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The Great Migration and the Seamstress: Disillusionment and Identity Reconstruction in Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparel (106467)
Session Chair: Yi-chin Shih
This presentation will be live-streamed via Zoom (Online Access)
Wednesday, 13 May 2026 11:55
Session: Session 1
Room: Live-Stream Room 5
Presentation Type: Live-Stream Presentation
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Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage (1964–) is renowned for her realist depictions of the African American working class. This paper examines her portrayal of the first generation of the Great Migration, which is the movement of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North at the dawn of the 20th century, to explore their survival and self-actualization in New York City. Set in 1905 Manhattan, Nottage’s Intimate Apparel (2003) chronicles the trials of Esther, a seamstress who had a grueling journey from North Carolina to seek a new life. Through a detailed close reading, this paper explores Esther’s transformation within the urban landscape and argues that she ultimately emerges as an emotionally and economically independent woman who recognizes her own self-worth. The first section of the paper analyzes Esther’s urban experience as a migrant of the Great Migration, which centers on her profession as a seamstress. The second section investigates her disillusionment with marriage, specifically through a comparative analysis with her husband, George; this contrast reveals two different modes of the Black urban experience. Finally, the paper examines Esther’s decision to remain in the city following the collapse of her marriage, representing a profound reconciliation with both the metropolis and her own identity. By focusing on Esther’s interactions with Manhattan, this paper illuminates the struggles of working-class Black women in the early 20th century.
Authors:
Yi-chin Shih, National Changhua University of Education, Taiwan
About the Presenter(s)
YI-CHIN SHIH is an associate professor in the Department of English at National Changhua University of Education, Taiwan.
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