The grotesque and dualities in the selected plays of Marina Carr

With the discovery of Bath of Titus in the 15th century, it was found essential frescoes on the walls, differed from the conventions in art and architecture of the time. The term grotesque was applied to them, and grotesque showed its effect in art and architecture of the time, then in literature as time passed. The form and position of the grotesque have changed over time because it has always been against the norm. The Irish theatre in the 1990s was deeply affected by political, social and economic problems as a result of Ireland's being an English colony for centuries and after all contemporary upheavals such as World War II. It witnessed the use of the grotesque as an experimental form of express in drama. Marina Carr, accepted as one of the pioneers, contributed a lot to the 1990s Irish theatre with changes she made in the content, form and use of language in her plays. In this study, Marina Carr's The Mai (1995) and By the Bog of Cats (1998) are examined under the grotesque theory. In Chapter I, The Mai is examined according to the grotesque theory of Geoffrey Galt Harpham and the abjection theory of Julia Kristeva. In Chapter II, By the Bog of Cats is discussed in the light of Mikhail Bakhtin's theories of grotesque and carnivalesque. The thesis aims to show that the grotesque is a pervasive feature in relation with dualities, content, form and use of language in the selected plays. Keywords: Marina Carr, The Mai, By the Bog of Cats, the grotesque, Irish theatre