The Reflection of Hegemony in Customs and Gender Clashes
By : Angga Brian Fernandi
Landon’s Anna and the King sets its focus on how Anna reacts to the people of Siam and its norm. She is an Englishwoman invited by King Maha Mongkut to be a teacher for his wives and
children. The king wants his family to know and learn English so that they will be more civilized and developed. At first, Anna feels that she is not able to cope with the culture of Siam. By the time passed, she can get along well with the wives, concubines, and the children. Two of the children play the most role are Prince Chulalangkorn and Princess Fa-Ying. Both of them kept in touch with Anna to learn British customs and sciences.
Well, this story is not only about custom, but also the position of women in Siam as learned by Anna. In addition, this novel also tells about political or social conflict since there was invasion and attack in the region done by general Alak. Alak is considered as betrayal in the story because he is part of Siam prior to what he has done. Also, one of the most surprising part is the humanity that is ignored for the sake of law. This is represented through the character of Tuptim, King’s newest concubines, and Balat, Tuptim’s love before she turns to be concubine.
The objective of this paper is to show the clashes between the customs and gender as appeared in the story and draw the reflected hegemony within the text. According to postmodern thinkers, each society or culture contain within itself a dominant cultural group who determines that culture’s ideology or its hegemony; its dominant values, its sense of right and wrong, and its sense of personal self-worth. Therefore, I want to use textual approach by finding what is called as binary opposition and codes. As a result, the deeper meaning in the story will be found and more explained (Roland Barthes). Such analysis of the novel reveals three binary opposition and each of which may relate to the others.
Firstly, the most obvious clash is between men and women, this is seen through the relation between King Mongkut, the Ladies, and Mrs. Leonowens. King Mongkut has more than twenty wives and forty concubines. The big amount of wives and concubines shows that women is powerless and they are not able to do anything towards men. I am just wondering why no one of his ladies get jealous. Even they just obey all the thing ordered by King Mongkut. It seems that they do not have self-esteem in front of him. They merely give children and willingly to do so whether they are forced or not; whether they pretend as well. Therefore, women are seen as the powerless; whereas the men are seen as the powerful. Such hegemony can be seen in the story that most people sitting in the ruling class is men. On the other hand, the women, even though they are King’s wives or ladies, they do not have role. This is different from England that is also Kingdom, but they have their own system and treatment.
Thereof, the figure of Anna in the story represents the independent, though, and brave women. Anna is always courageous to speak what she thinks, to protest, and to rebel to the King of whatever she experienced and learn in Siam. This encourages Tuptim to do so by breaking the law and brave to do what she wants. Tuptim is condemned to death for the mistake she makes. Anna tries to stand for her as Tuptim hasn’t do anything wrong and just finds her happiness. Anna talks to the King but it goes in vain. Tuptim is finally dead under the law. What I see in the story is that there is no woman in Siam has prestige position such as judge, advocate, and advisor. Anna feels that the law in Siam is really rigid and strict. She is just wondering where is their humanity to see Tuptim is tortured and beheaded by the men. These two women are figure of feminist that initiate the value of equality and rights in the place where they are. Another evidence is that The King ever tells Anna that she should obey him and men never tell women he is sorry about anything. It means that woman is below the men and looked down on.
Secondly, the clash happens between the customs in Siam and inside the personality of Anna as British. Based in the story, the King is treated like a god and people show respect by kneeling down. I am curious what will happen to them when they are not doing so, but I feel the essence of King here is more likely to be scared rather than honored. For Anna, King or Queen is someone who must be respected by looking straightforward when having a talk and making bow. Therefore, Anna does not kneel down when there is the King as she has her own way to honor; she still upholds British culture as well. Another culture is that in the beginning of the story, Anna is called ‘sir’ and asked some private questions. It makes her shocked so that she asks them not to call her so and stop asking about privacy as it is impolite. In her customs, everyone is called by gender such as Madam, Mr., Ms., and so on. Even though she is called ‘sir’, she then just accepts it by not taking it seriously. She knows that it is their culture although it is strange for her. Her way to react this situation can be the codes of tough woman. As a result, her thoughts influence the people of Siam later on, especially the King. Anna gives understanding to the King that can soften his trait. For example, the servant and people is allowed not to do kneeling down whenever he comes for only one day. Also, she is also called ‘Mem’ which has the same meaning with Madam. They seem understand their tradition is improper to honor such guest from the west so that they use the right pronoun.
Then, there is also social class in Siam as servants is treated unfairly and belong to the lower class. The servants are portrayed in the story by only wearing shorts, contradictory to those of higher class. One day, Anna protest to the King when she sees the slave chained. She tells him using her western thought that everyone has right to get freedom. She frees the slave using her ring and again King Mongkut considers it as right doing. On the contrary, I can also observe that Anna’s servants (Moonshe and Bebe) is treated well and equally; they wear the same clothes as well. Therefore, the practice of kneeling down, make a bow, and clothes are the codes of making social construction by the people itself. These hegemony forms the people’s thinking to define themselves in terms of power and status.
Thirdly, dealing with racism and cultural construction, the clash happens between the west and the east. Why I tell you so? Because there is part in the story when the King conducts an event (his birthday) so that he invited the British to come to the palace. This is done because he wants to show that he is not uncivilized ruler. Moreover, he wants to strengthen Siam by having foreign intercourse with Britain. Therefore, he is believed that western culture and style will make them look more civilized. Anna gives her influence in terms of culture and etiquette to the Siam. This is the way how the King accepts the value of British culture among the Siamese. King Mongkut and his people are indirectly subordinated by West in this part. Why do not they welcome the British nobles by their own way? Therefore they seem follow the British as they unconsciously learn that they are inferior even though Siam is a kingdom.
In this event, one of the Englishman said that Siam is still full of superstitious and thought that the culture in Siam is less than in England. It means that the West does not believe in something illogical, especially about myths. Moreover, they are more advanced in sciences and technology and also considered themselves as superior. Then, the King states that there is also traditional thoughts of the British. Given that such situation can make trouble, Anna cut the discussion by saying ‘there is no one has right to judge whose culture is superior’. As we know in the beginning of the story that the children is taught English even though nobody in Siam speak such language. That is the question from Louis Leonowens and his mother answers that the way of England are the way of the world. It reflects that Britain has great political power in the world. Moreover, the king wants his children to study science of the west indicates that the east is not well-developed. The evidence is when Anna teaches the children about science. They feel happy to see an egg can be put inside the bottle by using fire. I think that the king already know how good the west is so that the stereotype about the west and the east is revealed.
The way Landon develops the story in Anna and the King is brilliant. There are so many things and issues involved from the difference between the west and the east in terms of gender, customs, and social construction. The character of Anna is such a light to Siam when she stands up for the rights of women and slave. It affects the King’s view of his people. Anna is the one who is likely to order the King and opens a new way to think. For example, when she success to make the King agree to save the chained servant, to get rid of kneeling down for one day, to understand why each man should stay with only one woman, and to redeem his sin against Tuptim and Balat by securing Siam’s people from danger. In this work, the Siamese represents the east and they are subordinated by their own tradition and also the idea of westernization. At the same time, Anna is the character reflecting the west giving influence to Siam. This is because she contributes to reform Siam into betterment in terms of gender, customs, and racism.
Clevaster 