The Representation of Social Inequality in The Victorian Era in Judith McNaught's Almost Heaven

Abstract

The conflict of social inequality in Almost Heaven states that two people love each other from different social classes and statuses. Elizabeth Cameron is a Countess of Havenhurst, where Havenhurst is inherited from her parents who are among the nobility. Meanwhile, Ian Thornton is a person from a marginalized circle who is considered to have an unclear family tree by society. The social inequality that occurs in Almost Heaven is so obvious. When these two people fell in love, this was opposed by Elizabeth's family. Because marriage in the Victorian era was carried out to raise social status and class, so if Elizabeth married someone whose class was below her, this was against the rules of the bourgeoisie. To analyze the conflict of social inequality as the subject of this novel, this study uses the theory of representation written by Stuart Hall and related to Foucault's discourse. Furthermore, this research is categorized as qualitative research. There are two kinds of data in this research. First, primary data is taken from narratives and dialogues related to the topic of social inequality in Almost Heaven. Secondary data was obtained from several books, journals, and articles to support primary sources. From the results of the discussion, this study concludes that the inequality conflicts presented in Almost Heaven are caused by different class conditions. Apart from that, the different class conditions that appear in the novel are also caused by issues of income, occupational prestige, and education level. In this case, the social inequality that occurs in the novel causes people who are considered from the lower class to be considered inappropriate for respect. Finally, the writer wants to criticize that the upper class in the Victorian era showed an unfair attitude in treating the lower class.