A Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

A Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays East Tennessee State University Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Student Works 5-2002 A Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays. Bonny Ball Copenhaver East Tennessee State University Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.etsu.edu/etd Part of the English Language and Literature Commons, and the Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons Recommended Citation Copenhaver, Bonny Ball, "A Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays." (2002). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 632. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/632 This Dissertation - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Works at Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays A dissertation presented to the Faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis East Tennessee State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis by Bonny Ball Copenhaver May 2002 Dr. W. Hal Knight, Chair Dr. Jack Branscomb Dr. Nancy Dishner Dr. Russell West Keywords: Gender Roles, Feminism, Modernism, Postmodernism, American Theatre, Robbins, Glaspell, O'Neill, Miller, Williams, Hansbury, Kennedy, Wasserstein, Shange, Wilson, Mamet, Vogel ABSTRACT The Portrayal of Gender and a Description of Gender Roles in Selected American Modern and Postmodern Plays by Bonny Ball Copenhaver The purpose of this study was to describe how gender was portrayed and to determine how gender roles were depicted and defined in a selection of Modern and Postmodern American plays. This study was based on the symbolic interaction theory of gender that suggests that social roles are learned over time and are subject to constant reinforcement. The significance of this study was derived from the broad topic of gender because gender issues are relevant to a variety of fields and exploring the effects of gender in one field contributes to the understanding of gender in another field. The plays in this study were Votes for Women, Robins; Trifles, Glaspell; Our Town, Wilder; Moon for the Misbegotten, O'Neill; The Glass Menagerie, Williams; Death of a Salesman, Miller; A Raisin in the Sun, Hansberry; Funnyhouse of a Negro, Kennedy; Uncommon Women and Others, Wasserstein; Fefu and Her Friends, Fornes; spell #7, Shange; Fool for Love, Shepard; Fences, Wilson; Oleanna, Mamet; and How I Learned to Drive, Vogel. Two of the study's research questions explored the types of gender roles and behaviors that the characters presented. Two questions focused on considering if the time period or the sex of the playwright were factors in the presentations of gender. Gender behaviors were divided into four categories: Behavior Characteristics, Communication Patterns, Sources of Power, and Physical Appearance. Using narrative analysis techniques, the plays were analyzed for the specific traits in each category. The majority of the characters were assigned traditional gender roles and displayed traditional gender behavior traits. Based their gender roles and behavior in their roles, characters faced limitations that confined their actions and restricted their choices. Characters experienced consequences for their behaviors, and female characters received harsher punishments for deviant behaviors than male characters. Gender portrayal in Modern plays was more in keeping with traditional patterns than in Postmodern plays. Female playwrights presented more diverse roles for female characters and often explored gender as a major theme in their plays. Where applicable, race, in concert with gender, was an additional factor that governed characters' behaviors by further restricting behavior or possible actions. 2 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the following three people with all of my love and appreciation: To my husband, Alan, who had faith in me when I did not; who encouraged me when others did not; who never once complained about the time I devoted to this project; and whose love and strength will always sustain me. To my mother, Mary Ball, who always wanted me to pursue this degree; who inspired me to reach for my goals; and who taught me to be the kind of woman who took pride in where I came from and to look forward to where I was going. To my father, Bob Ball, who also always wanted me to pursue this degree; who never failed to ask about my progress; and who showed me how to have great strength and courage in times of trouble. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge the following people who have so generously given a part of themselves to help me to complete this project. Dr. Hal Knight: whose counsel throughout my program has been invaluable; who patiently waited for me find my own direction and voice for this study; who allowed me the freedom to pursue a less than traditional ELPA project; and who always knew that the bumps along the way would eventually smooth out—even when I did not know they would. Dr. Jack Branscomb: who willingly agreed to be a part of this project and whose scholarship and dedication to education I will always admire. Dr. Nancy Dishner: who was always excited about this project and who never failed to convey that excitement. Dr. Russell West: who encouraged me to always look for the voice of the other and to not be afraid to find what is different among what appears to be the same. Dr. Robert Funk, Ms. Amanda Aldridge, and