Author: Jenny Malagon

Email: yogagirl86@hotmail.com

"It is clear that there is a strong presence of patriarchy within these plays. Whenever a woman is given a voice for herself, she is in fact being manipulated by the men into thinking that she is also given power. Instead of the woman becoming empowered, they become abased and more susceptible to the man’s rules. This type of setting can also demonstrate the primitive nature of men as hunters. It is not simply rewarding for them to catch their prey; however it is in the stalking, waiting, and the manipulation of the environment, sometimes with the use of traps which result in a more triumphant feeling. Just like the animals hunted by men, the women within these plays become prizes, taking away their freedom and their identities. What is a most disturbing element of males as hunters is this concept fits social norms. The domination of man over nature in this sense, has always been praised and seen as a means of true survival. Similarly, it is the men in these plays that embrace the hunter role in order to achieve what to them is the equivalent of a strong household."