The Negative Aspects of the Feminist Message of “The Outside” by Susan Glaspell

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to show and explain some of the negative aspects, descriptions, portrayals of characters, ideas…etc., of the feminist message that the American playwright, Susan Glaspell, tries to deliver in her one-act play “The Outside” (1917). The feminist message is supposed to support woman and shed light on their suffering in a male- dominated society, but some aspects of the play show the contrary. These negative aspects show that the feminist message of the play does not highlight women's suffering because of male's injustice but rather because they have lost their male partners. In addition to that it shows that the female characters are portrayed as harsh, hostile, and indifferent characters while the male characters are savers of life, confident, and merciful.