Kartini then wrote articles and letters to De Hollandsche Lelie, which duly published them. From her letters to the magazine and her friends, we know that she read everything carefully and made notes. She also mentioned titles of the works she read and quoted parts of them. The scope of her interest includes not just emancipation of women, but also social issues in general. She saw women’s struggle to obtain educational, legal and financial autonomy as part of a greater movement.
Among the serious books she read before she turned 20 were Multatuli’s Max Havelaar and Surat-Surat Cinta (“Love Letters”). She had read them twice by November 1901. She also read Louis Couperus’ De Stille Kracht (“The Silent Force”), Van Eeden’s high literary works, Augusta de Witt’s common writings, Mrs. Goekoop de-Jong Van Beek’s feminist romances, and Berta Von Suttner’s anti-war romance, Die Waffen Nieder (“Lay Down Your Arms”) – all in the Dutch language.
Like so many daughters of royalty and nobility, Kartini’s marriage was arranged without her having any say in it. Her parents arranged for her to marry Adipati of Rembang, K.R.M. Adipati Ario Singgih Djojo Adhiningrat, who already had three wives at the time. She became his fourth wife on November 12, 1903. However, her husband did not oppress her: he gave her the support and freedom to set up a girls’ school at the eastern gate of the Regency of Rembang Office Compound (now the Scouts’ Building). She ran her school during her newlywed and pregnancy period, before giving birth to her only son, Soesalit Djojoadhiningrat, on September 13, 1904. Unfortunately, she died at the tender age of 25 due to complications on September 17, 1904, a mere four days later.
Even though she did not do as much as she could have wished for the progress of the women in her homeland, Kartini expressed ideas for social transformation beyond her age through her historic letters. She expressed these lofty aspirations to her friends in the Netherlands – Mr. E.C. and Mrs. Rosa Abendanon, Mrs. M.C.E. Ovink-Soer, Zeehandelaar, Prof. Dr. G.K. Anton, Mr. and Mrs. H.H. von Kol, and Mrs. H.G. de Booij-Boissevain.
Mr. J.H. Abendanon published the compilation of Kartini’s letters in the Netherlands under the title Door Duisternis tot Licht in 1911, translated by Pujangga Baru author Armijn Pane into Indonesian as Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang in 1922. The publication of the letters written by Kartini, a noble native Indonesian woman, captured the interest of the Dutch. Her ideas changed their perception of native Indonesian women, especially Javanese women. They also inspire Indonesia’s National Awakening heroes, including composer W.R. Soepratman who penned the legendary song “Ibu Kita Kartini” (“Our Mother, Kartini”). This song subtly describes the struggle of Indonesian women to be acknowledged as human being in their own right, not just an extension of the men in their lives.