A Genetic Structuralism Analysis on Gender Equality in Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Abstract

This research tries to analyze gender equality which is portrayed by Charlotte Perkins Gilman in her utopian novel Herland. There are three goals in this study. The first is to find the construction of gender equality in the novel. The second is to find social structure in American society from the middle nineteeenth century to early twentieth century. The third is to find the worldview as it is presented in the novel. This study uses genetic structuralism theory by Lucien Goldmann to find the worldview and American social structure from the middle nineteenth century to early twentieth century. The primary data are information and facts related to gender equality from novel. Meanwhile, seconndary data are facts and infromation about American society condition in nineteenth century gathered from journal article, books, and internet. By applying genetic structuralism theory, I analyze how gender equality was constructed in the novel through the Heroine of Herland. In consideration to find worldview, the analysis is continued to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s thought depicted in the novel and completed with thhe sociohistorical context about a condition of America in the nineteenth century. this research shows how advanced and well-being Herland is, a certain bias in seeing women as inferior is still exist in the story. The most sexist character inn the novel, Terry, represents patriarchal behavior in America in the mid-nineteenth century. Gilman delivers world view of her class about traditional role assigned to women. Through the novel’s first male character, Gilman encourages society to get used to see women as people, not only as females.