Diese Bachelorarbeit untersucht die Darstellung von „Queer Aztlán“ in Cherríe Moragas Theaterstück "The Hungry Woman: A Mexican Medea", und wie der Untergang der Protagonistin Medea exemplarisch auch für den Untergang des reformierten Aztlán steht. Der Begriff „Queer Aztlán“ stammt aus einem ihrer Essays von 1993.
Als Einstieg in meine Untersuchung beleuchte ich in kurzer Form die geschichtlichen Ereignisse, die zum Chicano Movement führten. In dieser Zeit wurde „Aztlán“, der Legende nach das ursprüngliche Heimatland der Azteken, zu einem Symbolbild für den Chicano Nationalismus. Heutzutage bezieht sich Aztlán auf den Südwesten der USA. Da sich die Amerikaner mit mexikanischer Herkunft in den USA benachteiligt fühlten, forderten sie eine Gleichstellung in verschiedenen Bereichen des gesellschaftlichen Lebens, u.a. Zugang zu Bildung und politische Teilhabe. Erweiternd gehe ich auch darauf ein, welche Einflüsse diese Bewegung im Bereich des Chicano Theaters hatte. Moraga stellt in ihrem Essay heraus, dass diese Bewegung problematischerweise auch die patriarchalen Strukturen der weißen Amerikaner auf ihre Familien übertrugen und Frauen, sowohl im privaten als auch im öffentlichen Leben, eine niedere Rolle zugeschrieben wurde. Außerdem wurden auch homosexuelle Chicano/a Einwohner von der Bewegung ausgeschloßen und ihre Dienste im Sinne der Gemeinschaft nicht anerkannt. Daher fordert Moraga eine Erweiterung des Konzepts „Aztlán“ um die Bezeichnung „Queer Aztlán“. Ein Land in dem alle Chicano/as unabhängig von Geschlecht, Sexualität, Klasse, etc. leben können.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Chicano Movement and Chicano Theatre
3. The Dream of Queer Aztlán
4. The Hungry Woman: A Mexican Medea
4.1. Place and Setting: Desired Aztlán and the Exile Phoenix/ Tamoanchán
4.2. Messenger between this World and the Other: Chac-Mool
4.3. Desperate Captivity in Two Worlds: Medea
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This thesis examines the representation of "Queer Aztlán" in Cherríe Moraga’s play The Hungry Woman: A Mexican Medea, analyzing how the protagonist's personal downfall mirrors the failure of the utopian nation of Aztlán. It explores the intersection of ethnicity, gender, and sexuality within the framework of Chicano nationalism and its exclusionary practices.
- Historical context of the Chicano Movement and its patriarchal limitations.
- Theoretical concept of "Queer Aztlán" as an inclusive, non-marginalized space.
- Dystopian setting and the geography of exile in the play.
- Inner conflicts of characters trapped between cultural heritage and personal identity.
Excerpt from the Book
Place and Setting: Desired Aztlán and the Exile Phoenix/ Tamoanchán
To refer to the previous chapter on the background and the framework of Moraga’s dreamed Queer Aztlán, I want to raise special attention to the following fact: there is no Queer Aztlán in Moraga’s play The Hungry Women: A Mexican Medea. Rather, she creates a setting that consists of demarcated and contrasting areas where ethnical diversity is missing. The Playwright’s Note gives the reader information about the current geographic situation in which the play is set:
An ethnic civil war has “balkanized” about half of the United States into several smaller nations of people. These include: Africa-America located in the southern states of the U.S. (excluding, of course, Florida); the Mechicano Nation of Aztlán which includes parts of the Southwest and the border states of what was once Northern México; . . . (Moraga The Hungry Woman 6)
After this revolution that formed those new states, a counter-revolution took place and caused a setback to sexist and homophobic hierarchies. The story is located after this counter-revolution where “unwanted” people, especially queer citizens, are being sent relentlessly into exile:
The play takes place several years after MEDEA . . . was exiled from Aztlán with her son, CHAC-MOOL, and her lesbian lover, LUNA. They reside in what remains of Phoenix, Arizona, located in a kind of metaphysical border region between Gringolandia (U.S.A) and Aztlán (Mechicano country). Phoenix is now a city-in-ruin, the dumping site of every kind of poison and person unwanted by its neighbors. (Moraga The Hungry Woman 6)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Introduces the thematic connection between contemporary US political tensions and Moraga's dystopian vision, establishing the focus on the intersection of ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
2. The Chicano Movement and Chicano Theatre: Analyzes the historical development of the Chicano Movement and how its focus on cultural nationalism often excluded female and queer perspectives, leading to the need for critical reform.
