Heidi Chronicles

A detailed Summary of Heidi Chronicles

Heidi Holland and Feminism in The Heidi Chronicles

Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles attempts to

demonstrate the futility of the women's rights movement, and its incapacity to fulfill the needs of all women. We trace the main character, Heidi, from the time she develops an interest in men, 1964, to the time where she gives up on men and decides to fulfill her own needs for a family by adopting a child. Wasserstein shows the infiltrating changes in the life of American women with humor and sentimentality. Trapped between the controlling factors of responsibility and love, men and motherhood, gender and political theory, Heidi and her friends search for understanding and selfhood over a 40-year span.

In many ways, Heidi is a passive character. She is torn between her own desires and the influence of those around her when deciding the course of her life. For example, in Act 1 Scene 2, she meets Scoop. It is obvious she does not want to talk to him, but instead if being direct

However, they are both repelled by each other's ambitious and acquisitive nature. Scoop could never marry a woman like Heidi because she is strong of mind, outspoken, and competitive. All these are "non feminine" personality attributes, and he is basically scared off as he later admits in Act 1 Scene 5, at his wedding.

, she lies about her name: "I know your name is Heidi because it says so on your name tag. Heidi. H-E-I-D-I" (Wasserstein 173). Scoop catches her in her lie, putting her on the spot. The whole situation could have been avoided, however, had she a more confrontational temperament.

In Sue Ellen Case's article titled "Radical Feminism and Theater" she writes: "Feminism is a theory; Lesbianism is the practice." This statement embodies the feelings invoked at the meeting Heidi attends. She separates herself from women due to her involvement with men, and can therefore never truly put the theory into practice. Her involvement with men is unsuccessful, to say the least.

Scoop's relationship w

Some common words found in the essay are:
Feminism Theater, Heidi Chronicles, Ann Arbor, H-E-I-D-I Wasserstein, A+ A-, Lisa Freidlander, Heidi A+, Ellen Case's, act 1, , act 1 scene, 1 scene, heidi chronicles, love heidi, women's rights,

Approximate Word count = 689
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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