Meryl Streep Biography

Meryl Streep, the actress with the most Oscar nominations in history, is a compelling case study. Her on-screen prowess is considerable; her ability to elicit emotional responses from the audience is uncanny. But her influence on American culture renders her star power worthy of even keener analysis. This paper will examine how the various persona Streep has assumed have both represented the concerns of vast swaths of American society and in turn shaped new concerns for them, especially in the realm of womens issues.

Streep's protean career has allowed her to form a varied and salient relationship to American culture by taking on roles that reflect the issues of the day. She excels in adaptability, often taking on roles that have defined the way Americans viewed the zeitgeist of the times. Streep was iconic playing a woman fighting for her right for custody of her son in Kramer v. Kramer at a time when women's rights were at the forefront of the culture war debates.

In discussing how Streep's performances galvanized the nation into caring about the often ignored plight of females, Rachel Abramowitz writes, "In the early part of

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