Interpretation of the Political and Ideological Utopia in Caryl Churchill's "Bright Light in Buckinghamshire"

Abstract

Abstract:This study seeks to interpret the political and ideological forms in Caryl Churchill's play "Light Shining in Buckinghamshire" in light of the concept of Utopia with reference to the socialist theories of utopianism, which she recognises as providing a significant component to her political point of view. The politics of utopia embraces most of Caryl Churchill plays, and “Light Shining in Buckinghamshire” (1976) is no exception. Utopia, a term widely used by the politicians and historians since the time of the Greeks, has been moved as one of the ideas connected with literary works, where the texts that deal with the description of an ideal and imaginary society called utopian literature. However, the primary motives behind utopian drama were social, political, and philosophical. Plato’s “Republic” and Augustine’s “The City of God” have been viewed as the world’s most influential works of utopia in history.The objective of the study is to interpret the potentially relationship between political and artistic discourses, which form one richly multi-layered language in Churchill's "Light Shining in Buckinghamshire" thus, the study is divided into two sections. The first one discusses the complex but dynamic filed of utopianism as well as examines the rare area of the relationship between utopia and theatre, while the second section goes to open up Churchill's play "Light Shining in Buckinghamshire" theoretically through focusing on the representation of utopian considerations as well as the political and ideological perspectives. The study is rounded up with concluding verdicts.Key WordsUtopianism, Utopian literature, dystopia, postmodernism drama, Caryl Churchill.