The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams and Desire Under the Elms, by Eugene O'Neill

740 Words2 Pages

The Glass Menagerie is a fascinating play. In the Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, the story revolves around a girl name Laura Wingfield; her brother Tom and mother Amanda are secular characters who ignite Laura to solve her personal issues. In the Wingfield family, Tom and Amanda are very supportive and optimistic in concerns to Laura’s disability. As a single mother, Amanda’s one true pursuit American dream is getting gentlemen callers for Laura, which assents her to be married to a happy and satisfying life. Although the lives of the Wingfields may seem conclusive, encouraging and yet minor in pessimistic, Wingfields are nothing compared to the Cabot family of Eugene O’Neill’s, Desire Under the Elms. In Desire Under the Elms, the major American dream for the Cabot family is dominance over a plantation. Acquiring a plantation is everything to Eben Cabot, the youngest brother of the Cabot’s. Rather, considering marriage as a hopeful family stimulation like the Wingfields, the Cabot’s sees marriage as a negative outcome which gravely tears the family apart. Since the arrival of Eben’s new step-mother, Eben has been in defense over his rights of his family farm from Abbie. But the struggle in Eben was that Abbie will profit and Eben will be divested. This, Eben agonizes internally. In revere to the Cabot’s family ties, the three Cabot’s hate their father Ephraim for overworking them to death on the farm. Disrespect is perceived between the Cabot brothers and the father. Heedlessly, the father harasses Eben addressing that “Eben’s a dumb fool – like his Maw – soft an’ simple!” (O’Neill 967). This would not have been unacceptable in comparison to the Wingfields of the Glass Menagerie. Regarding the family ties in the Glass ...

... middle of paper ...

... a strong and significant message in Glass Menagerie, in which “we should learn how to overcome our inferiority complex that keeps us from feeling comfortably with people” (Williams 1056). As we approach the end of the Glass Menagerie, we learn that Laura is beginning to build her self-confidence and buoyancy in admire to her shy character. Along with Laura, readers also learn to be optimistic about their lives and people should be complaisant of what they have, what they are and who they are. On the other hand, the Cabot family also teaches a valuable lesson that people should not live to envy or putting world material comfort over their family. Family comes first and we must respect one another; humble, honor and love are all we need to put off the fire of resentment. Not only have the playwrights done a marvelous job, but the message across is very blissful.

Open Document