Binary Opposition of Calon Arang And Empu Baradah in Pramoedya Ananta Toer's The King, The

18 Pages·2015·0.55 MB·English

CHAPTER III
FINDING AND ANALYSIS

The analysis is based on structuralism and character theory as presented in
previous chapter. It focuses in opposition of Calon Arang and Empu Baradah
character. The purpose of the analysis is to find the binary opposition of Calon Arang
and Empu Baradah. Below are the analyses:
A. Character (s), Characteristic (s), and Characterization
As presented in previous chapter that character is a person who described by
author in narrative story of fiction or novel through their action, reactions, expression,
gesture, and even though their name. The characteristics both of the character can be
recognize by pay attention from description of both of the characters in the story.
They described in the story as a parent so we can organize the characteristics both of
the character through “from the rule as a parent”. Then, in the story both of the
characters given name by the author in difference, base on the dominant trait of the
character in the story, so we can analyze characteristics both of the characters through
“title or naming”. In the story also described both of the characters life in social
community, so characteristics both of the characters can be analyze through “in social
relationship”. Orderly, the purpose of the analysis is to find the binary opposition of
Calon Arang and Empu Baradah. To analyze their characteristics the writer would
like to apply characterization method as mentioned earlier in previous chapter.
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1. Characteristics through Rule as a Parent
Calon Arang and Empu Baradah presented as a parent in the novel who have
a daughter. The author described Calon Arang as a witch and Empu Baradah as a
priest. Their appearances presented by the author differently from that will be
exercise using “characterization through appearance” and “characterization by
the author”.
a. Characterization through Appearance
Commonly, the author will describe the appearance of character to
give information to the reader about characteristics of the character. Through
appearance description such as; their clotting style, their conversation
manner, and their gesture, the reader will understand characteristics of the
character. The author described Calon Arang characteristics by showing her
traits to the reader that presented by her appearance such as: she has bulling
and red eyes, she has fangs in her mouth, and she has ability to gush fire
from her mouth as if she is a bad mother. The traits of Calon Arang can be
exercise from excerpt below.
Calon Arang began to grow angry. Her eyes opened wide, her body began to tremble,
her lips grew pale in color as anger drained the blood from them. Her eyes grew red,
her brow became so creased her right eyebrow merged with her left, and her anger
made it difficult for her to breathe. Her chest rose and fell like a billows and, finally,
when her anger had reached its peak, flames burst from her mouth, ears and eyes (p:
112).
From the above paragraph, Calon Arang’s appearance and trait suggested
that she is a bad mother. It also indicates that Calon Arang is a temperament
person.
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Empu Baradah presented in the novel by showing his appearance to
the reader such as: he is a modest and astute man. Hence, the traits of Empu
Baradah suggest if he is as a good parent, as quoted in the story.
Perhaps because her father, Empu Baradah, was such a wise and intelligent man,
Wedawati was clever too. At night her father gave her lessons in all kinds of
subjects – geography, botany, religion, ethics, and even philosophy. He wanted his
daughter….’ peaceful of heart (p. 24-25).

The appearance of Empu Baradah as shown from the description above
suggests that he is a good parent. He cares about his daughter by giving her
lessons about much knowledge’s. It can be said that he is a good father and
wise person.
Calon Arang is described as temperament person but yet she is a
loving mother who does anything. It takes including staking her own life so
as to make her daughter happy. This characteristic can be found from the
following paragraph:
Yes, Inded, Calon Arang was an evil woman but she was a mother too, and as
Ratna Manggali was her only child she loved her daughter dearly and wanted
nothing but happiness for her….’ (p. 15).

The above paragraph shows us although Calon Arang is evil woman; she is a
loving mother who wants nothing but only her daughter happiness. In the
story, no man wanted to marry Calon Arang's daughter. This fact had raised
her anger and fueled her to take revenge against people around her. Until
someday, a man came to propose to her daughter even this was done only as
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a ploy to defeat her. She feels happy although in the end of the story she
must die in combat against Empu Baradah.
Contras to Calon Arang Empu Baradah described in the story of the
novel suggest he is a less loving father because he makes decision without
asks permission to her daughter when he get married to other women yet.
His married causes his daughter leave the house. It shows in except below.
Empu Baradah remarried and his new wife bore him son, a half – brother for
Wedawati….’someone with whom she could play and talk to at home or in the
garden, and a reason not to dwell on the thought of her dearly – beloved mother ( p:
63).
…’Empu Baradah’s second wife, loved her son and showed great affection for both
him and her husband. Alas, she did not show the same concern for her step –
daughter. Even since she married Empu Baradah, but specially after the birth of
their son, she silently wished for Wedawati to leave and find own way in the world
(p: 63).

