Beneath the Surface: Examining the Function of Female Banter

Amber, Alexander

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Beneath the Surface: Examining the Function of Female Banter

Amber, Alexander

Abstract

This thesis will explore the autonomy displayed by three female protagonists with a focus particularly on the function of banter and its psychological effects. Through a psychoanalytic lens, this thesis aims to uncover the concealed insecurities masked by women’s banter, as well as the desires it reveals in William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and Edward Albee’s play Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. All three female protagonists’ banter, then, defensively and protectively, conceals emotions that they are often not aware of; therefore, consequently, banter serves as a catalyst for their self-awareness. The exchange of banter between Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, and Martha and George in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, thus aids in the individuals’ self-development.