Criticism of Modern Society Through Female Characters in Churchill’s Dramaturgy

Abstract

This study examines how Caryl Churchill employs female characters as a critical lens through which modern society is interrogated in her dramaturgy. Focusing on selected plays such as Top Girls, Cloud Nine, and Serious Money, the research explores the ways in which women are constructed as complex figures reflecting broader socio-political and cultural tensions. Using a qualitative interpretative approach grounded in feminist literary criticism and postmodern theatre theory, the study analyzes characterization, narrative structure, and dramatic techniques. The findings suggest that Churchill’s female characters are not merely representational figures but active agents of social critique, exposing issues such as patriarchal domination, gender inequality, identity fragmentation, and capitalist pressures. The study concludes that Churchill’s dramaturgy redefines traditional female representation in theatre by transforming women into central voices of resistance against dominant ideological systems.