Representation of Women’s Roles in the Novel Perempuan yang Menangis kepada Bulan Hitam: An Interdisciplinary Comparative Literature Study

Abstract

The practice of kawin tangkap (forced abduction marriage) among the Sumbanese people, as portrayed in Dian Purnomo's novel Perempuan yang Menangis kepada Bulan Hitam, represents the struggles of women under patriarchal culture that warrant serious academic inquiry. This study aims to describe the representation of women's roles in the novel, identify its similarities with the concept of women as formulated by Pudjiwati Sajogyo and Gayle Rubin, and explain the differences between them. The method employed is descriptive qualitative with an American school interdisciplinary comparative literature approach through library research. The data source is the novel Perempuan yang Menangis kepada Bulan Hitam (Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 2020), while the concepts of women according to Sajogyo (1983) and Rubin (1975) serve as the comparative framework. Data were collected through close reading and note-taking, then analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana with theoretical triangulation as the validity check. The findings reveal that the novel represents women's roles across five dimensions: as family members, as part of broader society, within customary frameworks, as individuals, and as agents in the struggle against injustice. The narrative affirms the patriarchal framework proposed by Sajogyo and Rubin—such as the practice of women's exchange through marriage that reinforces male dominance—while also introducing new dimensions. The novel portrays women who actively resist subordination, build solidarity among themselves, and challenge oppression through physical expression, written work, and formal legal channels. Thus, Perempuan yang Menangis kepada Bulan Hitam not only reflects patriarchal theory but also enriches the understanding of gender resistance beyond its traditional boundaries.