MEANING OF THE LETTERS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
RANDOLPH HENRY ASH AND CHRISTABEL LAMOTTE IN BYATT’S
POSSESSION
A THESIS
by
Yovita Nadia Tansil
Student Number
: 06.80.0003
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SOEGIJAPRANATA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
SEMARANG
MEANING OF THE LETTERS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
RANDOLPH HENRY ASH AND CHRISTABEL LAMOTTE IN BYATT’S
POSSESSION
A Thesis Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Sastra Degree in the English Letters Study Programme
by
Yovita Nadia Tansil
Student Number
: 06.80.0003
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
FACULTY OF LETTERS
SOEGIJAPRANATA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
SEMARANG
A THESIS ON
MEANING OF THE LETTERS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RANDOLPH HENRY ASH AND CHRISTABEL LA MOTTE IN BYATT’ POSSESSION
by
Yovita Nadia Tansil
Student Number : 06.80.0003
Approved by,
G.M. Adhyanggono,S.S.,M.A 21 September 2010
Major Sponsor
Ekawati M. Dukut, M.Hum 21 September 2010
A thesis defended in front of the Board of Examiners on September 21st, 2010 and declared acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Chairperson : G.M.Adhyanggono, S.S.,M.A ………..
Secretary : Ekawati M. Dukut, M.Hum ………..
Member : Heny Hartono,S.S,M.Pd. ………..
Semarang, September 21st, 2010
Faculty of Letters
Soegijapranata Catholic University Dean,
Heny Hartono,S.S,M.Pd.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My first gratitude goes to the Almighty God, who had been kindly helping and guiding me in my difficult times, especially when I was struggling to finish my thesis. His present has given me so much strength to move on and never give up in any condition of my life. Besides that I would like to say my gratitude to the following people who are always standing by my side and supporting me:
1. To my big family, especially my beloved parents, thank you for your love, blessings, and financial support. Also for my brother Kristian , Simon and my sister Silvia, Lea, Adelia and the last but not least my lovely nephew Allan and Marvellino. Thank you for the warmest love and attention for my study. Without all of your support it will be impossible for the writer to finish the thesis punctually. Thank you so much!
2. My gratitude also goes to my dearest boyfriend, Erwin. Thanks for your love, support and motivation for me.
3. To Mrs. Angelica Riyandari, thank you for being an inspiring lecturer for me.
4. To my Major Sponsor and Co-Sponsor. Mr. Adhyanggono, thanks for your critical ideas and especially for your patience when I ask a lot of information for my thesis. Thank you for teaching me so many things about Lacan and the theory. To my Co-Sponsor Mrs. Ekawati who helped me and willing to spend her precious time for me. Millions of thanks to both of you. Also to Mrs. Heny Hartono, the Dean of Faculty of Letters as the member of the board of examiners, thank you for your valuable criticism.
5. To all my friends from the year of 2006 class, especially Nadia N.P (Nana), Novilia Tinawati, Intan Permatasari (Mami), Xaveria Fiona Jennifer (Jeje), Kristiani Pratiwi, Maria Aldila Stefani (Fani), Erna Yulia, Anastasia and Ester Yulia Veronica. All of you are the best.
6. The last gratitude goes to Mr. Bambang, Ms. Yeyen, Mr. Abu and Mr. Andreas, thanks for your great motivation.
For the readers, I realize that there are still many weaknesses in this thesis, thus all suggestions, corrections, and supports will be warmly received. Thank you!
TABLE OF CONTENT PAGE OF TITLE………i PAGE OF APPROVAL……….ii BOARDS OF EXAMINERS……….iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT……….iv TABLE OF CONTENT………..v ABSTRACT………...vi ABSTRAK……….vii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION………1
1.1. Background of the Study……….1
1.2. Field of the Study………2
1.3. Scope of the Study………...2
1.4. Problem Formulation………3
1.5. Objective of the study….……….3
1.6. Significance of the Study……….3
1.7. Definition of Terms………...4
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE………..6
2.1. The Symbolic by Lacan………7
2.2. The Work of Lacanian Critics……….10
CHAPTER III RESEARCH OF METHODOLOGY………12
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS………...14
4.1. The depiction of the relationship between Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte in Possession………....14
4.2. The meaning of letters in the complex relationship between Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte……….24
4.3. The Lacan Psychoanalysis’s assessment of the case………..26
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION………..28
BIBLIOGRAPHY……….30
ABSTRACT
Meaning of the Letters in the Relationship between Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte in Byatt’s Possession
Yovita Nadia Tansil
Abstract: A.S. Byatt’s Possession is an amazing story and well known among Byatt’s novels.
