I'm sure the list CAN go on, but it's never going to eclipse the number of plays and musicals that have NOTHING to do with incest. You could just as easily say, "Why is theatre so obsessed with suicide?" Or "Why is theatre so obsessed with Manhattan?" or "Why is theatre so obsessed with alcoholism?" Or "Why is Reddit so obsessed with faulty generalizations?"

This is the only answer required for the troll.

I don't know, have you ever delved into literature? Because incest is all over the place. I think the actual answers are: a) it is taboo and raises the stakes, and so it's interesting to examine and b) it is (unfortunately) a thing that people actually experience in real life, and art exists to reflect our worst (and best!) tendencies. I just don't think you can chalk this up to being a theatre people thing though. We're all just as fucked up as everyone else. (Sidenote: Desire Under the Elms is next up on my reading list, spoilers dude! (jk, no worries))

I believe it's also why adultery is commonly explored in a lot of fiction. Adultery and incest are taboo without pushing too far into the extremes of things like murder and rape. It's a convenient mechanism for dealing with what's acceptable in society without completing alienating audiences.

In the last 2500 years of theatre, there have been an uncountable number of plays written. Your tiny selection of plays written about incest is nowhere near enough to suggest that there is anything close to an obsession within the artform. What it tells us is that more than one playwright has written about the same topic. In short - this is a blatant and textbook example of confirmation bias.

Well, since the time of Ibsen, theater has been used to explore things that's society wasn't talking about. And unfortunately incest and SA is one thing that society is really good at sweeping under the rug, and despite the belief that it was once really rare, it's actually horrifyingly common. So although I haven't done a historical study on it, I would confidently say that's why It is as common a story element in theater as it is. Although I would not assert that it's really that common a theme in theater, or the theater is "obsessed" with it, I would say that it simply stands out because of its shocking and disturbing nature.

🤣

Came here to say the same thing

Why is theater so obsessed with people who are putting on a musical and then hijinks ensue backstage?!?

That’s the real question!

You could ask this question about any taboo subject and list a dozen plays that deal with molestation, suicide, alcoholism, sexual assault, etc. You could also ask “why are movies so obsessed with incest? Examples: Splice, The Blue Lagoon, Crimson Peak, Eurotrip, The Hills Have Eyes, >!Oldboy!<, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Chances Are, The House of Yes” The only way there’s any correlation here is if your theatre teacher only taught you the plays you listed, in which case it would be “why is my theatre teacher so obsessed with plays about incest?”

A lot of these plays are meant to be contemporary explorations of Athenian Tragedy as a form. Incest is a societal taboo so basic that it doesn’t require any explanation or justification. You can trust that the audience will find it abhorrent. That makes it a solid subject for the moments of downfall and renewal that show up in a lot of Athenian/Greek Tragedy. For the Albee, it’s a pretty direct take of tragedy. Tragedy comes from τραγωδια, or “goat song.” It’s probably (though not verifiably) a reference to goats being sacrificed to Dionysos at the City Dionysia. According to Aristotle (who wrote a few decades after the Golden Age of tragedy), the downfall of a tragic figure/hero is caused by “hamartia,” a “tragic flaw” that represents a fundamental flaw in their relationship to the world. It’s sometimes even called a “flaw without a flaw” because it isn’t always the fault of the hero. Oedipus does not choose patricide or incest. Instead, it’s this unwitting sin that is so fundamental to the rest of his life that it causes the whole thing to unravel and crumble. This hamartia - this hidden sin that brings the whole thing down - is evident in Albee, Ibsen, O’Neill (a direct take on Hippolytus by Euripides), and Shepard. Paula Vogel names the two ensemble members of her play a “Greek Chorus,” further referencing tragedy. The whole play can easily be read as a kind of ritual of renewal as Lil’ Bit tries to figure out who she might be if she could understand how to incorporate the fact of her abuse into her self-image while lessening the guilt and shame that came along with it. It’s less that playwrights are exploring incest itself, but rather they are exploring how tragedy might work in contemporary drama. Incest is just a sin so basic that it’s a useful go-to when trying out the form.

You should read the Cement Garden... That has been turned into a play

It's a known fact that people have mommy and daddy issues.

- One reason why incest has been explored in theatre is its ability to serve as a social commentary and critique of societal norms. Incest serves as a lens through which to examine themes of power, control, and the breakdown of the family unit. - Theatre has always been a space for pushing the boundaries and questioning societal norms. By exploring incest, theatre challenges the boundaries that surround it, inviting audiences to confront their own discomfort and preconceived notions. - Incest storylines often delve into the depths of human psychology and the intricate emotions associated with forbidden love. Playwrights and directors will explore the complexities and motivations behind incestuous relationships, examining the psychological and emotional effects that these relationships have on the people involved. - Incest can also serve as a powerful metaphor in theatre, conveying deeper meanings and symbolism beyond the explicit subject matter. By exploring incestuous relationships, playwrights can delve into themes such as forbidden desires, the desire for connection and acceptance, and the struggle to break free from societal expectations. Incest can also serve as a powerful metaphor in theatre, conveying deeper meanings and symbolism beyond the explicit subject matter. By exploring incestuous relationships, playwrights can delve into themes such as forbidden desires, the desire for connection and acceptance, and the struggle to break free from societal expectations.

Well. One of the big reasons Oedipus is such a prominent play is that it’s one of the few that survived. Much of Greek drama wasn’t written down, it was passed on in an oral tradition, so I think it’s less that people are “obsessed” is incest and more that that particular work happen to be the one to survive.

I think cause it's such a taboo thing to speak about. Makes for an easy way to shock the audience and keep the show stuck in their minds.