POSTCOLONIAL PERSPECTIVES ON INDONESIAN LITERARY WORKS UNDER DUTCH COLONIALISM

Abstract

This research explores the evolution of Indonesian literature under Dutch colonial rule, focusing on how colonial ideologies and power structures were represented and how Indonesian writers resisted these narratives. The study employs a qualitative approach, analyzing literary works from the Dutch colonial period to examine Western influence on Indonesian literary expressions. Key literary pieces, such as Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s Buru Quartet and Sanusi Pane’s poem ‘Candi’, are analyzed using postcolonial theory to uncover themes of indigenous identity, nationalism, freedom, and resistance. The research reveals that Indonesian literature shifted from tradition-centered themes to modernized Western genres, becoming a vehicle for critiquing social issues, challenging colonial structures, and fostering national identity. The findings highlight the significant role of literature in reflecting social realities, preserving historical events, and inspiring collective awareness and decolonization efforts in Indonesia.