Exploring Masculinity and Femininity in the Husband-Wife Dynamics of Look Back in Anger

Abstract

This paper explores the complex dynamics of male-female relationship within the framework of masculinity and femininity as presented in John Osborne's path breaking drama Look Back in Anger. The purpose of this study is to illuminate how the author uses gender roles to create and deconstruct the relationships at the heart of the story by looking closely at the characters and their interactions. The purpose of this article is to explore how the character follows or subverts established gender norms, which in turn affects their marriage and the overall flow of the play. This paper does this using an interdisciplinary approach based on literature, gender studies and theatre analysis. It focuses on two main characters, Jimmy and Alison, who struggle with the changing nature of cultural expectations and gender roles in post-war England.