Conceptualization of Tragic Woman: A study of Feminist Identity in Marsha Norman’s Night, Mother and Maria IreneFornes’ Mud

Abstract

Abstract Women had no separated identity from that of their husbands before the American Feminist movement,deprived as they were of any legal or political rights. In the American capitalist, patriarchal system of the early twentieth century, marriage was the only way for women to secure financial stability for the future. Feminist drama has carved its identity as a distinct theatrical genre during the late 1960's both in Britain and America.The dissertation discusses the subordination and victimization of women in relation to men within the capitalist structure of the society, its institutions, the hegemonic patriarchal culture and history. Norman and Fornesare considered as contemporary American feminist playwright who portray in their Plays the role of women as victims of the societies they in which they live. This study aims to analyze their plays in a detailed manner, and to give an introductory knowledge about their female characters in their plays by discussing their oppression in relation with the historical, cultural and social perspectives which are the main points of discussion in the Socialist-Feminist Theory. The Study explores the quest for identity in the selected work as it tries to expose the main reasons behind the identity issues. Moreover, this study is an attempt at tracing the changes and challenges that the concept of tragedy regarding woman has undergone firstly from its beginnings as a literary genre in Greek theatre, and secondly in Europe during the Elizabethan age and then lately in America during the first half of the twentieth century through Norman's Night, Mother and Fornes' Mud. The dissertation concludes that Norman and Fornes have succeeded in presenting their characters as major figures who are oppressed by people around them as this dissertation presents many recommendations for further studies.