Traditional studies of theater have long neglected an overall study of female roles as written by male playwrights. Are the roles blatantly sexist or do they adhere to the cultural norms that even progressive male playwrights cannot ignore?From Georg Buchner's Woyzeck to David Hare's Plenty, the ten plays studied here have traditionally been seen as extraordinarily innovative and progressive. Despite their seeming openness, each of the plays is affected...