Loyalty and Javanese Women in Indonesian Folktales for Children

This study analyses the representation of the loyalty of Javanese women in Indonesian folktales for children. We apply a textual analysis from the perspective of feminism and some elements of the literary sociology approach to the analysis of four Indonesian folktales. We conclude that in Indonesian folktales Javanese women are obliged to be loyal to rulers and institutions – which are functionally one and the same. Javanese women who display loyalty often earn symbolic and other benefits, while those who are disloyal or defiant meet a tragic end. The voices of women are not conveyed by the authors of the analysed texts. Therefore, Indonesian folktales impress upon young readers, particularly children, the notion that loyalty to the state and authorities is of paramount importance.