Representations of women's body and sexual identity in postdramatic theatre

This thesis explores how representations of the female body and sexual identity are constructed in postdramatic theatre, using Judith Butler's theory of "gender performativity" as a conceptual framework. In this context, Sarah Kane's 4.48 Psychosis, Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane, and Mark Ravenhill's Shopping and F***ing are examined through a multi-layered analysis that draws on both feminist theory and postdramatic theatre aesthetics. The thesis is structured around three central theoretical frameworks: the formal possibilities of postdramatic theatre, postmodern feminist theory, and Butler's theory of gender performativity. The first chapter outlines the theoretical background of postdramatic theatre and postmodern feminism; the second chapter delves into Butler's views on identity, gender, and the politics of the body. The third, fourth, and fifth chapters focus respectively on the plays by Kane, McDonagh, and Ravenhill, analyzing them under thematic headings such as "Characters and the Body," "A Critical Stance on Body Politics," "Identity and Voice," "Subversion of Traditional Norms," "Sexuality and Sexual Identities," and "Performativity." The research adopts a qualitative methodology, particularly content analysis, interpreting the texts within their socio-cultural contexts and connecting them with relevant theoretical approaches. Drawing on Butler's argument that identity is not innate but rather constructed through the repetition of social norms, the thesis explores how female characters' representations of the body and sexuality are shaped as unstable, fluid, and contradictory processes. The study concludes that the plays examined not only represent the female body but also utilize it as a site of political enactment. They challenge prevailing gender norms and bring alternative identity formations to the fore. Ultimately, the findings demonstrate a strong interplay between the formal structure of postdramatic theatre and the ideological ground of feminist theory, where the body, voice, and even silence emerge as powerful spaces of resistance.