Social Discrimination in the Poetry “Der Schwarze In Der Zuckerplantage” by Matthias Claudius

Abstract

Discrimination is a symptom that is often found in human society everywhere. The causes of discrimination are motivated by socio-cultural and situational developments, as well as the human tendency to discriminate between one another. This study aims to 1) Describe the social aspects contained in the poem Der Schwarze In Der Zuckerplantage by Matthias Claudius which based on the perspective of (a) Literature as a mirror of the writer's social situation and (b) Literature as a manifestation of historical events and social conditions when the poem was created; 2) describes the forms of socially discriminatory behavior found in the poem. This research was conducted using a qualitative approach and produced descriptive data. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the forms of discrimination contained in the poem Der Schwarze In Der Zuckerplantage by Matthias Claudius are racial/ethnic discrimination and social status with direct discrimination actions or treatments. Based on the findings and results of the research, it is concluded that the poem Der Schwarze In Der Zuckerplantage is closely related to the background of Matthias Claudius as an author, in which this poem reflects the ideology of the author against slavery. This poem contains criticism of white people who consider themselves superior, smart and respectable too. Literary research is broad, not limited to poetry and the sociology of literature, It can also be in prose or other literary works. So for further research, it would be possible to expand the study.