COMPARISON OF THE ROLE AND POSITION OF WOMEN IN THE NOVEL WOMAN AT POINT ZERO AND MIDAH SI MANIS BERGIGI EMAS

1.        SUMMARY

A.         Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El Saadawi

Woman at Point Zero is a novel from Egypt author. The story about woman named Firdaus. Firdaus is the daughter of a poor farmer, her life is very complicated and conflicted. Since childhood Firdaus had undergone persecution physically and mentally by a man she knew as a father. Indeed, not only Firdaus who received bad treatment from her father's, but her mother also has never had a better fate than Firdaus. When the father and mother died, Firdaus in foster care by his uncle. Although his uncle was to be more kind and gentle than her father, but the figure of the gentle uncle was the same as any other man. His uncle did not miss the opportunity to sexually abuse her. Often uncle fumble Firdaus’s thigh while reading a book to her before or after Firdaus stay with him.

Firdaus was taken by his uncle moved to Cairo and schooled in junior high school. In the school she can feel to get along with her peers, but at the time she almost began knowing love not from the opposite sex, but from a female teacher. After graduated from high school with the best grades, and her uncle is married to a woman who is the daughter of his teacher from Al Ezhar’s school. One night, she overhears her aunt and uncle discussing whether they will marry Firdaus to her aunt’s old uncle, Sheikh Mahmoud. He is sixty and has a facial deformity. Firdaus runs away, but while she is on the streets, she is terrified by the strange men who approach her, so she returns home. They marry her to Sheikh Mahmoud. He is selfish and stingy and beats Firdaus. His facial deformity is a large swelling on his chin with a hole in the middle that leaks pus. After one bad beating, Firdaus runs away. She ends up in a coffee shop, where she meets Bayoumi, the coffee shop owner. She goes with him to his apartment. At first Bayoumi is kind to Firdaus. Then Firdaus announces that she wants to get a job, and Bayoumi is enraged. He beats her and begins to lock her in the apartment when he leaves. He brings his friends home and allows them to have sex with her. Firdaus escapes with the help of a neighbor and flees Bayoumi’s apartment for the city.

Resting by the Nile, Firdaus feels hopeless until a wealthy-looking woman approaches her. Her name is Sharifa, and she is a prostitute. She takes Firdaus in and teaches her to become a high-class prostitute. Sharifa makes money from Firdaus’s body until one night when her friend Fawzy comes over. Firdaus overhears Sharifa and Fawzy fighting over who will get to keep her, so she runs away again. Still a prostitute, Firdaus becomes her own boss and eventually has a beautiful home and expensive things. One night, a client named Di’aa tells her that she is not a respectable woman, and Firdaus is devastated. She gives up her nice apartment and beautiful things, moves into a shack, and begins working as an office assistant. There, she realizes that the life of an assistant is in many ways worse than the life of a prostitute. She meets a man named Ibrahim, and falls in love with him. They have a relationship, and Firdaus begins to feel that the world is not so horrible, until she discovers that Ibrahim has become engaged to the boss’s daughter.

Firdaus leaves the company and becomes a prostitute again. She is very expensive and very popular. Many powerful men come to her, and she turns some of them away to prove that she has power over her own body, and because she despises them. Ibrahim comes to her, and she realizes he never loved her; rather, he just wanted free sex. A pimp tries to take over Firdaus’s life, and for a little while, she lets him. Then they fight and she kills him. Shortly after that, Firdaus meets an Arab prince who takes her home and offers her $3,000. She sleeps with him, rips up the money, and slaps him. Terrified, the man calls the police. They come and arrest Firdaus. Firdaus is tried and sentenced to death.

B.        Midah Si Manis Bergigi Emas by Pramudya Ananta Toer

Midah Si Manis Bergigi Emas is a novel from Indonesian author, the story tell about a woman named Midah. Midah is the daughter of Haji Abdul, a trader from Cibatok who lives in Jakarta. She is the only child, so she was very loved and pampered by his family. Until when Midah was 9 years old, his mother gave birth to another child. Automatic affection of both parents began to split. Then also born siblings Midah other, and the love of both parents is reduced and almost unnoticed. This makes Midah not feel at home, often out of the house, and come home late, but oddly enough, parents Midah never rebukes his actions. Finally Midah increasingly rare back home. She became interested in keroncong songs that sung by street buskers.  And Midah bought some LPs containing keroncong song. When Midah sings, Haji Abdul surprised. For her father kroncong is forbidden, and he broke the Midah’s LPs. Not only that, Midah also slapped and scolded severely by her father. After that, Midah betrothed by her parents with Haji Terbus from Cibatok. However, Midah feel disappointed that Haji Terbus have many wives.

