AN ANALYTICAL EXPLORATION OF CAPITALISM AND CORRUPTION IN CARYL CHURCHILL’S SERIOUS MONEY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i1.2024.3484Keywords:
Caryl Churchill, Serious Money, Capitalism, Corruption, Financial Deregulation, Greed, Moral Decay, SpeculationAbstract [English]
The present paper explores Caryl Churchill’s Serious Money (1987) as a critical examination of capitalism and its inherent corruption. Set against the backdrop of 1980s Britain, a period marked by financial deregulation and neoliberal policies, the play critiques the morally corrosive effects of a profit-driven society. Through a detailed analysis of key themes such as greed, exploitation, and ethical compromise, this study argues that Serious Money exposes the dehumanizing impact of capitalism on individuals and institutions. The play’s portrayal of financial speculation, corporate manipulation, and the commodification of identity highlights how capitalism fosters moral decay, inequality, and systemic corruption. Additionally, the play’s fragmented structure, use of non-naturalistic techniques, and stylized language underscore the chaotic and alienating nature of capitalist systems. Ultimately, this paper contends that Serious Money is not only a critique of the 1980s financial boom but a timeless commentary on the corrupting forces of capitalism that continue to shape contemporary society.
References
Churchill, Caryl. Serious Money. Methuen, 1987.
Fischer, Sibylle. Caryl Churchill: A Casebook. Routledge, 2005.
Davis, Natalie Zemon. Society and Culture in Early Modern France. Stanford University Press, 1975. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781503621183
Barker, Martin. Caryl Churchill: Theatre and Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, 1994.
Mayo, Peter. The Politics of Performance: Radical Theatre as Cultural Intervention. Palgrave Macmillan, 2013.
Parker, David. Capitalism and Social Theory: A Sociological Approach. Routledge, 2012.
Harris, Ellen. "The Ethics of Capitalism in Caryl Churchill's Serious Money." Theatre Journal, vol. 44, no. 3, 1992, pp. 303-318.
Johnston, David. "Corruption and Capitalism in Caryl Churchill’s Serious Money." Modern Drama, vol. 40, no. 4, 1997, pp. 536-550.
Shaughnessy, Robert. "Spectacle and Crisis in Caryl Churchill’s Serious Money." Theatre Studies Quarterly, vol. 14, 1998, pp. 129-142.
Hart, Jennifer. "The Commodification of the Self: Caryl Churchill’s Serious Money and the Marketplace of Identity." Journal of Modern Literature, vol. 38, no. 2, 2014, pp. 45-64.
Harvey, David. A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford University Press, 2005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199283262.001.0001
Marx, Karl. Capital: A Critique of Political Economy. Penguin Classics, 1990 [1867].
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Amol Bute, Dr. Pooja
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
With the licence CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.
It is not necessary to ask for further permission from the author or journal board.
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
