TRACES OF POST-STRUCTURALIST FEMINISM IN LOCHHEAD’S BLOOD AND ICE

Abstract

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus, which is considered as the foremost British gothic novel, has influenced numerous writers as a source of inspiration. Liz Lochhead, a renowned Scottish poet and playwright, offers her unique perspective on the classic novel of Frankenstein, which has been retold and reinvented numerous times in contemporary literature. Lochhead skilfully weaves together the ideas of dream and reality, as well as past and present, in a seamless and significant manner throughout the play. In the play, she raises doubts about Mary's ability to create as a writer and care for her child, while also questioning Claire's feminine identity. Lochhead is able to demonstrate her remarkable power that defies the limitations imposed by the phallocentric society and traditional gender roles. Through her characters Mary Shelley and Claire, Lochhead serves as a force that contradicts and challenges the prevailing patriarchal mind set. Using the theoretical principles of poststructuralist feminism, this study initially intends to demonstrate how Lochhead challenges the binary oppositions that have historically limited women's roles and identities in the play. In the light of Cixous's écriture feminine concept, the second objective is to examine how Lochhead approaches the issue of women's alienation in a phallocentric culture, how she disrupts patriarchal linguistic structures, and opens up new avenues for women’s self-expression.