The Insanity of Mary Girard by Lanie Robertson is a haunting one-act docudrama that explores the descent into madness of a historical Philadelphia woman, Mary Girard, who was committed to an asylum in 1790 after becoming pregnant by another man. The play is frequently studied for its commentary on , the subjectivity of sanity , and the brutal treatment of mental illness in the 18th century. Play Summary & Context
Here are the key themes that make the script so powerful: the insanity of mary girard script pdf
: The play begins on Mary's first day of confinement, where she is strapped into a "tranquilizing chair". The Insanity of Mary Girard by Lanie Robertson
The play begins with Mary strapped into a "tranquilizing chair" in the basement of Pennsylvania Hospital. Her husband, the noted financier Stephen Girard, has declared her legally insane and bribed the hospital to keep her there for life after discovering she was pregnant by another man. The play begins with Mary strapped into a