孕育新的女性主義／國家主義：汀馞蕾珂．渥騰貝克之《破曉》中的生育議題

Conceiving a New Feminism/Nationalism: Mothering in Timberlake Wertenbaker’s The Break of Day

本文擬探討英國女劇作家渥騰貝克之《破曉》（1995）中的現代女性生育議題。第一部份陳述當年劇評家批評兩位中年女性主義者選擇生育／母職是對女性主義的背叛。第二部份指出渥騰貝克透過這樣的選擇，重新檢視向來被女性主義者排斥和否定的母親身分。第三部份論述跨國認養如何凸顯在全球化時代個人及國家主體的轉化，同時抨擊柴契爾政權下的國家霸權主義。結論則呈現《破曉》中的期待，在邁入二十一世紀時，女性在身分建構上更具自主權，國家、民族能包容異己、平等相待。

This essay investigates the issue of mothering in Timberlake Wertenbaker’s The Break of Day (1995). The first part states how the desire of mothering was dismissed by critics as a backlash against feminism. The second part argues that, by dramatizing the maternal drive, Wertenbaker calls for a re-examination of the problematic of mothering. The third part points out that with the cross-border adoption Wertenbaker addresses the formations and transformations of individual and national identities in the era of globalization on the one hand, and on the other attacks the hegemonic Britain under the Thatcher government. The essay concludes that The Break of Day offers a better future in which women can have greater control over their bodies and races can enjoy greater equality.