Representasi Byronic Hero dalam Novel Mary Shelley Frankenstein Karya Mary Shelley

Abstract

The aims of this research are to describe the characterization of Byronic Hero, to find the representations concerning the problematics of social, political, and cultural contexts occured in certain communities described in Mary Shelley Frankenstein novel, to explain how Mary Shelley (1797-1851) revealed the occurance of these social facts in her novel, and to explain the Gothic Romance’s influences toward the changes of civilization, based on theories and approaches of Post-sructuralism. The research method used is Qualitative Descriptive. The research data are Mary Shelley Frankenstein novel by Mary Shelley and a number of reference books. The Data Collection Technique was conducted by using document review (reading, observing, and taking notes) based on the Philosophy of Phenomenology. The Data Analysis Technique was conducted with the method of Content Analysis, using the theory of Derrida’s Deconstruction, Archetypal Approach, Post-structural Approach, and Hermeneutics Method to reveal the hidden meaning contained in the text. The results based on the analysis of Byronic Hero characterization, show that the characters of Victor Frankenstein, Robert Walton and The Monster in Mary Shelley Frankenstein novel by Mary Shelley manifest mental instability and excessive inner conflicts. In addition, Byronic Hero is also regarded as the representation of various problematics concerning the social, political, dan cultural contexts for which have had occurred in the social life of 19th-century western societies (known as the social constructions). Mary Shelley was intended to disclose the negativities of these social constructions through plots which contains satirical dialogues and monologues done by the characters of her novel. By understanding these social constructions’ negativities, hence it is known that Mary Shelley Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is trying to inspire her readers in performing a social reconstruction. Moreover, by using a picture of terror and horror as the discourse of Gothic Romance, Shelley was trying to make people aware of their social situation, as well as providing public education, for which is emancipatory concerning the human life.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan penokohan Byronic Hero, menemukan representasi permasalahan dalam konteks sosial, politik, budaya masyarakat dalam novel Mary Shelley Frankenstein, menjelaskan bagaimana fakta sosial yang terjadi dalam kehidupan masyarakat diungkapkan Mary Shelley (1797-1851) dalam gambaran cerita novelnya, dan menjelaskan pengaruh Romansa Gotik terhadap perubahan peradaban manusia berdasarkan teori dan pendekatan Postrukturalisme. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode Deskriptif Kualitatif. Data penelitian adalah novel Mary Shelley Frankenstein karya Mary Shelley dan sejumlah buku acuan. Teknik pengumpulan data dikumpulkan dengan teknik baca, simak dan catat yang didasari oleh Filsafat Fenomenologi. Teknik analisis data dilakukan dengan metode Analisis Konten menggunakan teori Dekonstruksi Derrida, Pendekatan Arketaipal, Pendekatan Postruktural, dan Metode Hermeneutika dalam tujuan untuk mengungkapkan makna tersembunyi di balik teks. Berdasarkan hasil analisis penokohan Byronic Hero diperoleh hasil bahwa penokohan Victor Frankenstein, Robert Walton dan Sang Monster dalam novel Mary Shelley Frankenstein karya Mary Shelley menggambarkan penokohan yang banyak terlibat konflik batin dan ketidakstabilan mental. Selain itu, Byronic Hero juga merupakan representasi berbagai permasalahan terutama dalam konteks sosial, politik, dan budaya masyarakat barat abad ke-19 (yang merupakan konstruksi sosial). Mary Shelley berusaha mengungkapkan negativitas konstruksi sosial tersebut melalui alur cerita berisi satir yang disamarkan dalam dialog dan monolog penokohan-penokohan novelnya. Dengan diketahuinya negativitas konstruksi sosial tersebut, maka dapat diketahui bahwa Mary Shelley Frankenstein karya Mary Shelley berusaha mengajak pembacanya untuk melakukan rekonstruksi sosial. Selain itu, dengan menggunakan gambaran teror dan horor sebagai diskursus Romansa Gotik, Shelley berusaha untuk menyadarkan masyarakat sekaligus memberikan edukasi publik yang bersifat emansipatoris bagi kehidupan manusia.