Theme: The Role of Women

Theme: The Role of Women

Overview

The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil presents women as central figures in the Highland society.
Their roles are multifaceted, encompassing themes of resilience, hardship and survival.

Assertion of Agency

Despite living in a patriarchal society, the Highland women in the play are not passive victims but active agents.
They portray courage and resistance in face of exploitation and adversity.

Symbol of Resistance

The wives and mothers embody the spirit of motherhood, nurturing families, and preserving cultural heritage despite displacement and exploitation.
They symbolise the unbroken continuity of heritage and serves as a beacon of resilience for the Highland community.

Embodiment of Cultural Preservation

Women act as cultural transmitters, passing down traditions, stories and folk songs through generations.
This cultural preservation is pivotal in maintaining Highland identity amid external exploitation.

Representing Society’s Exploitation

The play portrays the sexual exploitation of women, mirroring the larger economic and political exploitation of the Highland region.
This parallel draws attention to the systemic nature of exploitation and the intersecting forms of oppression experienced by the women and their community.

Depiction of Work and Class

Work and class affect the lives of Highland women; they are shown doing hard manual labour.
Their struggle highlights the economic reality and inequalities faced by working-class women.

Women’s roles over time are seen to change, reflecting the social transformations in the Highland society.
They embody the shift from an agricultural society to an industrial one, mirroring the evolution in the Highland society.

Significance

Women in the play are crucial in reflecting the social, political and cultural realities of the Highland communities.
Their representation emphasizes the integral role of women in the Highland’s past, present and future.