Theatre Arts Theses and Dissertations

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Browsing Theatre Arts Theses and Dissertations by Author "Dulba-Barnett , Anna"

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    Representation of Land and the Female Body in Polish Dramatic Literature
    (University of Oregon, 2024-03-25) Dulba-Barnett , Anna; May, Theresa
    In this dissertation, I map how the authors of canonical Polish dramas from Romanticism to the present construct and solidify the ideals of womanhood and its connection to land and nature. I analyze how the use of the female body as a metaphor or personification of the nation-state, commonly used since the early eighteenth century in Polish art and literature, has created silence around the actual experiences of Polish women, who have suffered gendered violence during moments of turmoil in Polish history. I also expose how theatre has been participating in interweaving the national narratives with Catholic mythoi. These narratives have participated in creating and maintaining a national identity and have soften fueled the Polish will to fight against foreign aggressors. However, in times of Polish independence and national freedom these narratives have often served to define what belonging to a national community of Polish people means and therefore have enabled exclusion of various people who do not fit neatly into these narratives’ narrowly defined boundaries. My study exposes this narrative underpinning much of the current regressive political rhetoric in Poland. By examining this collective Polish imaginary, I call attention to the ways that contemporary Polish theatre-makers are attempting to subvert these old narratives.