
KATE (to hearten him). I am sorry for that; but it is only a pin-prick, Harry. I suppose it is a little jarring in the moment of your triumph to find that there is—one old friend—who does not think you a succeed; but you will soon forget it. Who cares what a typist thinks?
SIR HARRY (heartened). Nobody. A typist at eighteen shilling a week! KATE (proudly). Not a bit of it, Harry. I doubled that.
(Barrie, 1910:778-779)
Kate’s daring and ability to talk can intimidate Sir Harry Sims. She is able to
make him feel his weakness. She does not want to say sorry for leaving him. It is
because she thinks she does the right thing for her life. She even shows him her
bravery by saying that she does not think Sir Harry Sims has succeeded. It means
that he has not achieved his goal. Even though Kate dares to argue Sir Harry Sims, it
does not make her able to avoid the treatment that underestimates her. Sir Harry
Sims bothers her with her profession and wage. This analysis on Kate’s daring that
cannot avoid humiliation shows one of the characteristics of Victorian societies. It is
to the profession that determine the social class in the society. Even Kate has
doubled her wage, it means nothing for Sir Harry Sims who worth himself a quarter
of a million. This different amount of income makes Kate to be underestimated by
Sir Harry Sims. The discriminative treatment shows the gap between the upper and
lower class society in Victorian Era.
2. The Characterization of Sir Harry Sims
Sir Harry Sims is one of the main characters in this play. He appears in the
beginning of the play and the first character that is described by the author. Starting
from the introduction of the play, Sir Harry Sims has been described as a noble man.
It pleases us to make him a city man, but (rather than lose you) he can be turned with a scrape of the pen into a K.C., fashionable doctor, Secretary of State, or what you will. We conceive him of a pleasant rotundity with a thick red neck, but we shall waive that point if you know him to be thin.
(Barrie, 1910:763)
Even though the author does not mention Sir Harry Sims’ exact profession,
his description on the professions that might be suitable for Sir Harry gives clue that
he includes in the group of noble man with such profession. Moreover, in the next
description of the place he lives in shows that he lives in a noble environment and he
is about to be knighted.
Harry is to receive the honour of knighthood in a few days, and we discover him in the sumptuous ‘snuggery’ of his home in Kensington (or is it Westminster?), rehearsing the ceremony with his wife.
(Barrie, 1910:763)
Sir Harry Sims’ name itself has shown that he is a noble man with title ‘Sir’
in front of his name. His receiving of knighthood strengthen his position as a noble
