Azab dan Sengsara

Azab dan Sengsara was written by Merari Siregar to "show the traditions and habits which are less than desirable amongst [Batak] people, especially the men." The novel was based on the author's personal experiences, with modifications for clarity. It may have been written or edited to fit Balai Pustaka's editorial policies. ==Plot==

Amiruddin, the son of a village leader in Sipirok, falls in love with his cousin Mariamin, the daughter of a formerly-rich family. Having been friends since childhood, Amiruddin and Mariamin promise to get engaged once Amiruddin has a job. In order to find a job, Amiruddin goes to Medan; upon finding a job, he sends a letter to his parents, Mariamin, and Mariamin's parents declaring that he wishes to marry her. Although Mariamin is thrilled and both mothers agree, Amiruddin's father Baginda Diatas disagrees with the proposal; Baginda Diatas wishes for his son to marry a woman from an equally rich and respected family. After taking his wife to a dukun (who, as previously arranged, says that Amiruddin will be met with disaster if he marries Mariamin), Baginda Diatas convinces her that Amiruddin should not marry Mariamin. They instead choose another, wealthier, girl from the Siregar marga to be Amiruddin's wife. Baginda Diatas escorts her to Medan to marry Amiruddin, much to Amiruddin's disappointment. Pressured by adat, Amiruddin marries her and tells Mariamin that he cannot be with her; Mariamin is heartbroken. A year later, Mariamin is engaged to Kasibun, a divorcé from Medan. After being brought to Medan, Mariamin discovers that Kasibun has a sexually transmitted disease and attempts to avoid his advances; her attempts are met by torture at Kasibun's hands. The torture becomes worse after Amiruddin visits one day, causing Kasibun to become jealous. Taking advice from Amiruddin, Mariamin reports Kasibun to the police and receives permission to divorce him. Returning to Sipirok, Mariamin dies alone. ==Style==

During the course of the novel, statements are made directly to the reader, giving advice and indicating traditions considered undesirable. These inserts are generally unrelated to the plot. It also includes many examples of traditional poetry, using the forms pantun and syair. ==Themes==

Azab dan Sengsara discusses forced marriage and its relation to a family's public image. This was not a new theme for novels published in Indonesia; previously published novels in non-formal Malay and Sundanese had similar themes. Batak culture heavily influenced Azab dan Sengsara. The relationship between Amiruddin and his matrilineal cousin Mariamin is acceptable in Batak culture, as it does not violate the restriction on marrying people from the same marga. Baginda Diatas' reluctance to accept a lower-class wife for his son also reflected Batak tradition, as did Amiruddin's acceptance of his father's decision. Other cultural influences include martandang, belief in the powers of the dukun, and patrilineal inheritance. ==Reception==

Azab dan Sengsara has been widely described as the first modern Indonesian novel by Indonesian textbooks. It has been chosen over previously published novels due to its use of formal Indonesian. However, others, including Dutch critic A. Teeuw and writer A. H. Johns, consider Sitti Nurbaya to be the first true Indonesian novel. ==See also==