In the Habit of Independence: Cross-Border Politics and Feminism in Two World War I Plays by Sister Mary Agnes ('A Patriot's Daughter', 'the Red Cross Helpers: A Patriotic Play') (Critical Essay‪)‬

This article examines the life and playwriting of Sister Mary Agnes who wrote a large oeuvre of plays, largely for girls, while living and working in Winnipeg's St. Mary's Academy between 1909 and 1928. It examines her biography, religious order, and professional work in order to elucidate the bold political positions expressed in two of her plays, "A Patriot's Daughter" and The Red Cross Helpers: A Patriotic Play. It endeavours to answer the question, what made it possible for a Catholic nun living in the heavily charged political environment of Winnipeg at the time of the First World War to express views that were contrary to that political environment and to do so in plays for young high school girls? Cet article porte sur la vie et les oeuvres dramatiques de Soeur Mary Agnes. Entre 1909 et 1928, Soeur Agnes a vecu et travaille a la St. Mary's Academy a Winnipeg. C'est durant cette periode qu'elle a compose un grand nombre de pieces de theatre destinees surtout aux filles. Cet article analyse sa vie, sa congregation religieuse et son travail professionnel afin d'illustrer les positions politiques hardies exprimees dans deux de ses pieces : A Patriot's Daughter et The Red Cross Helpers : A Patriotic Play. L'objectif de cette etude est de repondre a la question suivante : comment expliquer qu'une religeuse catholique vivant dans l'atmosphere politique tendue de Winnipeg a l'epoque de la Premiere Guerremondiale soit capable d'exprimer des opinions allant a l'encontre des politiques de la periode et de le faire par le biais d'un theatre pour jeunes collegiennes?