Alienation and Intersectionality in Adrienne Kennedy’s Funnyhouse of a Negro

Adrienne Kennedy, in her oeuvre, has addressed the intersecting complications of gender and race. Most of her plays have examined and explored the ways in which these categories are constructed in American society. Through her focus on the experience of African American female characters, Kennedy’s theatrical work has illuminated the ways in which African American women are doubly oppressed. From this perspective, Sarah of the Funnyhouse of a Negro presents one of the most significant issues discussed by contemporary African American literature, which is the intersectionality of oppression. Funnyhouse was written in 1964, and the theory of intersectionality was established in 1989. Therefore, investigating the play through the lens of intersectionality reflects that Funnyhouse had advanced the time in which it had been written. The present paper aims to illustrate alienation through the lens of intersectionality to examine oppression and suffering experienced by Sarah. To accomplish this aim, the paper will focus on three dimensions presented in the play: race, gender issues and hybridity. Approaching these intersectional dimensions in the play helps to provide a full image of the alienation that Sarah was facing and suffering from the perspective of intersectionality..