Follows a woman's Herculean struggle against the curse of infertility. The woman's barrenness becomes a metaphor for her marriage in a traditional society that denies women sexual or social equality. Her desperate desire for a child drives her to commit a terrible crime.

"Must-haves for any students exploring these modern classics, or indeed anyone teaching Literature or Drama." – Teach Secondary Methuen Drama Student Editions are expertly annotated texts of modern and classic plays designed for students' study. Each one offers the complete text of the play as well as contemporary commentary, written by experts in the field, that provides students with an in-depth look into the background, themes and history of the play. They include: - An introduction giving a complete background to the play and a discussion of the social, political, cultural and economic context in which the play was originally conceived and created. - A chronology of the playwright’s life and work, and review of the play’s production history. - Questions for further study and preparation for examinations along with suggestions for primary and secondary materials for further study.