Maternalism: Matrophobia in Wendy Wasserstein’s “The Heidi Chronicles”

The purpose of this research is to study the maternalistic approach in Wendy Wasserstein’s “The Heidi Chronicles” by focusing on main female characters and their parts as mothers as well as individuals. “The Heidi Chronicles” is one of the most prominent examples of early feminist plays. It traces the coming of age of Heidi Holland from high school in the 1960s to her career as an art historian in the 1980s. Heidi determines her place in society and juggles work, friendship and romance. She later accepts the maternal role and cherishes it as part of her own feminity. Maternalism is the theoretical viewpoint that incorporates a common idea of femininity and applies it as a support for women’s involvement in society. This study considered the maternalistic discourse in the prominent dramatic literature of the 80s. This particular period is most known as the aftermath of women’s right movement in the west, when traditional female roles as mothers and wives were challenged by the young independent and self-sufficient women’s new perspective in the modern-era. Subsequently, the concept of “Matrophobia” is visited. Matrophobia isn’t the fear of your mother or motherhood but the fear of becoming her. Matrophobia is embedded in 1970s feminist women’s past and continues to linger in contemporary women affecting the depiction of motherhood in the literary work of later generations. By considering Matrophobia in the selected play, as a noticeable example of a feminist text, this study is seeking an understanding of Matrophobia and reduce or eliminate it through the acceptance of Maternalism. The maternal approach to the literary pieces is a new one focusing on female characters as mothers and their challenges with the traditional models of motherhood. The analysis of female characters in the play can help better understand the essence of the challenge and the dilemma of contemporary women in accepting the maternal role as an inseperable part of their own femininity. The sources used are those of recent feminist thinkers and academics as well as sources from the 70s and 80s.