Ultra-Sounding Maternal Subjectivity: A Feminist Reclamation of Pregnancy and Childbirth on Stage

Abstract

Maternal subjectivity, as it is formed through pregnancy and birth experiences, is avoided in theatrical depiction. While particular limitations demand that the depiction of gestation be shortened in plays, what has resulted has been an over-correction that is detrimental to women, claiming that exclusively female experiences are unimportant. Theatrical conventions, such as pregnant belly costumes, bundled blankets and baby-crying sound effects, are the main culprits of this phenomena. These conventions reduce the experience of pregnancy and birth to visual or auditory cues for the audience that are communally understood in a singular way and separate it away from the woman’s own experience and identity development. Another contributor to this problem is the privileging of other characters’ perspectives over that of the gestating/birthing/maternal woman. This practice devalues the woman and reinforces damaging notions of uncontrollable hysteria that have been historically linked to the female, gestating body. I propose looking at a larger picture of the pregnant/birthing woman that encompasses more of her experience. I divide gestation into five phases: perpetually-potentially pregnant, invisibly pregnant, visibly pregnant, birthing and immediate postpartum. This extension allows for a closer look at how these experiences affect the woman. I look at six plays as case studies to see how they handle the pregnant/birthing/maternal women in their scripts. I conclude that there has been much ground covered with respect to women’s agency and autonomy in drama, but these gains have contributed an overshadowing of an essential experience for many women. Playwrights treat pregnancy and childbirth as inconsequential with respect to how they affect a woman’s identity and allowing this to continue has the potential to hinder feminist progress writ large.