Date of Award

6-2010

Document Type

Union College Only

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Modern Languages and Literatures

First Advisor

Victoria Martinez

Language

Spanish

Keywords

patriarchy, women, gender, inequality, maquiladoras, violence

Abstract

Machismo is a phenomenon that exists in many different places in the world. In addition, it exists in society on many different levels and penetrates every social class. Machismo is based on inequality between men and women, feelings of superiority of men and consequently, results in intimidation and control over women. Lately, this machismo can intensify in physical abuse. For some reasons, machismo in Juarez manifests itself in more exaggerated, extreme and grotesque acts that result in the rape and murder of countless innocent and young women. This thesis focuses on the patriarchal system and its effect on women who work in the maquiladoras. The approach includes an analysis of two theater plays, including Los trazos de viento by Alan Aguilar and Lomas de Poleo by Edeberto Galindo, which deals with the horrific violence in Juarez. The thesis examines how the theater exposes the vulnerability of women workers in the maquiladoras under a system that abuses them and reveals the impunity of murderers as a result of the lack of interest of patriarchal powers such as officers and police. With these plays, the dramatists want to educate and inform the public in an effort to stop the violence. In addition, these works return the honor and respect to innocent and murdered women.

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