Wayang as a hypogram in the poetry of Suminto A. Sayuti: A comparative literary study of gender relations and the construction of femininity and masculinity

This study aims to trace and understand the constructions of femininity and masculinity in wayang characters in the poems of Suminto A. Sayuti from a comparative literature perspective. The background of this study is the discovery of wayang stories and characters in a number of poems by Suminto A. Sayuti, which are collected in, among others, Malam Tamansari (2022), Persinggahan Akhir Tahun (2015), and Di Bawah Blencong, Sebelum dan Setelah Pergelaran (2025). Through a comparative literary analysis grounded in feminist literary criticism, this study aims to identify the constructions of femininity and masculinity in the wayang characters within Suminto A. Sayuti’s poems. It is hoped that this comparative literary interpretation will yield new reinterpretations of the wayang characters, with a focus on femininity and masculinity, in the analyzed poems. The research findings indicate that the wayang characters Sembadra, Utari, and Surtikanti represent female characters, while Arjuna, Abimanyu, and Karna represent male characters. Essentially, there are no fundamental changes in the characteristics of femininity and masculinity from the wayang characters to the poems under study. The results of the study indicate that the poet has used wayang characters and plays as hypograms and as a source of inspiration and a medium for the poet’s creative process.