Fefu and her Friends (1978) is regarded as one of Maria Fornes's well-known works. It is a feminist play. According Ann M. Shanahan, ''[L]ike A Doll's House, Fefu is significant in the development of feminist theatre. [... however,] unlike the realism of Ibsen, Fefu is set at a slight historical remove from its time of writing'' (Sept. 2013, 134). In Fefu, Fornes foregrounds women whereas she sets men off stage; she sets them as shadow or background. Despite the fact that she removes male presence from the play, they are ''peripherally present [...] through references to the characters' past relations and to Fefu's restrictive and loveless marriage'' (Asrat Dec. 2005). The play is set in New England Spring 1935 when feminism was not properly established, and women were attempting to get equal rights as men.
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Fefu and her Friends deals with a small group of women who seem to be old friends and are almost victims of the unjust treatment of men in patriarchal societies. They gather at the title character's middle class country house in New England in order to discuss their volunteer social work where they plan a fundraiser related to education. By so doing, they attempt to establish themselves in society. From the beginning of the play, Fornes set the stage for her female characters to express the oppression imposed upon them in their patriarchal society. Meanwhile, she portrays women's resistance against such oppression as represented by Fefu, the hostess and the main character of the play as well as some other female characters. Fefu is, as Araceli Gonzalez Crespan states, ''dynamic, active and can talk about a variety of topics'' (2013, 50). Early in Part I, she complains to her friends about the harsh treatment of her husband, Philip, who is a typical example of men in male-dominated
Fefu and her Friends deals with a small group of women who seem to be old friends and are almost victims of the unjust treatment of men in patriarchal societies. They gather at the title character's middle class country house in New England in order to discuss their volunteer social work where they plan a fundraiser related to education. By so doing, they attempt to establish themselves in society. From the beginning of the play, Fornes set the stage for her female characters to express the oppression imposed upon them in their patriarchal society. Meanwhile, she portrays women's resistance against such oppression as represented by Fefu, the hostess and the main character of the play as well as some other female characters. Fefu is, as Araceli Gonzalez Crespan states, ''dynamic, active and can talk about a variety of topics'' (2013, 50). Early in Part I, she complains to her friends about the harsh treatment of her husband, Philip, who is a typical example of men in male-dominated