Effects of gender-bending in Brecht’s The Good Woman of Setzuan
Topic: Consider our exploration of gender roles in Brecht’s The Good Woman of Setzuan. In the play, the female protagonist Shen Te attempts to gain agency by gender-bending as her fake male cousin Shui Ta. Discuss the effects of this performance of gender, and Shen Te’s social experiences as both male and female. Does taking on a double self in Shui Ta allow Shen Te to overcome the stereotypes and social barriers associated with femininity in Setzuan?
Effects of gender-bending in Brecht’s The Good Woman of Setzuan
Thesis: Shen Te defies gender identity and presented herself as female (Shen Te) and male (Shui Ta) to gain agency and promote the act of goodness as was expected of her by gods. The act of bending gender identity made Shen Te experience various challenges and opportunity as a masculine and feminine. Nevertheless, the act posts a question to whether Shen Te overcomes stereotype and social barrier associated with femininity in Setzuan. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Topic sentence 1: In order to acquire the tobacco shop and run it effectively, Shen Te had to bend her gender and act as his non-existing cousin Shui Ta to gain the ownership and management of the shop through escaping and dodging around the debts that may have affected the business.
Supporting evidence: Shen Te negotiated with the carpenter as Shui Ta to leave the shelves for smooth shop operation (Brecht24).
Topic sentence 2: Shen Te faced trouble with her double identity.
Supporting evidence: Shui Ta reveals himself as Shen Te in the court and gods are not happy with the incident (Brecht 102). She did bad deeds (Brecht 99-100)
Topic sentence 3: Shen Te’s double self assistedhad less effectin overcoming stereotype and social barrier associated with femininity in Setzuan.
Supporting evidence: Shen Te to own and run a shop through her double identity, an act that was men’s custom at the time.
Shen Ten never overcome her femininity despite taking the two gender sides