<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> In our contemporary society there exists a fascination with trauma and testimony. Thus, my paper looks at traumatised protagonists in the above-mentioned plays that testify to the manifold victimization of asylum seekers. First they were tortured and persecuted in their home countries, and then subjected to new traumatic humiliation in prison-like detention centres in Great Britain. Both plays assume a political position by appealing to the individual conscience of the audience who, through the characters’ outrageous narration, become witnesses to appalling violations of human rights.</p></abstract>

In our contemporary society there exists a fascination with trauma and testimony. Thus, my paper looks at traumatised protagonists in the above-mentioned plays that testify to the manifold victimization of asylum seekers. First they were tortured and persecuted in their home countries, and then subjected to new traumatic humiliation in prison-like detention centres in Great Britain. Both plays assume a political position by appealing to the individual conscience of the audience who, through the characters’ outrageous narration, become witnesses to appalling violations of human rights.

Trauma Drama: Victims’ Traumatic Memories in Kay Adshead’s the Bogus Woman (2001) and Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Credible Witness (2001).

University of Malaga 29071 Málaga, Spain

Gender Studies

In our contemporary society there exists a fascination with trauma and testimony. Thus, my paper looks at traumatised protagonists in the above-mentioned plays...

Trauma Drama: Victims’ Traumatic Memories in Kay Adshead’s the Bogus Woman (2001) and Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Credible Witness (2001).

Published Online: Dec 28, 2012

Page range: 62 - 73

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10320-012-0006-9

Keywords
Adshead, detention centres, persecution, testimony, trauma/asylum drama, Wertenbaker, witnesses.

This content is open access.

Trauma Drama: Victims’ Traumatic Memories in Kay Adshead’s the Bogus Woman (2001) and Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Credible Witness (2001).

Published Online: Dec 28, 2012

Page range: 62 - 73

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10320-012-0006-9

KeywordsAdshead, detention centres, persecution, testimony, trauma/asylum drama, Wertenbaker, witnesses.

This content is open access.

Keywords
Adshead, detention centres, persecution, testimony, trauma/asylum drama, Wertenbaker, witnesses.