Resistance retold: historical and mythical narratives in plays by Romero, Resino, Pascual and de Paco Serrano

Abstract

In this article we will look at a small but cohesive sample of plays by female dramatists of democratic Spain from the 1980’s to the present, in which the dramatic retelling of history and myth has evolved in time as it accompanied the emergence of stronger female narratives. We will focus on plays that feature female protagonists whom we think we already know from history or mythology and who confront culturally predominant male narratives. In each case, the playwright offers her characters a unique opportunity to deconstruct and re-write these stories, or even to demythify and re-inscribe myth. These writers emphasize the credibility of their female characters as they urge their spectators to question the legitimacy of traditional patriarchal roles for women and to look beyond a purely masculine point of view to a more pertinent and comprehensive view of the problems that exist in the world outside the theater.

Keywords

• mito
• historia
• teatro de mujer
• personajes femeninos
• resistencia