{"id":{"repo_id":"ucf","oai_identifier":"oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:etd-1557"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/ucf/oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:etd-1557","repository":{"repo_id":"ucf","name":"Central Florida","base_url":"https://stars.library.ucf.edu/do/oai/"},"display":{"title":"Truly An Awesome Spectacle: Gender Performativity And The Alienation Effect In Angels In America","abstract":"Tony Kushner's two-part play Angels in America uses stereotypical depictions of gay men to deconstruct traditional gender dichotomies. In this thesis, I argue that Kushner has created a continuum of gender performativity to deconstruct these traditional gender dichotomies, thereby empowering the effeminate and disempowering the masculine. I closely examine Kushner's use of Brechtian and Aristotelian tenets in the first Broadway production of the play to demonstrate that Kushner sought to induce social awareness of gay male oppression, contingent on the audience's perception of Kushner's deconstruction of the traditional gender dichotomy. I also scrutinize the role of the closet and its implications in the play, primarily analyzed with Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's theoretical framework, suggesting Kushner's partiality to openly gay men who can actively participate in the cessation of gay male oppression.","abstract_html":"Tony Kushner&#x27;s two-part play Angels in America uses stereotypical depictions of gay men to deconstruct traditional gender dichotomies. In this thesis, I argue that Kushner has created a continuum of gender performativity to deconstruct these traditional gender dichotomies, thereby empowering the effeminate and disempowering the masculine. I closely examine Kushner&#x27;s use of Brechtian and Aristotelian tenets in the first Broadway production of the play to demonstrate that Kushner sought to induce social awareness of gay male oppression, contingent on the audience&#x27;s perception of Kushner&#x27;s deconstruction of the traditional gender dichotomy. I also scrutinize the role of the closet and its implications in the play, primarily analyzed with Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick&#x27;s theoretical framework, suggesting Kushner&#x27;s partiality to openly gay men who can actively participate in the cessation of gay male oppression.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Gorney, Allen"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Campbell, James"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2005,"date_issued":"2005-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2005-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:08:59Z","subjects":["gender studies","queer theory","modern drama","american literature","dramatic criticism","Dramatic Literature, Criticism and Theory","Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies","Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies"],"languages":["English"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["CFE0000901"],"render_values":[{"text":"CFE0000901","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/558","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Campbell, James"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Gorney, Allen"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Masters Thesis (Open Access)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["gender studies","queer theory","modern drama","american literature","dramatic criticism","Dramatic Literature, Criticism and Theory","Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies","Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["CFE0000901"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/558"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["<p>If this is your thesis or dissertation, and want to learn how to access it or for more information about readership statistics, contact us at <a href=\"mailto:STARS@ucf.edu\">STARS@ucf.edu</a></p>","Master of Arts (M.A.)","College of Arts and Sciences","English"]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Tony Kushner's two-part play Angels in America uses stereotypical depictions of gay men to deconstruct traditional gender dichotomies. In this thesis, I argue that Kushner has created a continuum of gender performativity to deconstruct these traditional gender dichotomies, thereby empowering the effeminate and disempowering the masculine. I closely examine Kushner's use of Brechtian and Aristotelian tenets in the first Broadway production of the play to demonstrate that Kushner sought to induce social awareness of gay male oppression, contingent on the audience's perception of Kushner's deconstruction of the traditional gender dichotomy. 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In this thesis, I argue that Kushner has created a continuum of gender performativity to deconstruct these traditional gender dichotomies, thereby empowering the effeminate and disempowering the masculine. I closely examine Kushner's use of Brechtian and Aristotelian tenets in the first Broadway production of the play to demonstrate that Kushner sought to induce social awareness of gay male oppression, contingent on the audience's perception of Kushner's deconstruction of the traditional gender dichotomy. I also scrutinize the role of the closet and its implications in the play, primarily analyzed with Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick's theoretical framework, suggesting Kushner's partiality to openly gay men who can actively participate in the cessation of gay male oppression."],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["CFE0000901"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/558"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:subject":["gender studies","queer theory","modern drama","american literature","dramatic criticism","Dramatic Literature, Criticism and Theory","Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies","Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies"],"dc:title":["Truly An Awesome Spectacle: Gender Performativity And The Alienation Effect In Angels In America"],"dc:type":["Masters Thesis (Open Access)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:08:59Z"}