Monologue, Woman and Survival in Frank McGuinness’s Baglady

Abstract

Although it is true that women have received much attention since the mid-twentieth century and some have held major positions in public domains, not many theatrical works have given women a full spotlight on their less perceivable experiences, particularly those who are disadvantaged or struggling on the social margins. In those works that do indeed do so, descriptions of women’s conditions do not always reflect their exact experiences and challenges. This paper will explore Frank McGuiness’s Baglady (1985), which centres on a woman protagonist who discloses her painful memories and tries to cope with her suffering. In this play, the protagonist, stuck in the past, reveals her dark secrets in a narrative that is not always in a regular time sequence. Incidentally, by hearing how she makes sense of her troubles in everyday life, the audience seems to participate in the process of her self-examination and possible healing. This essay will also investigate how the character struggles with oppression in more radical ways, and how she fails or succeeds in breaking free from her hidden constraints.