THE SATIRE AND MOCKERY TOWARD TWENTIETH CENTURY BRITISH AS SEEN IN PLOT AND MAIN CHARACTERS' ACTION AND ATTITUDE IN EVELYN WAUGH'S DECLINE AND FALL

Literature is art that present imaginative world. Mario Klarer in his book entitledAn \nIntroduction to literary Studies states that “In most cases, literature is referred to as the \nentirety of written expression, with the restriction that not every written document can be \ncategorized as literature in the more exact sense of the word” (1). From the Klarer’s \nstatement, the writer thinks not all written works belong to literary works. There are some \ncharacteristics that should be acquired in order a work can be called a literary work. Then, \nCharles Bressler in his work entitled Defining Criticism, Theory, and Literature, said that ” \nimaginative and creative aspects of literature are essential components of the word Literature \nitself “(13). This statement supported the writer’s opinion that literature is art which is \ncharacterized by creativity and imagination of its author. Without those two elements, there is \nno works that can be called literary works. \nIn addition, Peter Barry in his book entitled Beginning Theory, emphasizes that the \n“literary text contains its own meaning within itself. It does not require any elaborate process \nof placing it within a context”(20). This statement is seeing a work in intrinsic way like \ncharacter, plot, and theme of a novel, drama, or poetry. Next, David Carter in his book \nentitled Literary Theory, said that “ Literature is what a given society at a given time \nconsiders it to be”(17). It means that music, drama, and art belong to literature in specific \nsociety at a specific time. The writer thinks Carter sees literary works from historical \nperspective. \nFrom several explanations above, the writer concludes thatliterary works from a society at \nspecific time contain meaning and we can analyze that meaning within the literary text. In \naddition, Boris Ford in his book entitled From Dryden to Jhonson, adds that “the quality of \ncivilization shows itself best in its arts”(420). This means literary works as part of arts are \nmirror of a civilization. \nThe writer chooses Decline and Fall as an object of analysis because this is the first \nand possibly the best work of Evelyn Waugh. Because this novel is his first work that gains \nhim famous in Britain in twentieth century. The novel is notable for its economy of time and \nspace because the action extends over one year. In that short time, the writer thinks Waugh \ncan make an interesting story from Paul’s experience since he drops out from Oxford until he \ncomes back to this university with new appendix and faked his identity. \nThen, there are too many characters in Decline and Fall and it is hard to understand \nthe characters. The characters are complex. As Jane Elizabeth Neff (1972) from Iowa State \nUniversity stated that Evelyn Waugh's Decline and Fall characters do not remain flat. A \nsingle character may perform the work of two or more separate characters functions. Decline \nand Fall tells about Paul Pennyfeather's experience since he drops out from his college, then \nseeking for work in Llanabba school, getting engage with student's mother, Margot, in jail, \nand ending in same place where the novel started, Paul's college. From Paul's movement from \none place and situation to another, he meets many people with complicated problems, mostly \nthey are high class people. Their names are Dr.Fagan, Philbrick, Captain Grimes, Margot, \nand many mores. \nAccording to Jane Elizabeth Neff in her thesis entitled Character development in the \nnovels of Evelyn Waugh, “The author Evelyn Waugh was born in Hampstead, England in \n1903. His works are mostly satiric in theme. He elegantly criticizes british society \nintwentieth century era or between the World War (first and second)”(3). The writer argues \nWaugh’s works mock the British society who praise material pursuit and class-oriented. \nThen, the writer also thinks that the problem that Waugh criticizing in the form of satire \ninDecline and Fallis still relevant today as Altshuler in his book entitled Prose as Experience points \nout: “the problem that our civilization faces today is its inability to focus on moral, social, and \nreligious truth”(284). This shows most of society in this century face similar problem as British \nsociety has. In addition, Evelyn Waugh is one of the giants of 20th-century English literature \nand one of the greatest English stylists of any age. According to Evelynwaughsociety.org: \n“Though his faith, politics and temperament remain out of step with the norms of \nliterary culture today as they were at the time of his death in 1966, he is perennially in \nprint and likely to survive as one of the giants of 20th-century English literature and \none of the greatest English stylists of any age”( Evelynwaughsociety.org). \nTherefore, Waugh is one of the important figures of novelist in twentieth century era. His \nworks stand as leading works in literary tradition . Afterward, this research is aimed at \nuncovering the satire and mockery of Evelyn Waugh in the Decline and Fall based on the \nanalysis of A.J. Greimas theory.