The Domination of Mother in August Strindberg's The Father and Arthur kopit's Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma’s Hung You in the Closet and I’m Feelin’ So Sad

Instr.Dr Sanaa Mohammed Mahdi

doi:10.36473/ujhss.v223i1.316

Abstract

Works of art present several types of mothers one of them is the dominant. This research deals with this type of mothers. It aims at highlighting the bad effect of mother's domination over her children and others. It is divided into three sections and a conclusion. Section one; the introduction illustrates the types of mothers and the patriarchal society during the 19th and 20th centuries. Section two discusses the monstrous mother in August Strindberg's The Father and how her excessive domination leads to the madness of the father. Section three sheds light on the monstrous mother in Arthur kopit's Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma’s Hung You in the Closet and I’m Feelin’ So Sad (hereafter Oh Dad) in which the mother turns her son into a killer due to her desire of dominance. The conclusion sums up that both can be considered femmes fatal because of their pernicious impact on those around them, especially members of their families.

Highlights

The changes in society often affect the moral values and principles of the family
The domineering mother makes the presence of the father useless within the family
In The Father and Oh Dad, both August Strindberg and Arthur Kopit present a monstrous mother as a main character and make an in-depth discussion of the concept of domineering mother who destroys her family and their lives

Summary

Introduction

The changes in society often affect the moral values and principles of the family. these changes affect the character of the mother and make her capable of impersonating father's character that is emasculated and deprived of any kind of power. In The Father and Oh Dad, both August Strindberg and Arthur Kopit present a monstrous mother as a main character and make an in-depth discussion of the concept of domineering mother who destroys her family and their lives. Patriarchy is a social system in which man has complete power, domination, social privilege and control of property over woman and children.

Results

Conclusion