Self-Discovery and the Break Away from Naturalism in Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart

Finding oneself or the journey of self-discovery is a travel through which a person aims at deciding how they feel about their identity. It is the process of finding your truth; gaining understanding of your self, motivations, and needs. To find yourself is to decide your purpose in life and to realize your beliefs. Beth Henley is one of the most prominent playwrights who are concerned with the issue of self-esteem and self-determination. The message at the heart of Beth Henley's plays is that self-esteem is the only chance that can save a woman from the traps of other people's naturalistic perceptions. Her drama applies the naturalistic perception of existence while depicting the theme of self-discovery. It reflects the relation between the interior self and the exterior world. Besides, Henley's drama breaks away from determinism as one of the main features of traditional naturalism. Thus, it can be classified as an untraditional view of naturalism. Undoubtedly, Crimes of the Heart is an outstanding example of Beth Henley's break away from the traditional concept of naturalism.