Breaking the Bounds focuses on second-wave feminism as a rupture in an unbroken episteme of Western patriarchy analyzed with regard to British dramatic discourse. The theoretical framework is a genealogy of patriarchy deploying and developing Foucault's ideas on discourse to apply to a deconstruction of Western patriarchy. An analysis of feminist drama texts is used to support the argument that Western patriarchy consists of one unbroken episteme as the patriarchal impulse substrates the epistemological breaks indicated by Foucault. The theoretical text speaks of the twentieth-century feminist rupture from patriarchy, analyzing in detail the texts of five mainstream feminist dramatists who have successfully effected an intervention in the British grand récit of undeniably male dramatic discourse.
«Dr. Godiwala has the rare gift of combining contemporary feminist and performance theories with an acute grasp of the effect of her chosen plays in performance. Thus she offers the reader an applied theoretical framework that is always tested by the reality of the theatrical experience. Her reading of the plays takes full account of the varying aesthetic intentions of the playwrights and constitutes a significant contribution to the discourses of female writing for the theatre.» (Tim Prentki, Professor, King Alfred's College, Winchester, England Author of 'Popular Theatre in Political Culture')
«As we rush into the twenty-first century head-on, it remains frustrating for scholars of even the recent past to uncover detailed analyses of women's traditions and texts. Dr. Godiwala's book asks us to refocus our attention and to take another look at women's contemporary (or late twentieth century) drama. She focuses primarily on texts read in political and social context, and shines some illuminating spotlights on performance as well...» (Lizbeth Goodman, Director, The SMARTlab Centre, England Author of 'Contemporary Feminist Theatres')
«As we rush into the twenty-first century head-on, it remains frustrating for scholars of even the recent past to uncover detailed analyses of women's traditions and texts. Dr. Godiwala's book asks us to refocus our attention and to take another look at women's contemporary (or late twentieth century) drama. She focuses primarily on texts read in political and social context, and shines some illuminating spotlights on performance as well...» (Lizbeth Goodman, Director, The SMARTlab Centre, England Author of 'Contemporary Feminist Theatres')