Dr. Dennis Elkins: who readily agreed to be a part of this project and who graciously shared their knowledge to improve the quality of this study. Ms. Tami Penley: who agreed to be my debriefer without hesitation; who listed to many ideas in fragmented form and never once thought me crazy; who encouraged me to see this project through to the very end. Mr. Jon Harr: who agreed to remain my auditor even when the topic changed and who encouraged me from the beginning to enter this program. Ms. Kim Crowder-Vaughn: whose constant friendship over the years has meant so much; who has a special way of encouraging me; and whose skill in proofreading saved me again. The Library Staff at Mountain Empire Community College, especially Ms. Martha Rhoton, who willingly and efficiently ordered many interlibrary loans; her professionalism made my research process go much more quickly and for that I am eternally grateful. 4 CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................2 DEDICATION............................................................................................................................3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................................................................................4 Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................13 The Theatre and Society ...............................................................................................14 Gender Roles and Society.............................................................................................16 World-Views.................................................................................................................18 The Problem of the Study .............................................................................................20 Purpose of the Study and Research Questions..............................................................21 Assumptions and Limitations .......................................................................................22 Significance of the Study..............................................................................................22 Overview of the Study ..................................................................................................23 2. REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE ........................................................................24 Gender Role Theory......................................................................................................24 Biological Theory .............................................................................................25 Structural-Functional Theory............................................................................26 Social Learning Theory.....................................................................................29 Cognitive Development Theory........................................................................30 Gender Schema Theory.....................................................................................32 Symbolic Interaction Theory ............................................................................33 5 Modernism ....................................................................................................................37 Modernism and the Theatre ..........................................................................................44 Postmodernism..............................................................................................................47 Postmodernism and the
Recommended publications
  • By Patrick James Barry a Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of The
    CONFIRMATION BIAS: STAGED STORYTELLING IN SUPREME COURT CONFIRMATION HEARINGS by Patrick James Barry A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (English Language and Literature) in the University of Michigan 2015 Doctoral Committee: Professor Enoch Brater, Chair Associate Professor Martha Jones Professor Sidonie Smith Emeritus Professor James Boyd White TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 SITES OF THEATRICALITY 1 CHAPTER 2 SITES OF STORYTELLING 32 CHAPTER 3 THE TAUNTING OF AMERICA: THE SUPREME COURT CONFIRMATION HEARING OF ROBERT BORK 55 CHAPTER 4 POISON IN THE EAR: THE SUPREME COURT CONFIRMATION HEARING OF CLARENCE THOMAS 82 CHAPTER 5 THE WISE LATINA: THE SUPREME COURT CONFIRMATION HEARING OF SONIA SOTOMAYOR 112 CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION: CONFIRMATION CRITIQUE 141 WORK CITED 166 ii CHAPTER 1 SITES OF THEATRICALITY The theater is a place where a nation thinks in public in front of itself. --Martin Esslin, An Anatomy of Drama (1977)1 The Supreme Court confirmation process—once a largely behind-the-scenes affair—has lately moved front-and-center onto the public stage. --Laurence Tribe, Advice and Consent (1992)2 I. In 1975 Milner Ball, then a law professor at the University of Georgia, published an article in the Stanford Law Review called “The Play’s the Thing: An Unscientific Reflection on Trials Under the Rubric of Theater.” In it, Ball argued that by looking at the actions that take place in a courtroom as a “type of theater,” we might better understand the nature of these actions and “thereby make a small contribution to an understanding of the role of law in our society.”3 At the time, Ball’s view that courtroom action had an important “theatrical quality”4 was a minority position, even a 1 Esslin, Martin.
