Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Literature

First Advisor

David Anshen

Second Advisor

Marisa Knox

Third Advisor

Shawn Thomson

Abstract

These plays show how conflicts concerning race, gender, and class stem from economic distress, racial discrimination, and patriarchal oppression. Within such intersections lie distinct realities of capitalism which simultaneously upholds patriarchal ideals that can only be best understood through a Marxist-Feminist lens. This thesis pays attention to how racism and discrimination functions to isolate certain groups of people from reaching social mobility. The first chapter analyzes Mrs. Warren’s Profession to demonstrate how Mrs. Warren decision to enter into prostitution cannot simply be reduced to a question of morality, but rather a question of society’s conditions that place women into certain circumstances. In addition, by comparing Mrs. Warren to her daughter, Vivie, it becomes imperative that women’s roles must continually advance and shift as society changes. The second chapter focuses on Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun. This play features a Black family experiencing poverty and discrimination from society, including internalized racism from family members. The effects of racial oppression and capitalism prevents Walter Younger from fulfilling his role as a father and husband. Meanwhile, the women of the household face individual battles linked to poverty, such as lack of job opportunities, lack of education, lack of resources for a new baby, and lack of support from all members of the family. By studying the Younger family, we logically connect the damaging influences of capitalism and patriarchy while paying close attention to how race becomes utilized as a tool of oppression.

Comments

Copyright 2024 Jennifer L. Gonzalez. https://proquest.com/docview/3116043905

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