We can portray characteristic of Empu Baradah from the above paragraph.
He gets married with other woman without asking consideration from his
daughter. It is contras to the characteristic of Empu Baradah, as a man that
masters much knowledge’s. It is also described in the story that he is a wise
man, in contrary to this good trait is his decision to remarry without seeking
for his daughter's opinion beforehand and later this marriage impacts her and
caused her departure. It shows the readers that Empu Baradah is a less loving
father or can say he is an unconcerned father.
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b. Characterization by the Author
This method gives opportunities to make direct comment about
characters in fiction and then later portray the character in story. Moreover,
the author will make comment about personality or characteristic of
character, which helps in forming opinion or imagination in the reader mind.
The author portray about personality of Calon Arang that she is a witch
with evil nature indeed in her personality. She is a woman that master in
black magic and will use it to kill anyone else if they make mistake to her;
the paragraph below is the trait of Calon Arang.
‘Calon Arang did foster a foul temperament and took great pleasure in the misfortune
of others. She was a witch who possessed a mastery of evil mysteries and hence a
very powerful force to be reckoned with. As a priestess she bowed to Durga, the
goddess of destruction… ‘As a sham, she knew a great number of powerful mantras.
Woe be to the person who defied her – and few had the courage to even try – for her
spells were most efficacious (p. 15)

The paragraph above tells the reader that Calon Arang knows various
mantras and she would enigmatically attack those who defy her, so it can be
inferred that Calon Arang is a temperament person. Even though Calon
Arang is a witch and will make any other in suffering but she is a mother
who wants her daughter in happy. We can learn from except below.
… ‘Ratna Manggali was her only child and she loved her dearly. Furthermore, the
widow had great many possessions and a great deal of wealth, almost an
overabundance in fact, and would have willingly surrendered the all just to ensure
her daughter’s happiness (The King, The Witch, and The priest p. 96).

The above paragraph tells to us although Calon Arang is a witch that often
makes any other in trouble yet, she is a responsible parent who will do
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anything to make her daughter in happy. It inferred that Calon Arang is a
loving mother.
Difference to Calon Arang, the trait of Empu Bardah he is a man that
master in much knowledge’s both religion and science. He gives lessons and
consults not only to his daughter but to the other too.
After finishing the obligatory rituals, Empu Baradah turned around to face his
students. Sitting cross – legged on the floor of the retreat, he spent the next several
hours delivering to them various kinds of advice (p. 65).
Empu Baradah prays to his god before him starting his activity. In a
retreat he offers many counsels to his student; because retreat is a religion
activity wherein during so may he give counsel disciples about religion that
related with a human life in this world. Thus, we can conclude beside Empu
Baradah is a good father he is a wise man.
Opposite to the characteristic as a wise man Empu Baradah trait as if
he is a less loving father because his remarried with other woman gives bad
impact to his daughter. His second wife do not loves his daughter and makes
his daughter in sadness; it causes her lives the house. It can be draws from
the following paragraph.
… ‘her stepmother stopped her from entering the house and began to berate her.
Not having any idea what matter was, she asked her plainly, “what have I done
wrong?” but her stepmother ignored the question and to berate her until, finally,
unable to take this treatment any longer, Wedawati fled from the house ( p. 66).
The above paragraph shows the second wife of Empu Baradah gives bad
treatment to his daughter, by her spite words she scolds her stepdaughter
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although she does not do anything wrong to her. From the description we
can conclude that Empu Baradah is a less loving father or can say he is
unconcerned father.

2. Characteristic through title or naming
Name is often used in fiction to give idea and to clarify the characteristic of
characters. Hence, character’s name will distinguish between each character in
the fiction. In real life every person has a name as their identity. This also
happens in fiction or novel. Therefore, name will assert the dominant
characteristic of character. Dominant characteristic determines if the character’s
is bad or good in the story, for example the character given name is stone; the
characteristic may refers to temperamental or emotional person. Name can be
analyze by uses “characterization through used the name” and “characterization
by the author” to find the characteristic of the character.
a. Characterization through used the Name
This section will discuss about two main characters in novel The king,
The With And The Priest “Calon Arang” and “Empu Baradah”. Both names
are originated from Indonesia language; Kamus Besar Indonesia (KBI)
explains the meaning of “Arang” and “Empu” as follow.
Arang: Barang yang hitam warnanya di buat atau dari kayu yang terbakar lalu di
pengap (untuk bahan bakar), atau serbuk kayu hitam bekas terbakar ( Kamus Besar
Bahasa Indonesia, p: 87).
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Arang: goods with black color that made or happened from burned woods, and then
used as fuels, or black powder trace of burned woods.