After 3 months of marriage, Midah ran away from her home. She is pregnant and she stayed with her former aide, Riah. After that, Midah decided to joint with the group of keroncong street singers. She then got the nickname Si Manis. Until the ninth month of pregnancy, Midah gives birth her son, after feeling strong after giving birth, Midah back to the group of keroncong street singers but response to Midah not good. The baby was humiliated by a female musician of the group, Nini. Midah angry, she thinks her baby is innocent. One day Midah and her group got an offer to sing on the radio from a police, Ahmad. But the offer was fictitious. Midah replace several teeth with gold teeth, but unfortunately she was expelled from the group, because a woman in the group doesn’t like Midah replace her teeth into gold teeth like she had.

On the other hand, Haji Abdul fell ill hear Midah be a street musician. Midah finally moved to Jatinegara so that her parents could not find her. There, she was singing with a child in her arm. Not unexpectedly, she met with police Ahmad again and he was invited to stay with him. Midah fall in love with him. They both live like husband and wife. They are increasingly immersed in sin. Meanwhile, Midah’s mother received information about Midah’s house, then came. But her mother only met with Midah’s son, Rodjali. Then her mother brought Rodjali to her home and care for him. Haji Abdul was pleased to see his grandson. On the other hand, Midah known to be pregnant again. She asked for accountability from Ahmad, but Ahmad did not admit it. Now Midah aware that Ahmad is a cowardly man. In desperation, Midah finally returned to her parents' house and told them all what happened to her. Her parents only could resigned and pray every day. But, the neighbors began to insult Midah. Now the situation is changing, Haji Abdul regarded as an intelligent person (orang pintar), and there are many people who visited her home. Midah went out from her parents’ house because she doesn’t want defame her father. Before leaving, Midah says that the unborn child is born out of love, unlike when Midah have a baby from Haji Terbus.

Time passed, after passing nine months, the baby was born and Midah carry him everywhere while looking for a job. Finally her old job as a radio singer back she get. However, now Midah not only as a singer, she also became a prostitute. Midah no longer thought of sin. After becoming well known through radio, Midah then began to wrestle the world of film. She was also successful because she has a sweet face and famous everywhere.

2.        SETTING

Woman at Point Zero takes place in Egypt, precisely first at Qanatir Prison, then in a small town, then in Cairo, then at Qanatir Prison, this is the story of a real woman. I met her in the Qanatir Prison a few years ago (Woman at Point Zero 1983:1). Setting of time is around 1950s to 1973. While, Midah si Manis bergigi Emas takes a Place in Indonesia precisely in Jakarta in 1950’s.  As shown in the excerpt: Ini adalah novel ringan. Ditulis oleh Pramoedya Ananta Toer pada Warsa 50-an dengan setting tempat Jakarta. (Midah Simanis Bergigi Emas, 1954: 5)

3.     POINT OF VIEW

In the novel Woman at Point Zero, the narrator is first person, but since the story is Firdaus’s story as told to Nawal El Saadawi, it seems as though there are two narrators: first Nawal, This story of a real woman. I met her in the Qanatir Prison a few years ago. I was doing research on the personalities of a group of women prisoners and detainees convicted of accused of various offences (Woman at Point Zero 1983:1). And then Firdaus, let me speak. Do not interrupt me. I have no time to listen to you. They are coming to take me at six o’clock this evening (Woman at Point Zero 1983:9). In the long section in which Firdaus explains her life so far, she is the narrator, and she is telling Nawal her story. In the explanations surrounding Firdaus’s story, Nawal is the first-person narrator.

While in the novel Midah si Manis Bergigi Emas, the narrator is third person as omniscient.

Kelahiran si adik bukan saja menggoncangkan iman Bapak! Juga hati midah goncang karenanya. Tak cukup kata-kata padanya untuk mengucapkan itu. Hanya dalam hatinya timbul perasaan tidak enak. (Midah Simanis Bergigi Emas, 1954: 15)

4.           CHARACTER

A.           Woman at Point Zero

a.   Major Character

-         Nawal El Saadawi: The author and narrator of the novel. Nawal is a psychiatrist who interviews women in prison. She meets one prisoner, Firdaus, and decides to tell her the sad story of her life.

-         Firdaus: The narrator of the most of the book. Firdaus is a young woman from poor family who flees her abusive husband and becomes a prostitute, then an office worker, and then a prostitute again. She finally kills a man who forces her to accept him as her pimp. When Nawal El Saadawi meets Firdaus, she is in prison waiting to be executed.

b.   Minor Character

-         Firdaus’ Uncle: The man who takes Firdaus in after her parents die. He is a graduate from El-Azhar. Although his uncle was to be more kind and gentle than her father, but the figure of the gentle uncle was the same as any other man. His uncle did not miss the opportunity to sexually abuse her. Often uncle fumble Firdaus’s thigh while reading a book to her before or after Firdaus stay with him. My uncle was not young. He was much older than I was. He used to travel to Cairo alone, attend classes in El Azhar (Woman at Point Zero 1983:13)

-         Firdaus’ Father: Firdaus told his figure that he is a poor peasant farmer, who could neither read nor write, knew very few things in life. How to grow crops, how to sell a buffalo poisoned by his enemy before it died, how to exchange his virgin daughter for a dowry when there was still time, how to be quicker than his neighbor in stealing from the fields once the crop was ripe. How to bend over the headman’s hand and pretend to kiss it, how to beat his wife and make her bite the dust each night. (Woman at Point Zero 1983:10)

-         Firdaus’ Mother: Firdaus only tells little about her mother. She was confused which one her mother, because all women/mother look alike.

