Comparative Representation of Gender Relations in Novel Perempuan di Titik Nol by Nawal El-Saadawi and Novel Larung by Ayu Utami

Abstract

Literary representations of gender relations vary depending on the socio-cultural context in which the work is born, so cross-cultural comparative studies are important for understanding the diversity of gender relations patterns in different societies. This study aims to describe and compare the representation of gender relations in the novel Perempuan di Titik Nol by Nawal El-Saadawi and the novel Larung by Ayu Utami. This study uses a descriptive qualitative design with a comparative textual analysis approach. The primary data source is the text of both novels, with the units of analysis being phrases, sentences, and dialogues that represent gender relations. Data were collected through close reading and documentation techniques, then analyzed using a feminist literary criticism framework through the stages of data reduction, categorization based on the form and domain of gender relations, and comparative textual interpretation. The results show that gender relations in the novel Perempuan di Titik Nol are dominated by unequal relations supported by patriarchal family authority, domestic violence, and restrictions on access to education, whereas in the novel Larung gender relations tend towards an equal pattern characterized by critical awareness, bodily autonomy, and social independence. economics of female characters. This comparison shows that the representation of gender relations in literature is strongly influenced by the social, cultural, and ideological contexts of each society. This research contributes to feminist literary criticism and cross-cultural gender studies by offering a systematic comparative model of the representation of inequality, patriarchal legitimacy, and female resistance in two different literary and cultural traditions.