    [Show full text]
  • Beneath the Surface *Animals and Their Digs Conversation Group
    FOR ADULTS FOR ADULTS FOR ADULTS August 2013 • Northport-East Northport Public Library • August 2013 Northport Arts Coalition Northport High School Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Courtyard Concert EMERGENCY Volunteer Fair presents Jazz for a Yearbooks Wanted GALLERY EXHIBIT 1 Registration begins for 2 3 Friday, September 27 Children’s Programs The Library has an archive of yearbooks available Northport Gallery: from August 12-24 Summer Evening 4:00-7:00 p.m. Friday Movies for Adults Hurricane Preparedness for viewing. There are a few years that are not represent- *Teen Book Swap Volunteers *Kaplan SAT/ACT Combo Test (N) Wednesday, August 14, 7:00 p.m. Northport Library “Automobiles in Water” by George Ellis Registration begins for Health ed and some books have been damaged over the years. (EN) 10:45 am (N) 9:30 am The Northport Arts Coalition, and Safety Northport artist George Ellis specializes Insurance Counseling on 8/13 Have you wanted to share your time If you have a NHS yearbook that you would like to 42 Admission in cooperation with the Library, is in watercolor paintings of classic cars with an Look for the Library table Book Swap (EN) 11 am (EN) Thursday, August 15, 7:00 p.m. and talents as a volunteer but don’t know where donate to the Library, where it will be held in posterity, (EN) Friday, August 2, 1:30 p.m. (EN) Friday, August 16, 1:30 p.m. Shake, Rattle, and Read Saturday Afternoon proud to present its 11th Annual Jazz for emphasis on sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s, In conjunction with the Suffolk County Office of to start? Visit the Library’s Volunteer Fair and speak our Reference Department would love to hear from you.
    [Show full text]
  • FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE the Guess Who
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Guess Who will rock Tulalip Resort Casino in May 2019 TULALIP, WA – (January 25, 2019) – The Canadian rock band, The Guess Who, will be performing live in Tulalip Resort Casino’s Orca Ballroom on Friday, May 10. Formed in Winnipeg, The Guess Who initially gained recognition throughout Canada before becoming an international success in the late 1960s and 1970s. The Guess Who has enjoyed 14 Top 40 hits, including "These Eyes," "Clap For the Wolfman," "Hand Me Down World," "No Time," "Star Baby" and "Share the Land.” Additional classics include their number one rock anthem, "American Woman" and "No Sugar Tonight," plus "Laughing" and "Undun." The Guess Who are amongst music's most enduring bands and are eternally etched within the very fabric of pop culture history. Get up-close seating in the Orca Ballroom, an intimate 1,200-seat entertainment venue at Tulalip Resort Casino. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 15, at 10AM PST and start at $50. Tickets will be available for purchase on Ticketmaster.com or service charge free at the Tulalip Box Office. Must be 21+ to attend. About Tulalip Resort Casino Award-winning Tulalip Resort Casino is the most distinctive gaming, dining, meeting, entertainment and shopping destination in Washington State. The AAA Four-Diamond resort’s world-class amenities have ensured its place on the Condé Nast Traveler Gold and Traveler Top 100 Resorts lists. The property includes 192,000 square feet of gaming excitement; a luxury hotel featuring 370 guest rooms and suites; 30,000 square feet of premier meeting, convention and wedding space; the full-service T Spa; and eight dining venues.
    [Show full text]
  • Razorcake Issue #09
    PO Box 42129, Los Angeles, CA 90042 www.razorcake.com #9 know I’m supposed to be jaded. I’ve been hanging around girl found out that the show we’d booked in her town was in a punk rock for so long. I’ve seen so many shows. I’ve bar and she and her friends couldn’t get in, she set up a IIwatched so many bands and fads and zines and people second, all-ages show for us in her town. In fact, everywhere come and go. I’m now at that point in my life where a lot of I went, people were taking matters into their own hands. They kids at all-ages shows really are half my age. By all rights, were setting up independent bookstores and info shops and art it’s time for me to start acting like a grumpy old man, declare galleries and zine libraries and makeshift venues. Every town punk rock dead, and start whining about how bands today are I went to inspired me a little more. just second-rate knock-offs of the bands that I grew up loving. hen, I thought about all these books about punk rock Hell, I should be writing stories about “back in the day” for that have been coming out lately, and about all the jaded Spin by now. But, somehow, the requisite feelings of being TTold guys talking about how things were more vital back jaded are eluding me. In fact, I’m downright optimistic. in the day. But I remember a lot of those days and that “How can this be?” you ask.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter Iv Findings and Discussion
    CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION The present chapter deals with the result of the research which is divided into two parts namely findings and discussion. In the first part, the researcher reveals the examined data from The Duchess and The Young Victoria movies. It shows the data of negative politeness strategies implemented in those movies and the factors affecting the use of negative politeness strategies employed by main characters in those British movies. In the discussion part, the researcher explores the detailed explanation related to the formulation problems which have been explained in Chapter I. A. Research Findings According to the process of collecting and analysing the data, there are 42 data of negative politeness strategies implemented by the main characters in The Duchess and The Young Victoria movies. The findings are presented in Table 4 and Table 5. 52 TABLE 4. FINDINGS ON NEGATIVE POLITENESS IN THE DUCHESS MOVIE Realizations of Negative Factors Politeness Strategies Circumstances Negative Politeness No Strategies tance H’s Frequency Payoff Be Direct Be Percentage (%) Don’t Coerce Don’t Presume Percentage (%) to H on not impinge Social Dis Relative Power Percentage (%) Percentage Redress other wants ofRedress Communicate S’s want CommunicateS’s want Rankof Imposition Be conventionally 1 2 10 % 1 0 1 0 0 1 7,69% 0 0 1 10 % indirect 2 Question, Hedge 8 40 % 0 5 3 0 0 8 61,54% 1 0 0 10 % 3 Be Pessimistic 1 5 % 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 % 0 1 0 10 % Minimize the 4 3 15 % 0 0 3 0 0 2 15,38% 0 0 1 10 % imposition 5 Give deference 1 5 % 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 % 0 0 1 10 % 6 Apologize 1 5 % 0 0 0 1 0 1 7,69% 0 1 0 10 % Impersonalize speaker 7 1 5 % 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 % 0 0 1 10 % and hearer State the FTA as 8 1 5 % 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 % 0 1 0 10 % general rule 9 Nominalize 1 5 % 0 0 0 1 0 1 7,69 % 1 0 0 10 % Go on record as 10 1 5 % 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 % 0 0 1 10 % incurring debt Total 20 100% 1 5 8 4 2 13 100 % 2 3 5 100% Table 4 presents the data related to negative politeness strategies, realizations and factors affecting the main character in The Duchess movie.
    [Show full text]
  • Black Women, Educational Philosophies, and Community Service, 1865-1965/ Stephanie Y
    University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 1-1-2003 Living legacies : Black women, educational philosophies, and community service, 1865-1965/ Stephanie Y. Evans University of Massachusetts Amherst Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1 Recommended Citation Evans, Stephanie Y., "Living legacies : Black women, educational philosophies, and community service, 1865-1965/" (2003). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014. 915. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_1/915 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014 by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. M UMASS. DATE DUE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST LIVING LEGACIES: BLACK WOMEN, EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHIES, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, 1865-1965 A Dissertation Presented by STEPHANIE YVETTE EVANS Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2003 Afro-American Studies © Copyright by Stephanie Yvette Evans 2003 All Rights Reserved BLACK WOMEN, EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOHIES, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE, 1865-1964 A Dissertation Presented by STEPHANIE YVETTE EVANS Approved as to style and content by: Jo Bracey Jr., Chair William Strickland,
    [Show full text]
  • The Un/Selfish Leader Changing Notions in a Tamil Nadu Village
