THE MYTH OF GENDER IDENTITY AND AMERICAN FAMILY SYSTEM: A FEMINIST CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF EDWARD ALBEE’S “WHO IS AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?”

Abstract

This research qualitative in nature has been conducted with an aim to explore those socio-cognitive factors which shape gender identity. Gender identity and the struggle of one gender to gain control and dominance over other are the major concerns of this article. The feminist critical discourse analysis of Edward Albee’s three acts play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is based on Van Dijk’s socio-cognitive model. The analysis revealed that gender identity is nothing fixed and characters keep on assuming different gender identities as per prevailing situation. Van Dijk’s concept of cognitive interface helped to establish the idea that characters’ cognition served as a bridge between social structures and discourse structures. These discourse structures in turn reveal the identity a character performs in a certain situation. This study has roots in Psychology, linguistics and Sociology.