The thesis explores the application and function of the alienation effect in the two plays 5boys.com and a performance piece by a society of theater lovers, theater enthusiasts, lovers of reading, gypsy tarot, etc. , written by Simona Semenič. In the thesis, I define Semenič's writing as (no longer) dramatic, analyze the content of the discussed plays and highlight their parallels in themes and motifs. Both drama pieces focus on depicting various forms of violence and stereotypes, employing different techniques that make the reception of the work more difficult for the reader/viewer, thus creating a distance from what is read/seen, which prevents automatic reading/viewing. The concept of automating artistic content was first addressed by Russian formalists, notably Viktor Shklovsky. His theory, which proposed the use of alienation techniques to combat the automation of actions, was based on prose works, while Bertolt Brecht adapted and applied it to plays. Brecht viewed the purpose of establishing distance from the content of a play as essential for reflecting on society and striving for social change. The plays of Simona Semenič that are adressed and discussed in this thesis apply the alienation effect in several instances, which, according to Brecht's theory, creates a space for ascribing meaning and later critically evaluating what was read/seen.
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