Identity Change for Married Women: The Case of Balinese Women in Rusmini’s Earth Dance
I Gusti Ayu Gde Sosiowati, Nissa Puspitaning Adni

Abstract
“Earth Dance” is a-2011’s novel by a Balinese woman, Rukmini. It tells a story about the discrimination against women caused by the Balinese caste system. This article aims to show how Balinese women can lead herself into miserable life once they get married to someone from different caste, either higher or lower. The Balinese caste system has the rule that when a sudra (the lowest caste) woman marries a brahmana (the highest caste), she will be given a new name indicating that she is no longer a commoner. When a brahmana woman marries a commoner, she will be a commoner and has no right on her brahmana title. In short, this system has made the Balinese women to have their identity changed. Meanwhile, men are given more freedom, no matter who they are and whom they marry with, they will keep the caste.

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