POWER AND GENDER OPPRESSION IN LAUREN WEISBERGER’S THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA AND SETH GRAHAM SMITH’S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

POWER AND GENDER OPPRESSION IN LAUREN WEISBERGER’S THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA AND SETH GRAHAM SMITH’S PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

Erliska*, Fabiola D. Kurnia **, Ali Mustofa *** Graduate Program in Language and Arts of Universitas Negeri Surabaya erliskaerliska@mhs.unesa.ac.id

ABSTRACT

This study aims to analyze (1) what power is exercised in novel The Devil Wears Prada and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, (2) how gender oppression depicted in both of novels, and (3) how gender oppression lead to women liberation in both of novels. Marxist Feminism approach is used to analyze the data by applying Engel’s theory of power, young’s types of gender oppression and Marx, Engel, and Lenin’s theory of women liberation. The result found that all the indicators of the exercise of power by the ruling class reveal in both of novels. In relation to gender oppression, the main female character in The Devil Wears Prada gets exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness and cultural imperialism in the workplace. Meanwhile, some female characters in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies get the five faces of gender oppression as the impact of the exercise of power in their society. Moreover, the eight elements of women liberation mostly reveal in both of novels. Hopefully, this study would provide understanding in term of feminism, how the change of woman position into equal position and why those feminist fight for the equality. Moreover, it has limited value as means to understand the social position of women in capitalist society.

Keywords: Power Gender Oppression Women Liberation

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