KARTINI

Raden Ajeng Kartini was born in Mayong, Central Java on April 21, 1879 from a noble family. Her father was the regent of Jepara whose name was Raden Mas Adipati Ario Samingun Sosroningrat. He was an educated man and sent all his sons and daughter to a Dutch elementary School (Europeesche Lagere School) in Jepara. In this town she had a lot of friends, Indonesia and Dutch girls. She was also beginning to know and understand western culture.

At school Kartini began to think of what many girl of her age missed.They could not go to school, and had to stay at home until they married. Kartini realized that women in indonesia were not free, and she wanted to improve this situasion.

Kartini symbolizes the advance of women in Indonesia. According to her opinion education would add women's dignity. She tried hard to get liberty from the ancient custom. When she was still a girl, not many girls went to school. The schoolgirls were limited to elementary school.

Going to a higher school contradicted the tradition. The heroine was longing for stopping the humiliated custom. She wished to continue her study after she finished the elementary school. She persuaded her father who was a nobleman. She told him openly about her race. Men had ruled women for centuries. Women had to obey what men said. Sometimes they had to do what they really didn't want to do. Women never had any important right. They only had to bear babies, nothing else. On the contrary man laid on his desire even it hurt woman's heart. It was a pity, woman was not brave enough to refuse.

Why could it happen? Because her race wasn't clever. They never had any education. It was her idea to give knowledge and skill to women. She proposed what was in her mind to her father. Her father denied what she wanted. It was a contradiction with the habit.

He asked her daughter not to leave home until someone asked her to be his wife. As an obedient girl, she accepted the decision. She had to do what her father wanted. She becane Adipati Joyodiningrat's wife and moved to Rembang following her husband.