3. The Dream of Queer Aztlán: Explores Moraga's essay on the re-formation of the Chicano tribe, conceptualizing "Queer Aztlán" as an inclusive homeland that transcends restrictive patriarchal boundaries.
4. The Hungry Woman: A Mexican Medea: Critically examines the play's setting, character dynamics, and themes of betrayal, capturing the protagonist’s struggle for identity within a fractured dystopian landscape.
4.1. Place and Setting: Desired Aztlán and the Exile Phoenix/ Tamoanchán: Investigates the geographical and metaphysical division between the nations of Gringolandia and Aztlán and the symbolic function of the exile city, Phoenix.
4.2. Messenger between this World and the Other: Chac-Mool: Focuses on the role of Medea's son, Chac-Mool, as a bridge between conflicting worlds and the tragic outcome of his desire for an indigenous initiation.
4.3. Desperate Captivity in Two Worlds: Medea: Discusses the protagonist Medea’s internal and external entrapment, exploring how her loss of social status and familial support leads to her eventual suicide.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes how the play's pessimistic outcome serves as a necessary critique of current social conditions and provides a basis for rethinking revolutionary goals in the Americas.
Keywords
Cherríe Moraga, The Hungry Woman: A Mexican Medea, Queer Aztlán, Chicano Movement, Chicana feminism, Dystopia, Exile, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexuality, Nationalism, Medea, Chac-Mool, Identity, Patriarchal structures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The paper examines how Cherríe Moraga portrays the concept of "Queer Aztlán" in her play *The Hungry Woman: A Mexican Medea* and analyzes the characters' struggles within a dystopian framework.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The central themes include the critique of Chicano nationalism, the struggle for queer and female inclusion, the impact of patriarchal structures, and the representation of the Chicano identity in literature.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate how Moraga’s construction of Aztlán in the play—and the personal downfall of its characters—highlights the failure of exclusionary revolutionary models and the need for a more inclusive society.
Which methodology is applied in this research?
The research uses a literary analysis approach, connecting the play's themes to historical Chicano movements and theoretical concepts of "Queer Aztlán" as described in Moraga's essays.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the historical roots of Chicano theatre, the political construction of Queer Aztlán, the geography of the play's setting, and detailed character analyses of Medea and Chac-Mool.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Cherríe Moraga, Queer Aztlán, Chicano Movement, Chicana feminism, identity, exile, and patriarchal structures.
How does the play's setting influence the narrative?
The setting—a "balkanized" United States—reinforces the theme of exclusion, as characters are trapped in an impoverished borderland, unable to access the promised utopian homeland of Aztlán.
Why is the character of Chac-Mool significant?
Chac-Mool serves as a "messenger" between the world of his exiled family and his father's patriarchal society in Aztlán, representing the conflict between the next generation's search for identity and the failures of the past.
What is the significance of the ending?
The death of the characters is interpreted as a "fallen revolution" that is ultimately productive, as it signifies a break from past constraints and suggests a necessary reimagining of future possibilities.
- Quote paper
- Sabine Strebel (Author), 2018, The Creation of a New Country or the Ruined Dream of a Unified Nation? Queer Aztlán in Cherríe Moraga’s Play "The Hungry Woman: A Mexican Medea", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/459309