Was I really the daughter of my mother, or was my mother someone else? Or was I born the daughter or my mother and later changed into someone else? Or had my mother been transformed into another woman who resembled her so closely that I could not tell the different? (Woman at Point Zero 1983:15)

-      Bayoumi: The coffee shop owner Firdaus meets after she flees her husband’s beatings. Bayoumi is kind to Firdaus at first, but then he begins to beat her. Eventually, he locks her in the apartment and allows his friends to have their way with her.

-      Di’aa: The journalist and onetime client of Firdaus. Di’aa becomes her friend, and then tells her she is not respectable, prompting Firdaus to give up prostitution and begin working at an office.

-      Fatheya: Firdaus’s friend from work. Fatheya suspects that Firdaus is in love with Ibrahim.

-      Fawzy: A male friend of Sharifa’s. Fawzy wants to take Firdaus with him and become her pimp, but Sharifa is already making money off of Firdaus and won’t let him. When Firdaus hears them discussing this, she flees and sets up her own prostitution business.

-      Hala: A toddler. Hala is the youngest of Firdaus’s uncle’s children, and the only one who is kind to Firdaus.

-      Ibrahim: One of Firdaus’s colleagues at her office, and a “revolutionary.” Ibrahim joins Firdaus in the courtyard of the office compound one night, where they cry together. Firdaus falls in love with him, and they have a relationship that ends when she overhears that he is engaged to be married.

-      Iqbal: Firdaus’s teacher at secondary school. Iqbal joins Firdaus at the school playground one night, and they cry together.

-      Mohammadain: The little boy from Firdaus’s childhood, with whom she used to play “bride and bridegroom.” This is the first time that Mohammadain and Firdaus experience sexual pleasure. He would make me lie down beneath a pile of straw, and lift up my galabeya. We played at ‘bride and bridegroom’. (Woman at Point Zero 1983:12)

-      The Prison Doctor:  The doctor at Firdaus’s prison. The doctor filled out an appeal for Firdaus (to commute her sentence from death to life imprisonment), but she refused to sign it.

-      Saadia: Firdaus’s uncle’s servant girl.

-      Sharifa Salah el Dine:  A high-class prostitute who takes Firdaus in and turns her into a prostitute. Sharifa makes a profit off of Firdaus’s body until Firdaus runs away.

-      Sheikh Mahmoud: Firdaus’s husband for a brief period of time. Sheikh Mahmoud beats Firdaus and she flees to Bayoumi’s home.

-      Wafeya: Firdaus’s friend at school. Wafeya suspects that Firdaus is in love with Miss Iqbal. I had a friend called Wafea. Her bed was next to mine. (Woman at Point Zero 1983:24)

B.     Midah si Manis Begigi Emas

a.      Midah is the main character in this story. She is from a noble and religious family. She is described with yellow skin, her face slightly rounded, sweet, pretty, slender voice, and a strong heart. As in the following quotation, Kulitnya kuning. Wajahnya agak bulat. Kalau tersenyum, ih manisnya. Cantik parasnya, lentik suaranya dan kuat hatinya. (Midah Simanis Bergigi Emas, 1954:5)

b.      Hadji Abdul: Midah’s father, he is devout religious, fanatical about music smelled Arabic, diligent remembrance but poor taste and greedy humanity. As shown in the following excerpt:

Midah dilahirkan di tengah keluarga yang taat beragama. Hadji Abdul nama bapaknya. Fanatik terhadap musik-musik berbau Arab. Hadji Abdul yang hanya rajin dzikir tapi miskin citarasa kemanusiaan. Dan juga serakah.” (Midah Simanis Bergigi Emas 1954: 5&7)

c.       Hajdi Terbus: Midah’s husband, he is dashing, strapping, thick mustache, sharp-edged, and wives. As shown in the following excerpt, Midah dikawinkan dengan Hadji Terbus dari Cibatok, seorang yang berperawakan gagah, tegap, berkumis lebat, dan bermata tajam.” (Midah Simanis Bergigi Emas, 1954: 20)

d.      Riah: maid in the Haj Abdul house. She is compassionate and merciful. As shown in the following excerpt: Riah sejak dahulu kasih kepadanya. Dipandanginya Midah lama-lama dengan rasa rasa kasih memancar-mancar pada matanya.” (Midah Simanis Bergigi Emas, 1954:21)

e.      The Keroncong group: the group which followed by Midah, they are wild and like to gamble. As shown in the excerpt below:

