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Unpacking Gender Roles in Drama: A Journey from "A Doll's House" to Screenwriting



"King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra with their family on board the Royal yacht, 'Osborne'" by whatsthatpictureis marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.

Welcome to my blog!

During the second unit of our Drama course, we delved into the topic of gender roles, especially focusing on the historical context that shaped women’s roles across various time periods. To build our understanding, we turned to Henrik Ibsen’s renowned play, A Doll’s House, which offered a powerful look at societal expectations for women. Before diving into the play itself, we engaged in rich discussions and readings that explored the symbolism of a doll and its connection to women’s roles as defined by society. This examination allowed us to reflect on how the metaphor of a doll represents restrictions placed on women, and how Ibsen challenged these norms by giving Nora, the main character, the agency to choose her own path.

To bring these themes to life, we attended a production of A Wrinkle In Time at The Theatre School at DePaul University. This play added layers to our understanding of gender’s impact, especially in contemporary settings. The performance helped us see the broader implications of gender roles beyond historical contexts, showing how these issues continue to affect characters, relationships, and identities in literature and life.

As we prepared for the Action Project (AP), we were introduced to the essentials of screenwriting. We studied videos on formatting stage plays, which taught us to use the correct indentations, headings, and other technical details. For this AP, we had to write a continuation scene for A Doll’s House, imagining how the story might develop beyond Ibsen’s ending. This exercise gave me the freedom to reinterpret Nora’s journey, keeping the play’s themes of independence and self-discovery alive while adding my own creative twist.

One of our first field experiences (FE) was a discussion with two actors, Ajax and Delaney, who shared their insights from performing on both stage and screen. Their talk was eye-opening, as they emphasized the depth of expression that theater-trained actors bring to their roles. Their advice gave me a greater appreciation for how foundational stage experience is in an actor’s career, regardless of the medium they end up working in. We also visited the Goodman Theatre, where we spoke with various professionals. The highlight for me was meeting the dramaturg, who explained the research and thought that goes into understanding and bringing historical and social contexts to the stage. This experience underscored how drama not only entertains but also educates and challenges us to see the world differently.

Completing this project was deeply satisfying. I especially enjoyed the creative process of writing my script, which allowed me to channel my ideas on gender roles and freedom into a narrative format. Choosing influential women for my screenplay was both inspiring and challenging—while I settled on Queen Elizabeth II and Kamala Harris, I was struck by the sheer number of remarkable women whose lives defy traditional roles. Reflecting on these choices brought me closer to understanding how diverse experiences shape women’s lives.

What I took away from this unit was a heightened awareness of how profoundly gender roles impact society and individuals. The discussions we held in class, the plays we analyzed, and the characters we brought to life all revealed layers of the female experience I hadn’t fully considered before. This project made me appreciate the importance of representation in theater, both in how it reflects history and how it inspires future change.

I hope you enjoy this post and gain as much insight into the evolving role of women in drama as I did.

As Queen Elizabeth II said: "In these testing times, it is my hope that you can draw strength and inspiration from what we share, as we work together towards a healthy, sustainable, and prosperous future for all."

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