Social stratification of Hindustan society in John Shors’ Beneath a Marble Sky

ABSTRACT

Literature is particularly defined as the writings or rks or books valued as works of arts which can be the result of human’s experience about the world, such as the phenomena of humanity. Several social phenomena and problems, social stratification is common issue discussed by sociologists, anthropologists and even artists. Throughout history and in all societies, social stratification is social problem which causes an endless conflict between the dominant oup and the minority of community. Discussions concerning social stratification are widely elaborated in many scientific books, references, and literary works. One of the literary works which exposes such phenomenon is John Shors’ . It tells about social stratification among upper, middle and lower classes. Upper class (aristocrats) as the superior group, others as the inferior group, and aristocrats, as the dominant and powerful group. The relation between both classes uns unequally in which the lower class (proletariats) are placed in an inferior position. The proletariats always become the victims of the aristocrats’ exploitation, inequality and discrimination.

This study is aimed at finding the social stratification that done by the powerful groups and doing comparison between the phenomena of social stratification found in the novel and the real life of Hindustan society during the Mughal era (1526-1757) in seventeen century.

To achieve the above objectives of the study, the rese her applies a sociological approach with Marxist criticism which insists on linking the novel with the social context of the Hindustan society during the Mughal era. Since this study is emphasized on the analysis of a literary work, it is, n, classified as literary criticism. The primary data of this study are collected from John Shors’, and the secondary data are gathered from websites, articles and encyclopedias about the social stratification of Hindustan society during the Mughal Empire (1526-1757) in seventeen century. The researcher herself becomes the research instrument in the process of data collection and data analysis.

Finally, comparing and contrasting the phenomenon of social stratification as portrayed in the novel and that as reflected in the re life of Hindustan society during the Mughal era, the researcher, then, concludes that the novel truly reflects the phenomenon of social stratification that occurs in Hindustan society during the Mughal Empire.