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Gender in 20th Century French Theater

Three of the plays we read this term were composed of solely one gender. Waiting for Godot and ‘Art’ have all male casts and Les Belles Soeurs is all female. All of these plays either identify, or try to avoid identifying, themselves with certain problems or markers of that gender. Examples of this can be seen in the ways in which male and female characters deal with situations involving sexual tension, domestic problems, or familial relationships, among others.
Waiting for Godot has a cast composed entirely of male characters. However, this play is does not identify itself as a play specifically about men. Within the world of the play, it is easier for Godot to avoid gender related problems. There are no references to people off stage (besides Godot) and there is no real sense that anything exists for Estragon and Vladimir beyond themselves. Because of this, there are no heterosexual relationships, sexual or otherwise, within the play. There is no mention of mother...

Posted by: Carlos Hernandez

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