| Some theatre critics contend that contemporary women playwrights tend to reject the traditional Aristotelian model of drama in favor of developing their own forms and modes of expression. And, while there is a growing body of critical work, there is not yet a clear description of a woman's aesthetic in playwriting.;In order to answer the two guiding questions, "Is there a woman's aesthetic in the dramas of contemporary American women playwrights?" and, if so, "What qualities identify such an aesthetic?", I will carefully examine selected plays of Maria Irene Fornes, Holly Hughes, Wendy Wasserstein, Marsha Norman, and Suzan-Lori Parks.;By synthesizing interview material and the critical/theoretical descriptions, along with the evidence gathered from the representative plays, I will identify a new description of the woman's aesthetic in plays by women. |
