Gender politics plays out in all forms of media and art, including theatre. This essay examines how cross-cultural barriers and the way in which theatre canon is compiled and documented affects the way in which we understand theatre in terms of those politics. In the case of German Expressionist Theatre - a theatre form which has been noted to be notorious for its portrayal of mysogenistic attitudes towards women - it is interesting to see how American female playwrights attempted to turn that discourse on its head while their German female 'sisters' were effectively 'silenced' through the procuring and cataloging of Expressionist literature by those who wished for their attempts at an alternative gender narrative to be wiped out completely from history.
The three female American playwrights that this essay focuses on are Susan Glaspell, Sophie Treadwell and Adrienne Kennedy, all of whom faced their own personal difficulties as women in the 20th Century (in Kennedy's case as a woman of colour during that time period). A brief historical account of First and Second Wave Feminism is discussed alongside these playwrights' lives and works, in order to demonstrate how their theatre reflected their struggles and hopes for a much better world where all women can truly be considered equals.
Table of Contents
1. The “New Woman” on the Patriarchal Stage: The Development of “Feminist” Expressionist Theatre
Objectives and Themes
This essay explores how female American playwrights adapted early German expressionist theatrical techniques to challenge existing patriarchal paradigms and reflect the social changes regarding gender and race during the first and second wave feminist movements.
- Analysis of the "New Man" concept in German expressionist theatre and its gendered implications.
- Examination of the historical intersection between expressionism and feminist movements in America.
- Comparison of female representation in the works of Susan Glaspell, Sophie Treadwell, and Adrienne Kennedy.
- Investigation of how expressionist techniques, such as unnatural dialogue and surreal settings, serve to voice female experiences.
- Evaluation of the evolution of theatre to mirror evolving social discourses on gender and racial identity.
Excerpt from the Book
The “New Woman” on the Patriarchal Stage: The Development of “Feminist” Expressionist Theatre
Gender related discourses are found in all forms of media, including theatre. As society redefines and reassigns gender roles, theatre reflects these changes and provides basis for further discussion. One particular theatre movement that ‘evolved’ to reflect current gender paradigms is the expressionist movement. Beginning in France and then expanded to Germany as a predominantly masculine-driven theatre movement – where gender discourse was delivered from a masculine perspective (Gordon 35 and Write, “New Man, Eternal Woman” 587 – 92) – that discourse changed as its influence reached American shores during the first wave – and later second wave – feminist movements, as female American playwrights adopted expressionist techniques to critique the existing paradigm (Ellwood, 85 – 92, Fernandez-Morales 163-64 and Walker 228 – 35). This feminist contribution to a masculine-based movement reflected current social changes, and created a shift in how women were portrayed in expressionist theatre.
Chapter Summaries
1. The “New Woman” on the Patriarchal Stage: The Development of “Feminist” Expressionist Theatre: This introductory chapter outlines the evolution of expressionist theatre from a masculine-centric European movement to a tool for American female playwrights to critique gender norms and represent feminist discourse.
Keywords
Expressionism, Feminist Theatre, Susan Glaspell, Sophie Treadwell, Adrienne Kennedy, Gender Roles, Patriarchal Society, New Man Concept, First Wave Feminism, Second Wave Feminism, Unnatural Dialogue, Racial Identity, Theatre History, American Drama, Social Change
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how female American playwrights utilized expressionist theatre techniques to challenge and critique the patriarchal structures and gender roles prevalent in their respective societies.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The study covers the history of expressionism, the development of gender discourse, the trajectory of first and second wave feminism, and the intersection of race and gender in drama.
What is the main objective or research question?
The goal is to demonstrate how expressionist techniques were adapted to reflect shifting social paradigms, specifically regarding the representation of women on the stage.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author employs a comparative literary and historical analysis, contrasting the portrayal of women in German expressionist theory with the practical application of these techniques by American playwrights.
What content is addressed in the main body?
The main body analyzes specific plays—Glaspell’s *Trifles*, Treadwell’s *Machinal*, and Kennedy’s *Funnyhouse of a Negro*—against the backdrop of historical feminist movements and expressionist theory.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Expressionism, Feminist Theatre, Patriarchal Society, Gender Roles, and specific playwrights like Glaspell, Treadwell, and Kennedy.
How does the "New Man" concept influence the analysis of female characters?
The "New Man" concept provides a baseline of traditional patriarchal expectations, allowing the author to highlight how female playwrights inverted or challenged these expectations through their characters.
What role does race play in the analysis of Adrienne Kennedy’s work?
Race is identified as a crucial factor that adds layers of complexity to Kennedy's work, distinguishing it from the white-centric feminist canon of the time and enhancing the critique of oppression.
- Quote paper
- BA (Hons) GradDipEd Raymond Teodo (Author), 2010, The New Woman on the Patriarchal Stage. The Development of "Feminist" Expressionist Theatre, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/979373
