Albee’s Women Representation from The American Dream (1960) to The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? (2000)

Abstract

This dissertation examines Edward Albee’s position and views toward women and their real status from the late 1950s to the late 1990s by analyzing four plays written between 1960 and 2000, over a span of some forty years. All the four play share similarities at the gender level. The truth is that the American society is essentially dominated by males and still is regardless of the many successes garnered by women throughout time. My view is that Albee should be regarded as an early feminist playwright rather than as a misogynist one.He is rather combating to modify cultural attitudes that are still abusive and misogynous. I imagine that some women would say that they have come a long way in 40 years. They lived through the earlier times, and have seen the changes in the American economic strength and their repercussions on society. Albee was describing the conformity that happened to be common during the 1950s in the American society. Family is an indispensable ingredient of Albee's drama. The home is the setting for most of his plays, and the relationship of married couples, is of primary interest to him. Naturally, being part of a deep American domestic life tradition, wives and mothers have a significant role in his work.