Marah Roesli
Encyclopedia
Marah Roesli (ˈmarah ˈrusli; full name: Marah Rusli bin Abu Bakar)was an Indonesian writer.
, West Sumatra
on August 7, 1889, and died in Bandung
, West Java
on January 17, 1968) is an Indonesian author of the Balai Pustaka
generation. He is famous for his novel, Sitti Nurbaya
, which is about Sitti Nurbaya, a woman who is forced by her parents to marry a boy she has not chosen. Like other Minangkabau authors, such as Hamka
, Ali Akbar Navis
, and Abdul Muis
, his novels are stories about cultural bankruptcy in Minangkabau.
Marah Roesli's father, Sultan Abu Bakar, was a nobleman with the rank Sultan Pangeran. Marah Roesli married a Sundanese
girl born in Bogor
in 1911, and they had three children, two boys and one girl. This marriage was not desired by his parents, but he kept strong and went through with it.
Although he is known as a famous novelist, he was a veterinarian
by profession. Unlike Taufik Ismail
and Asrul Sani
, who both completely left their practices as veterinarians to become authors, Marah Roesli kept working in this profession until he retired in 1952 with the title of Head Veterinary. He loved literature from a young age, and always loved listening to stories from the itinerant story tellers in Western Sumatra, and reading literature.
, Marah Roesli is noted as the first author of a novel, and was designated by Jassin as the "Father of the Modern Indonesian Novel". Before the first novels were written in Indonesia, the literature was more similar to folk stories.
Marah Roesli had higher education, and many of the books he read came from the West and discussed modernization. He then saw the traditions that were holding people back and were not in line with the development of the period, and in Sitti Nurbaya he wanted to free the people from the traditions that held them back and stopped young people from following their dreams.
In Sitti Nurbaya, there is already the basis for a theory of female emancipation. In the story, the woman begins to think about her rights, and whether she should just follow tradition (and listen to her parents) or stand for what she believes in. The story creates a strong impression on the reader, which is true to this day. After more than 80 years, this book is still being discussed and read.
In addition to Sitti Nurbaya, Marah Roesli also wrote several other novels. However, Sitti Nurbaya is the best one. The novel got the annual price in literature from the Government of Indonesia in 1969, and has been translated to Russian
.
Biography
Marah Roesli was (born in PadangPadang, Indonesia
Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of and a population of over 833,000 people at the 2010 Census.-History:...
, West Sumatra
West Sumatra
West Sumatra is a province of Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island Sumatra. It borders the provinces of North Sumatra to the north, Riau and Jambi to the east, and Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the Mentawai Islands off the coast...
on August 7, 1889, and died in Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
on January 17, 1968) is an Indonesian author of the Balai Pustaka
Balai Pustaka
Balai Pustaka is the state-owned publisher of Indonesia and publisher of major pieces of Indonesian literature such as Salah Asuhan, Sitti Nurbaya and Layar Terkembang. Its head office is in Jakarta....
generation. He is famous for his novel, Sitti Nurbaya
Sitti Nurbaya
Sitti Nurbaya: Kasih Tak Sampai is an Indonesian novel by Marah Rusli. It was published by Balai Pustaka, the state-owned publisher and literary bureau of the Dutch East Indies, in 1922...
, which is about Sitti Nurbaya, a woman who is forced by her parents to marry a boy she has not chosen. Like other Minangkabau authors, such as Hamka
Hamka
Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah, known as Hamka was a prominent Indonesian author, ulema and politician. His father, syekh Abdul Karim Amrullah, known as Haji Rasul, led and inspired the reform movement in Sumatra upon his arrival from the holy land Mecca in 1906...
, Ali Akbar Navis
Ali Akbar Navis
Ali Akbar Navis was a prominent Indonesian author. One of his excellent short novels is "Robohnya Surau Kami" stories about culture bankruptcy in Minangkabau....
, and Abdul Muis
Abdul Muis
Abdul Muis , was an Indonesian writer, journalist and nationalist. He argued tirelessly for Indonesia's independence from the Netherlands....
, his novels are stories about cultural bankruptcy in Minangkabau.
Marah Roesli's father, Sultan Abu Bakar, was a nobleman with the rank Sultan Pangeran. Marah Roesli married a Sundanese
Sundanese people
The Sundanese are an ethnic group native to the western part of the Indonesian island of Java. They number approximately 31 million, and are the second most populous of all the nation's ethncities. The Sundanese are predominantly Muslim...
girl born in Bogor
Bogor
Bogor is a city on the island of Java in the West Java province of Indonesia. The city is located in the center of the Bogor Regency , 60 kilometers south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta...
in 1911, and they had three children, two boys and one girl. This marriage was not desired by his parents, but he kept strong and went through with it.
Although he is known as a famous novelist, he was a veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
by profession. Unlike Taufik Ismail
Taufik Ismail
Taufiq Ismail is an Indonesian poet and author, devout Muslim, and a committed activist. Ismail figured prominently in Indonesian literature of the post-Sukarno period and is considered one of the pioneers of the "Generation of '66". He completed his education at the University of Indonesia. Before...
and Asrul Sani
Asrul Sani
Asrul Sani was born in Rao, Pasaman, West Sumatra on June 10th, 1926 and died on January 11 2004. He was a prominent Indonesian film producer and reporter. In 1946, along with Chairil Anwar and Rivai Apin, he founded "gelanggang seniman". He was editor of magazines such as Pujangga Baru, Gema,...
, who both completely left their practices as veterinarians to become authors, Marah Roesli kept working in this profession until he retired in 1952 with the title of Head Veterinary. He loved literature from a young age, and always loved listening to stories from the itinerant story tellers in Western Sumatra, and reading literature.
Recognition
In the history of Indonesian literatureIndonesian literature
Indonesian literature, is a term grouping various genres of South-East Asian literature.Indonesian Literature can refer to literature produced in the Indonesian archipelago. It is also used to refer more broadly to literature produced in areas with common language roots based on the Malay language...
, Marah Roesli is noted as the first author of a novel, and was designated by Jassin as the "Father of the Modern Indonesian Novel". Before the first novels were written in Indonesia, the literature was more similar to folk stories.
Marah Roesli had higher education, and many of the books he read came from the West and discussed modernization. He then saw the traditions that were holding people back and were not in line with the development of the period, and in Sitti Nurbaya he wanted to free the people from the traditions that held them back and stopped young people from following their dreams.
In Sitti Nurbaya, there is already the basis for a theory of female emancipation. In the story, the woman begins to think about her rights, and whether she should just follow tradition (and listen to her parents) or stand for what she believes in. The story creates a strong impression on the reader, which is true to this day. After more than 80 years, this book is still being discussed and read.
In addition to Sitti Nurbaya, Marah Roesli also wrote several other novels. However, Sitti Nurbaya is the best one. The novel got the annual price in literature from the Government of Indonesia in 1969, and has been translated to Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.
External Links
- http://http://pusatbahasa.depdiknas.go.id/"Pusat Bahasa"
- http://http://yadi82.blogspot.com/2011/11/profil-marah-rusli-penulis-roman-sitti.html"Profile of Angry Rush"