    The un/selfish leader Changing notions in a Tamil Nadu village Björn Alm The un/selfish leader Changing notions in a Tamil Nadu village Doctoral dissertation Department of Social Anthropology Stockholm University S 106 91 Stockholm Sweden © Björn Alm, 2006 Department for Religion and Culture Linköping University S 581 83 Linköping Sweden This book, or parts thereof, may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the author. ISBN 91-7155-239-1 Printed by Edita Sverige AB, Stockholm, 2006 Contents Preface iv Note on transliteration and names v Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Structure of the study 4 Not a village study 9 South Indian studies 9 Strength and weakness 11 Doing fieldwork in Tamil Nadu 13 Chapter 2 The village of Ekkaraiyur 19 The Dindigul valley 19 Ekkaraiyur and its neighbours 21 A multi-linguistic scene 25 A religious landscape 28 Aspects of caste 33 Caste territories and panchayats 35 A village caste system? 36 To be a villager 43 Chapter 3 Remodelled local relationships 48 Tanisamy’s model of local change 49 Mirasdars and the great houses 50 The tenants’ revolt 54 Why Brahmans and Kallars? 60 New forms of tenancy 67 New forms of agricultural labour 72 Land and leadership 84 Chapter 4 New modes of leadership 91 The parliamentary system 93 The panchayat system 94 Party affiliation of local leaders 95 i CONTENTS Party politics in Ekkaraiyur 96 The paradox of party politics 101 Conceptualising the state 105 The development state 108 The development block 110 Panchayats and the development block 111 Janus-faced leaders? 119
    [Show full text]
  • Feature Films
    NOMINATIONS AND AWARDS IN OTHER CATEGORIES FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE (NON-ENGLISH) FEATURE FILMS [Updated thru 88th Awards (2/16)] [* indicates win] [FLF = Foreign Language Film category] NOTE: This document compiles statistics for foreign language (non-English) feature films (including documentaries) with nominations and awards in categories other than Foreign Language Film. A film's eligibility for and/or nomination in the Foreign Language Film category is not required for inclusion here. Award Category Noms Awards Actor – Leading Role ......................... 9 ........................... 1 Actress – Leading Role .................... 17 ........................... 2 Actress – Supporting Role .................. 1 ........................... 0 Animated Feature Film ....................... 8 ........................... 0 Art Direction .................................... 19 ........................... 3 Cinematography ............................... 19 ........................... 4 Costume Design ............................... 28 ........................... 6 Directing ........................................... 28 ........................... 0 Documentary (Feature) ..................... 30 ........................... 2 Film Editing ........................................ 7 ........................... 1 Makeup ............................................... 9 ........................... 3 Music – Scoring ............................... 16 ........................... 4 Music – Song ...................................... 6 ..........................
    [Show full text]
  • East-West Film Journal, Volume 3, No. 2
    EAST-WEST FILM JOURNAL VOLUME 3 . NUMBER 2 Kurosawa's Ran: Reception and Interpretation I ANN THOMPSON Kagemusha and the Chushingura Motif JOSEPH S. CHANG Inspiring Images: The Influence of the Japanese Cinema on the Writings of Kazuo Ishiguro 39 GREGORY MASON Video Mom: Reflections on a Cultural Obsession 53 MARGARET MORSE Questions of Female Subjectivity, Patriarchy, and Family: Perceptions of Three Indian Women Film Directors 74 WIMAL DISSANAYAKE One Single Blend: A Conversation with Satyajit Ray SURANJAN GANGULY Hollywood and the Rise of Suburbia WILLIAM ROTHMAN JUNE 1989 The East- West Center is a public, nonprofit educational institution with an international board of governors. Some 2,000 research fellows, grad­ uate students, and professionals in business and government each year work with the Center's international staff in cooperative study, training, and research. They examine major issues related to population, resources and development, the environment, culture, and communication in Asia, the Pacific, and the United States. The Center was established in 1960 by the United States Congress, which provides principal funding. Support also comes from more than twenty Asian and Pacific governments, as well as private agencies and corporations. Kurosawa's Ran: Reception and Interpretation ANN THOMPSON AKIRA KUROSAWA'S Ran (literally, war, riot, or chaos) was chosen as the first film to be shown at the First Tokyo International Film Festival in June 1985, and it opened commercially in Japan to record-breaking busi­ ness the next day. The director did not attend the festivities associated with the premiere, however, and the reception given to the film by Japa­ nese critics and reporters, though positive, was described by a French critic who had been deeply involved in the project as having "something of the air of an official embalming" (Raison 1985, 9).
