Wendy Wasserstein

<p> Although Wasserstein calls herself a humanist her works reflect a political rhetoric if cloaked in humor that she herself could not imagine to be anything but feminist. Shaped by literal cultural and materialistic feminist theory Wasserstein illustrates the impact of the women's movement on the lives of her female characters. The five major works with their near-sequel effect let us see her characters' college years mid-twenties mid-thirties and middle age.</p><p> Through the use of a newly devised critical context called fem-en(act)ment or textual or performance drama that is guided by feminist disposition thematically and stylistically the author here allows for a fresh reading of the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.</p>