FRAGILITY IN HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY:A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HIKAYAT RAJA DAMSYIK ANDWAWACAN AHMAD MUHAMMAD

Abstract

This study is motivated by the importance of examining the narrative of the prince's adventures in ancient manuscripts not only as a representation of heroism, but also as a reflection of hegemonic and complex gender structures. The purpose of this study is to compare the construction and fragility of hegemonic masculinity in Hikayat Raja Damsyik (Malay) and Wawacan Ahmad Muhammad (Sundanese). The method used is qualitative with comparative study. Data in the form of edited philological text narratives of both works were collected through literature study with a hermeneutic approach, then analyzed using R.W. Connell's theory of masculinity and Susan Bassnett's comparative literature. The results show that in HRD, hegemonic masculinity is constructed through the symbolic legitimization of aristocratic status and spiritual relations, while in WAM it is formed through economic negotiation, emotional performance, and symbolic influence. The findings reveal the fragility of hegemonic masculinity, which is continuously negotiated through female resistance and the internal weaknesses of male characters. The theoretical implications of this research enrich the understanding of gender complexity in Nusantara literature, while the practical implications open up space for further study of gender ideology from a cultural and historical perspective.

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