The Dilemma of Motherhood and Domesticity in Gina Gionfriddo’s Rapture, Blister, Burn

Abstract

This paper is a study of feminist theatre as a rejection of masculine superiority in theatre and social life. It examines a modern play that depicts the role of women as mothers and the conflicts defining the status of motherhood. It investigates thematic trends and objectives of feminist theatre, a theatre that started with the birth of second-wave feminism. It analyzes the reflection of women’s social and political lives as represented by this theatre. To meet that end, it examines Gina Gionfriddo’s Rapture, Blister, Burn (2013) that depicts issues of unsettled identities, women empowerment, and the dilemma of motherhood. The study explores the way this Play represents an imaginary space where women can play a revolutionary role by questioning their domesticity and careers. The Play is written by a feminist playwright, has an all-woman cast, and is produced by a woman director. Rapture, Blister, Burn, meanwhile, portrays the possible ways whereby the new era showcases an acceptable resolution for the unsolved dilemma of domesticity and motherhood. This paper correspondingly interrogates the theatrical depictions of the women characters, who come up with limited life choices and are trapped in the socially constructed dilemmas of domestic lives and the way they combat the social restrictions.