The novel talks about a romantic love story between two greatest poets in the romanticism era, known as Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte along with the two academics named Maud Bailey and Roland Michell in their intention to investigate the affair between Ash and LaMotte. Ash who is known as a faithful husband, on the contrary has counterpart Christabel LaMotte. This affair is known by Roland Michell and Maud Bailey, from this point, then the story reveals the relationship between the poets. Possession shows the readers a lot of symbolism through the letters sent each other by Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte. From the beginning the writer chose this novel because this novel talks about romance, intrigue, and mystery, and this kind of story always be the favorite for the writer. By writing this thesis, the writer wants the readers to see a romance story not only as an entertainment, but also useful to put some understanding in the reader’s mind. The approach used in this thesis is Lacanian’s psychoanalysis approach. Further more, the writer will use the result of Lacanian’s psychoanalysis to find the meaning of the letters in the relationship between Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte. By Lacanian’s psychoanalysis, it is traced that the letters between both poets reflecting the meaning of their affair. In a whole, this thesis described and gives proves on how the letters symbolizes the relationship of Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte.
ABSTRAK
Arti dari Surat-Surat dalam Hubungan antara Randolph Henry Ash dan Christabel LaMotte di dalam novel Possession karya Byatt.
Yovita Nadia Tansil
Abstrak: Novel Possession karya A.S. Byatt adalah sebuah novel dengan cerita yang
menakjubkan dan merupakan salah satu karya ternama dari pengarangnya. Novel ini berkisah mengenai sebuah cerita cinta yang romantic di antara dua pujangga terbesar yang hidup pada jaman romantik , yang bernama Randolph Henry Ash dan Christabel LaMotte beriringan dengan cerita dua orang akademis yang bernama Maud Bailey dan Roland Michell yang bermaksud menyelidiki perselingkuhan antara Ash dan LaMotte. Ash yang terkenal sebagai suami yang setia pada masanya ternyata pada kenyataannya memiliki seorang gundik bernama Christabel LaMotte. Dalam hal ini, perselingkuhan ini ditemukan oleh Roland Michell dan Maud Bailey dan cerita ini mengungkapkan kisah hubungan diantara kedua penyair tersebut. Novel Possession banyak menunjukkan pada pembacanya symbol-simbol yang terdapat pada surat-surat yang saling dikirimkan anatara Randolph Henry Ash dan Christabel LaMotte. Sejak awal penulis memilih novel ini untuk diangkat sebagai karya tesis karena novel ini berkisah mengenai romantisme, intrik dan misteri yang merupakan cerita novel yang disukai oleh penulis. Dengan menulis tesis ini penulis ingin menunjukkan pada pembaca bahwa cerita roman bukan hanya sebagai sebuah hiburan tetapi juga dapat untuk memberikan pemahaman mengenai karya sastra pada pembacanya. Pendekatan yang digunakan pada tesis ini adalah pendekatan psychoanaliysis dari Lacan. Lebih lanjut, penulis akan menggunakan hasil dari pendekatan Psychoanalysis untuk menemukan arti surat-surat antara Randolph Henry Ash dan Christabel LaMotte. Dengan menggunakan teori psychoanalysis Lacan, kemudian ditemukan surat-surat diantara keduanya memiliki arti mengenai hubungan perselingkuhan di antara mereka berdua. Secara keseluruhan, tesis ini menggambarkan dan memberikan bukti bagaimana surat-surat tersebut dapat menyimbolkan hubungan antara Randolph Henry Ash dan Christabel LaMotte.
