Mirrors and Masochism in "The Maids"
March 7, 2006
“The Maids” by Jean Genet is a play not given to a conventional plot breakdown. It is designed to repeatedly dissolve audience perceptions as soon as they are formed. Mirrors are the dominant feature of the play, both physically and metaphorically. The characters, two maids and their Madame, serve as mirrors for each other. They also look in mirrors literally every time they turn around.