Di malam hari dikala anggota-anggota gerombolan mengembara mencari saluran hawa nafsunya atau sedang bergulat mesra dengan Nini atau sedang berjudi di bawah lampu listrik yang redup itu.” (Midah Simanis Bergigi Emas, 1954: 45)

f.        Mother: Haji Abdul’s wife and alsoMidah’ mother. She is no attention and did not have power as a wife and mother. As seen in the following quotation: Emak tidak melindungi Midah, hanya memandangi dua orang itu dengan mata kosong dari segala kesan.” (Midah Simanis Bergigi Emas, 1954:110)

g.      Ahmad: a man who Midah loved. He is Coward (not responsible). As shown in the following excerpt, “Aku tidak keberatan apabila engkau tak mau mengakui anakmu sendiri. Aku pun tidak keberatan kau tuduh bercampur dengan lelaki lain.” (Midah Simanis Bergigi Emas, 1954: 110).

5.     CONFLICT

The main conflict in the novel Woman at Point Zero is explained about Firdaus life that increasingly unclear. As a woman who live in a patriarchal culture she always become a prey to the cruelty of men who just want to enjoy her body. Nevertheless, she is always tough so that life gradually improved. She began enjoy her life as a high class prostitute and independent without a pimp. But in the end she had to kill a person who force her to bow. And she should receive the death penalty. “Everybody has to die. I prefer to die for a crime I have committed rather than to die for one of the crimes which you have committed” (Woman at Point Zero 1983: 111). As well Firdaus who experienced misfortune because of a patriarchal culture, Midah the character in the novel Midah si Manis Bergigi Emas also experienced it. She tried to resist the domination of her father who forced her to marry without considering her feelings, she ran away from her husband who has many wives in pregnant condition and struggle in the streets as a Keroncong singer. In the end the both of Firdaus and Midah have to morally lose in the battle of life.

Mempunyai pendirian sendiri adalah berhadapan dengan pendapaat umum. Bertambah kuat pendirian sesorang, bertambah banyak ia memanggil penentang. Dan Midah terpancang kuat diatas bumi pendiriannya” (Midah si Manis Bergigi Emas 1954: 121)

6.     CONCLUSION

Comparison of the role and position of women in the novel Woman at Point Zero and Midah si Manis Bergigi Emas, the two of main character Firdaus and Midah live in a patriarchal culture. They do not have a strong position to determine their own way life. Firdaus forced to marry by his uncle. While Midah forced to marry by his father. Firdaus ran away from her husband because he is rude and stingy. While Midah ran away from her husband because he had many wives. After escaping Firdaus was forced into prostitution by circumstances. Likewise Midah, to survive she became a Keroncong singer around from restaurant to restaurant, and ultimately become prostitutes. Nevertheless, they are trying steadfast to undergo the bitterness of life. They fight in their way. “But I don’t want to be released and I want no pardon for my crime. For what you call my crime was no crime” (Woman at Point Zero 1983: 110). “Aku sendiri tidak menyesal telah mengerjakan semua itu. Dan itulah malah yang pasti disesalkan oleh ibu dan bapak” (Midah si Manis Bergigi Emas 1954: 128)

No.	Aspects compared	Woman at Point Zero	Midah Si Manis Bergigi Emas
1	Setting	-          Time: 1950s to 1973 -          Place: Egypt (first Qanatir Prison, then a small town, then Cairo, then Qanatir Prison)	-          Indonesia -          Jakarta -          In 1950’s
2	Character	Firdaus: Firdaus is a young woman from poor family who flees her abusive husband and becomes a prostitute, then an office worker, and then a prostitute again. She finally kills a man who forces her to accept him as her pimp. When Nawal El Saadawi meets Firdaus, she is in prison waiting to be executed.	Midah: She is from a noble and religious family, Her skin was yellow, her face slightly rounded, sweet, pretty, slender voice, and a strong heart.
3	Point of View	First person but with two Narrator, the Author and Firdaus	Third person
4	Conflict	Firdaus life that increasingly unclear. As a woman who live in a patriarchal culture she always become a prey to the cruelty of men who just want to enjoy her body. Nevertheless, she is always tough so that life gradually improved. She began enjoy her life as a high class prostitute and independent without a pimp. But in the end she had to kill a person who force her to bow. And she should receive the death penalty.	Midah tried to resist the domination of her father who forced her to marry without considering her feelings, she ran away from her husband who has many wives in pregnant condition and struggle in the streets as a keroncong singer.