Artikel

Beth Henley's early family plays : dysfunctional parenting, the south, and feminism

Verfasst von: Auflitsch, Susanne
in: Amerikastudien
Heidelberg: 2001 , 267 - 280 S.

Weitere Informationen

Einrichtung: Ariadne | Wien
Verfasst von: Auflitsch, Susanne
In: Amerikastudien
Jahr: 2001
Sprache: Englisch
Beschreibung:
Drawing on traditional Southern notions of patriarchy and motherhood, as well as the theory of "objects-relations feminism", this essay will explore how Southern playwright Beth Henley redefines "Family" as a nonhierarchcal union of mutually caring women. Traditional aspects of family, such as women's inferiority to men, heterosexuality, and child-rearing are marginalized in favor of spiritual communion formed among women. Despite the deficiency of the families - their "dysfunctionality", which is visualized by the presence of physically deformed human beings - the conclusions leave hope that the characters (inhibited by feelings of inferiority, skepticism toward the idea of the family, the lingering impact of their parent' expectations, the desire to indiscriminately mother everybody around, and seeking comfort in food and sexual relationships) might be capable of transgressing their dysfunctional families. This optimism grants Henley a special position in the context of Southern (family) drama in the twentieth century.
Anmerkung:
Literaturangaben
Gesamten Bestand von Ariadne anzeigen
Datensatz im Katalog der Einrichtung anzeigen

Standort

Ariadne

Ähnliche Einträge