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This book brings together the fields of theatre, gender studies, and psychology/sociology in order to explore the relationships between what happens when women engage in violence, how the events and their reception intercept with cultural understandings of gender, how plays thoughtfully depict this topic, and how their productions impact audiences. Truthful portrayals force consideration of both the startling reality of women's violence - not how it's been sensationalized or demonized or sexualized, but how it is - and what parameters, what possibilities, should exist for its enactment in life and live theatre. These women appear in a wide array of contexts: they are mothers, daughters, lovers, streetfighters, boxers, soldiers, and dominatrixes. Who they are and why they choose to use violence varies dramatically. They stage resistance and challenge normative expectations for women. This fascinating and balanced study will appeal to anyone interested in gender/feminism issues and theatre.
List of contents
Acknowledgments.- Figures.- 1. Violent Women in Contemporary and Artistic Theatres.- 2. The Sex and Gender of Violence.- 3. From Alpha to Omega Women: Ancient Greek Origins and Contemporary Re-visions.- 4. From Monstrous to Miraculous: Violent Mothers and Daughters at Home on Stage.- 5. What Happened to the Angel in the House?: The Violent Female Lover.- 6. All the World's a Stage: The Street Fighter and the Boxer.- 7. From State-Sanctioned Power to Sexual Power: The Soldier and the Dominatrix.- 8. Babes With Blades: "Theatre That Leaves a Mark".- 9. Epilogue.-
About the author
Nancy Taylor Porter is Professor of Theatre, scholar artist, and Chair of the Department of Theatre at Illinois College, USA. In addition to her first book,
Women Direct Shakespeare in America, she has also published in
Women's Studies, Theatre Journal, and
Shakespearean Criticism.
Summary
This book brings together the fields of theatre, gender studies, and psychology/sociology in order to explore the relationships between what happens when women engage in violence, how the events and their reception intercept with cultural understandings of gender, how plays thoughtfully depict this topic, and how their productions impact audiences. Truthful portrayals force consideration of both the startling reality of women's violence — not how it's been sensationalized or demonized or sexualized, but how it is — and what parameters, what possibilities, should exist for its enactment in life and live theatre. These women appear in a wide array of contexts: they are mothers, daughters, lovers, streetfighters, boxers, soldiers, and dominatrixes. Who they are and why they choose to use violence varies dramatically. They stage resistance and challenge normative expectations for women. This fascinating and balanced study will appeal to anyone interested in gender/feminism issues and theatre.
Additional text
“The two books under review make for heavy reading. … Porter’s book focuses on specific variants of violence connected to specific character types and roles … . both studies offer substantial contributions to the field of theatre and drama.” (Anette Pankratz, Journal of Contemporary Drama in English, Vol. 8 (2), 2020)
Report
"The two books under review make for heavy reading. ... Porter's book focuses on specific variants of violence connected to specific character types and roles ... . both studies offer substantial contributions to the field of theatre and drama." (Anette Pankratz, Journal of Contemporary Drama in English, Vol. 8 (2), 2020)
