تقويض النظام الأبوي: النوع الأجتماعي والسلطة والأداء المسرحي في مسرحيات ما بعد الحداثة لـ تشريشل وكين

The thesis explores the phenomenon of "Subversion Theatre" by investigating the mechanics of resistance within postmodern British drama, focusing on the thematic deconstruction of patriarchal power in the works of Caryl Churchill and Sarah Kane. It examines the way these playwrights systematically reject the traditional theatre and the conventions of realism, illustrating the persistence of patriarchal power dynamics alongside the emergence of theatrical resistance. Through a contrasting feminist analysis of the seminal plays—ranging from Churchill’s Cloud 9, Top Girls, A Mouthful of Birds, The Skriker, and Far Away to Kane’s Blasted, Phaedra’s Love, Cleansed, Crave, and 4.48 Psychosis— the study reveals how subversion is integrated into the dramatic architecture itself. Structurally, the thesis details this subversion across consecutive chapters. Chapter Two explores the concept of theatrical form as subversion in details, with reference to the use of postmodern techniques like non-linear time, fragmented structures, and meta-theatricality. Chapter Three employs a thematic analysis to contrast the way the characters perform and resist gendered identities, examining Kane’s depiction of physical violence against Churchill’s focus on structural violence. Chapter Four provides a close comparison of the way in which both playwrights deconstructed patriarchal discourse through language and silence. Finally, the Conclusion draws on these findings to conclude that both Churchill and Kane created a feminist subversive theatre that remains relevant to the audience today, as a testament to the power of theatrical performance as a critical tool of subversion. Ultimately, the thesis identifies three core subverting strategies: the fragmentation of theatrical form as a rejection of monolithic patriarchal narratives; the destabilization of identity through gender performativity and the “unmaking” of the subject; and the subversion of language, evolving from Churchill’s polyphonic interruptions to Kane’s radical collapse into silence. In doing so, the study proves that both playwrights created a feminist subversive theatre where the abandon of formal conventions remains essential to the disarmament of patriarchal power.