Armijn Pane

Armijn Pane (18 August 1908 – 16 February 1970), also known as Adinata, A. Soul, Empe, A. Mada, A. Banner, and Kartono, was an Indonesian author.

Life Armijn Pane was born in Moeara Sipongi, Tapanuli, Sumatra, the third of eight children. After graduating from ELS, he moved to Java where he began. Still, he didn't finish, medical training at the School tot voor Indische Opleiding Artsen (STOVIA) in Jakarta and at the Nederlandsch-Indische Artsen School (NIAS) in Surabaya. He then transferred his efforts to writing and literature at the Algemene Middelbare School (AMS) in Surakarta, before graduating in 1931 with a degree in Western Classical Literature. He began his working life as a journalist in Jakarta and Surabaya, and also taught language and history at the national school in Kediri and Jakarta. The novel met with mixed reviews after its publication in Poedjangga Baroe, and was widely criticised on two grounds: that the storyline was highly improbable since the characters acted differently from normal people; and that the story was immoral.

His early short stories had a similar focus. Barang Tidak Berharga (A Worthless Thing), published in 1935, was similar in subject matter and tone, while Tudjuan Hidup (Life's Purpose), also written in 1935, is about a young woman's search for the courage to face a lonely future.

His later works, written after 1942, are considered by some to be quite different. A. Teeuw notes that many of the plays written during this period differ from Pane's earlier works in their idealism and the lack of confusion and inner problems demonstrated by the characters. He also wrote several plays and was one of the main authors who continued to do so during the Japanese occupation.

He has been credited with helping to lay the groundwork for the so-called "Generation of '45", but he was not part of that generation and in the post-revolutionary period made important contributions to Indonesian literature in other ways. During the 1950s he helped establish several cultural institutions and organisations, and also published a history of the Chinese since the nineteenth century, and a book on the development of the Indonesian language.

Selected list of works

Plays Lukisan Masa, Jakarta: Poedjangga Baroe, 1937 Setahun di Bedahulu, Jakarta, 1938 Nyai Lenggang Kencana, Jakarta: Poedjangga Baroe, 1939 Kami, Perempuan, Jakarta, 1943 Antara Bumi dan Langit, Jakarta, 1944 Di Tepi Pancuran, Jakarta 1944 Melihat Bapak Mataku Buta, Jajarta 1944 Jembatan Garuda, Jakarta 1944 Kisah Antara Manusia, Jakarta: Balai Pustaka, 1953 Jinak-Jinak Merpati, Jakarta: Balai Pustaka, 1953

Novels Belenggu (Shackles), Jakarta: Dian Rakyat, 1940

Poetry Jiwa Berjiwa, Jakarta: Poedjangga Baroe, 1939 Gamelan Jiwa, Jakarta: Balai Pustaka, 1960

Anthologies Kort overzich van de moderne Indonesische Literatuur, Balai Pustaka, 1949 Sanjak Muda Mr Muhammad Yamin, Jakarta: Firma Rada, 1953