The definition cites to us that arang is a trace of burned wood with black
color; the characteristic of Calon Arang may refer to darkness or something
wicked. Below is the discussion.
The goddess the spoke soothingly, “Be still your worried heart my child. I hereby
grant you permission to send forth a plague to attack your enemies (The King, The
Witch and The Priest p. 19).
.... ‘Her eyes turned red and glowed so bright that hot rays of light shot from them.
And then from her mouth and wars and nose there jumped tongues of flame so hot
they instantly turned the three soldiers into charred mounds of flesh (The King, The
Witch and The Priest p. 46).
The excepts above shows that Calon Arang is master in black magic and
bows to mother of goddess and separated illness to her enemies. Her enemies
is the people of Daha Kingdome especially people of Girah village because
no one man want get married with her only daughter. The paragraph above
also tells to us that Calon Arang getting angry easily when any other disturbs
her. By all means, can say the meaning of Calon Arang is a witch with
temperament indeed in her personality.
The other reason of character being given name Calon Arang may
because she is a witch who deals with darkness, Calon Arang can also refer
to a woman that set free from her sin and burn by holy man. We can find the
meaning of Calon Arang in the story. Below is the meaning of Calon Arang
that described in the novel.
The woman was astounded: “what are you doing” she screamed at the priest. “Why
did you bring me back to life?”
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“Dying is easy”, Empu Baradah said to her, “but there’s no use in dying if the soul
is not first purified. I will purify your soul”.
Calon Arang’s heart leapt with joy. Her sins were so great but even she could find
forgiveness. She realized that only the holiest of people could ever erase the
scourge from her soul (p. 115 – 116).

In the story, Calon Arang died after fought Empu Baradah, but Empu
Baradah knew if Calon Arang was a woman full of sins, then he brought
back Calon Arang into life. He believes that the important thing when
anyone dead in his or her soul should be cleansed beforehand. It happened to
Calon Arang, so she was really joyful when Empu Baradah purified her soul
with his spiritual ability. This clarifies the meaning of Calon Arang is a
woman set free from her sin and burn by holiest man as mentioned earlier.
The meaning of arang perhaps only metaphor when Empu Baradah purified
Calon Arang soul from her sins through his spiritual ability. Next paragraph:
Empu: Gelar kehormatan yang berarti “Tuan”, atau orang yang ahli (Kamus Besar
Bahas Indonesia, p: 389).
Empu: An honorary title means “master”, the other definition is persons who expert
in their field.

Baradah is the good character in the novel like definition above. Empu
is an honorary title to people that expert in their field. Empu Baradah expert
in his filed because he is master in religion. The excerpt below clarifies the
meaning of Empu.
“Not only a care – giver who demonstrated great concern for his fellow man, the
Priest was very well read and highly knowledgeable as well. He had studied the
many hymns, prayers, and liturgical formulae of the sacred Veda – the holy book
for those of Hindu faith (p: 23).
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From the descriptions that found in the novel, Empu Baradah is a man who
master in religion. Subsequently, we can conclude that Empu Baradah is a
man that expert in his field. After knowing the meaning of both the
characters, in the next section we will be learning them more as follows.
b. Characterization by the Author
As mentioned earlier in this analysis, the author will comment on the
personality of the character which forming the idea of character in the
readers’ mind
Likewise, in novel The King, The Witch, And The Priest the author
carries the readers into the story and tries to form every character into the
readers mind. The purpose is to influence the readers as well emotionally
engage them with every characteristics of character in the story. Now we
will study about two characters in the novel Calon Arang and Empu Baradah
through characterization by the author.
As this story goes, there was a village by the name of Girah in the Kingdom of
Daha. Throughout the Kingdome this village had a much – feared reputation because
it lived a witch by the name of Calon Arang ( p. 15).
From the little children to wizened grandparents, everyone knew of Calon Arang’s
evil nature. No other witch had ever had such a bad name for her power to cause
misfortune for her fellow man (p. 16).

Author’s method in portraying Calon Arang’s character is quiet
comprehensible. In the narrative, author tries to emotionally involve reader,
in expectancy that Calon Arang character as if in real life. This suggests that
the author wants to carry the reader under unconsciousness and immerse