The Theme of Infanticide in Selected Anglo-American Literature

Abstract

The theme of infanticide has been seen as a prominant factor in all these works . I have applied this theme in my five works I have studied. These works cover the anglo american literature from 1859 to 1987.the works are George Eliot's Adam Bede,Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms,Edward Albee's The American Dream,Sam Shepard's The Buried Child and Toni Morrison's Beloved. The causes for the murder of infant range from shame of being shunned by the society,anger,lunacy , protection etc.The author's backgrounds also reveal a world of deranged families ,the search for love which made them write the following works.