    [Show full text]
  • Selected Highlights of Women's History
    Selected Highlights of Women’s History United States & Connecticut 1773 to 2015 The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women omen have made many contributions, large and Wsmall, to the history of our state and our nation. Although their accomplishments are too often left un- recorded, women deserve to take their rightful place in the annals of achievement in politics, science and inven- Our tion, medicine, the armed forces, the arts, athletics, and h philanthropy. 40t While this is by no means a complete history, this book attempts to remedy the obscurity to which too many Year women have been relegated. It presents highlights of Connecticut women’s achievements since 1773, and in- cludes entries from notable moments in women’s history nationally. With this edition, as the PCSW celebrates the 40th anniversary of its founding in 1973, we invite you to explore the many ways women have shaped, and continue to shape, our state. Edited and designed by Christine Palm, Communications Director This project was originally created under the direction of Barbara Potopowitz with assistance from Christa Allard. It was updated on the following dates by PCSW’s interns: January, 2003 by Melissa Griswold, Salem College February, 2004 by Nicole Graf, University of Connecticut February, 2005 by Sarah Hoyle, Trinity College November, 2005 by Elizabeth Silverio, St. Joseph’s College July, 2006 by Allison Bloom, Vassar College August, 2007 by Michelle Hodge, Smith College January, 2013 by Andrea Sanders, University of Connecticut Information contained in this book was culled from many sources, including (but not limited to): The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame, the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • THE GUESS WHO BIOGRAPHY As the House Lights Fade Down and The
    THE GUESS WHO BIOGRAPHY As the house lights fade down and the stage spots flair up, the sounds of rock and roll with classic sensibilities and progressive nuances permeate the crowd. At first a familiar chord strikes everyone's attention, then comes a catchy chorus followed by a memorable solo or remarkable moment of improvisation. Such an ear-pleasing arsenal carries into a non-stop evening of precise performance taking fans on a roller coaster ride of electric instrumentation, timeless balladry, unpredictable Jamming and the ultimate sing-a-long experience. It's a position held by a troupe of true musical luminaries who through over five decades in show business have been loaded with more hits than members can count, record sales well into the multi- millions and more drama than a VH1 "Behind the Music" episode and an E! "True Hollywood Story" documentary combined. The name is none other than The Guess Who, a group that's connected with the masses throughout a exultant hit parade spanning fourteen Top 40 hits, including "These Eyes," "Clap For the Wolfman," "Hand Me Down World," "No Time," "Star Baby" and "Share the Land." Add in fellow classics and double sided singles like their #1 rock anthem "American Woman" and "No Sugar Tonight," plus "Laughing" and "Undun," and the Canadian bred stateside conquerors are amongst music's most indelible treasures who are eternally etched within the very fabric of pop culture history. "You're going to see an excellent version of the songs and hear exactly how they should sound or be played," verifies founding member and original drummer/songwriter Garry Peterson.
    [Show full text]
  • Universidad Complutense De Madrid
    UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID FACULTAD DE FILOLOGÍA Departamento de Filología Inglesa II TESIS DOCTORAL La familia como destino Eugene O'Neill y Sam Shepard MEMORIA PARA OPTAR AL GRADO DE DOCTOR PRESENTADA POR James William Flath Directores Félix Martín Gutiérrez Gustavo Sánchez Canales Madrid, 2014 © James William Flath, 2013 UNIVERSIDAD COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID Departamento de Filología Inglesa II TESIS DOCTORAL LA FAMILIA COMO DESTINO EN EUGENE O’NEILL Y SAM SHEPARD James William Flath Madrid, 2013 Directores: Dr. Félix Martín Gutiérrez Dr. Gustavo Sánchez Canales 1 Preface and acknowledgments This dissertation represents a culmination of work, reading and learning that has taken place over the past few years. I first became interested in the plays of Eugene O’Neill when I was an undergraduate in the United States. I came upon playwright Sam Shepard much later but from the beginning the similarities between the two struck me as uncanny. What moved me particularly was the way each playwright portrayed the time-honored American institution of the Family and how both focused on the idea that I’ve come to refer to as “family as fate.” I began to ask myself, why did these playwrights write such gut-wrenchingly harrowing portrayals of the family? To exorcise their own ghosts? To come to terms with themselves? But even more compelling is the question why are we so attracted to these plays? What do we see in these plays? Ourselves, our nation? I began my research to see if anyone had devoted a full-scale study to this phenomenon and discovered that others had also noticed the similarities but none had done as in-depth a study as I wished to do.
    [Show full text]