The Portrayal of Women in the Work of Tennessee Williams
analytical Essay
2373 words
Portrayal of Women in The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Orpheus Descending, Suddenly Last Summer, and Period of Adjustment
Tennessee Williams has become one of the most well known literary figures in modern America. His plays are often controversial because of his preoccupation with sex and violence and his fearlessness to probe the dark areas of human life. Williams's earlier work often inspired his later plays and basic character types often reappear throughout each of his plays. A reoccurring theme in each of his plays is the role of the female. The women featured in the plays of Tennessee Williams all suffer from physical or emotional mutilation and seek fulfillment from a mate.
An influential factor in Tennessee Williams's writing was his own personal experience. The Glass Menagerie is a play that originated in the memory of the author. Williams drew heavily on his own family experiences, describing the lives of his mother, sister, and himself. Many aspects of the play resemble some of Williams's past experiences during childhood. The apartment that Amanda, Laura, and Tom Wingfield share is in the middle of the city, and it is among many dark alleys with fire escapes. Tom and Laura do not like the dark atmosphere of their living conditions, and their mother tries to make it as pleasant as possible. This apartment is almost a mirror image of one of the apartments that the Williams family lived in St. Louis, Missouri (American Writers IV). Amanda Wingfield is a typical Southern belle who fantasizes about her seventeen gentlemen callers back in Blue Mountain. She regularly attends meetings of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), which are important outlets for her social...
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...w not having a mate as being a disgrace and a failure. The life experiences of each of Williams's female characters is unique. However, what the characters have in common is an emotional or physical mutilation that they seek to fulfill by finding a suitable mate.
Works Cited
Falk, Signi. "Tennessee Williams". New York: Twayne Publishers, 1961.
Griffin, Alice. "Understanding Tennessee Williams". University of South Carolina Press; Reprint edition. February 28, 2011.
Pagan, N. "Rethinking Literary Biography: A Postmodern Approach to Tennessee Williams" Rutherford [N.J.]: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. 1993
Tharpe, Jac, ed. "Tennessee Williams: A Tribute". Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi, 1980.
"Williams, Tennessee." American Writers. Volume IV 1985. Web. 27 May 2015.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5749/j.ctttv120
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how tennessee williams drew heavily on his own family experiences, describing the lives of his mother, sister, and himself. amanda wingfield's apartment is in the middle of the city and is among many dark alleys with fire escapes.
- Analyzes how laura wingfield collects tiny glass animals, and is dropped from business school, like williams' sister rose. edwina and amanda were responsible for jim o'connor's visits to their apartments.
- Analyzes how tennessee williams first achieved widespread recognition for the glass menagerie and its portraits of the southern gentlewomen: amanda wingfield and her daughter laura.
- Analyzes how blanche du bois enters the vieux carre section of new orleans to visit her sister stella, the wife of a polish-american mechanic, stanley kowalski.
- Analyzes how blanche, who flirts indecently with stanley, acts proper and innocent with mitch, and confesses everything about her past to him as a refuge from the outside world.
- Analyzes how serafina della rose in the rose tattoo, margaret pollitt in cat on a hot tin roof, and maxine faulk in the night of the iguana belong to this group of women.
- Analyzes how maggie the cat, a mid-twentieth-century modern woman without inhibitions, is discarded by her husband for speaking out against the falsehood that seems to have made his life tolerable.
- Analyzes how williams stereotyped his female characters into four major groups: maladjusted, subordinate, fatalistic, and resolute.
- Analyzes how frustration is the uniting characteristic of all of tennessee williams's female characters, and the dependency of them on men.
- Analyzes how tennessee williams' plays are controversial because of his preoccupation with sex and violence and his fearlessness to probe the dark areas of human life.
- Explains that griffin, alice, and pagan, n., "understanding tennessee williams". university of south carolina press.
Related
- analytical
- The Glass Menagerie: Parallels to Williams' Life and Use of Symbolism The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is a touching play about the lost dreams of a southern family and their struggle to escape reality. The play is a memory play and therefore very poetic in mood, setting, and dialogue. Tom Wingfield serves as the narrator as well as a character in the play. Tom lives with his Southern belle mother, Amanda, and his painfully shy sister, Laura.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how tennessee williams' the glass menagerie mirrors actual events in his life and uses symbolism to portray the theme. tom wingfield serves as the narrator and a character in the play.
- Analyzes how the glass menagerie reflects williams's life so much that it could be mistaken as pages from his autobiography. the characters of the play are similar to those found in the small st. louis apartment where williams spent part of his life.
- Analyzes how tennessee williams' brilliant use of symbols adds life to the glass menagerie. laura's collection of glass animals represents her fragile state.
- Opines that the glass menagerie is a classic dramatic production and captivating story. it opened on broadway with rave reviews in 1945.
627 wordsRead More - Feminism Taken to Extremes in A Streetcar Named Misogynyanalytical essayAs women's studies programs have proliferated throughout American universities, feminist "re-readings" of certain classic authors have provided us with the most nonsensical interpretations of these authors' texts. A case in point is that of Kathleen Margaret Lant's interpretation of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire in her essay entitled "A Streetcar Named Misogyny." Throughout the essay, she continually misreads Williams' intention, which of course causes her to misunderstand the play itself. Claiming that the play "has proved vexing to audiences, directors, actors, readers, and critics" (Lant 227), she fails to see that it is she herself who finds the play vexing, because it does not fit nicely into the warped feminist structure she would try to impose upon it.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes kathleen margaret lant's interpretation of tennessee williams' "a streetcar named desire" in her essay. she misunderstands the play, which is vexing audiences, directors, actors, readers, and critics.
- Analyzes how lant's first problem is with blanche dubois, who is ironically made guilty for her own victimization. as her relationship with stanley deteriorates, she makes it quite obvious that she loathes the sight of him.
- Analyzes how williams critiques society's double standard, arguing that the playwright cannot subtly criticize such actions or attitudes.
- Analyzes how williams based blanche's sexual ambivalence on his real-life sister, rose, in memoirs.
- Analyzes blanche's famous monologue, in which she gives stella her opinion of stanley, and how much of cornelius' character is found there.
- Analyzes how lant's feminist mentors, andrea dworkin and susan brownmiller, differ in their interpretations of the play.
- Analyzes how the seeds for a streetcar named desire can be found in rose's psychological "problem" and its "cure": lobotomy.
- Analyzes how rose's hysteria persisted undiminished for several days and doctors said she was now a patient beyond their ability to control with medicines or hot baths or temporary confinements in rest homes.
- Analyzes how williams put some of his own character into blanche's journey to the asylum at the end of a streetcar named desire.
- Analyzes how blanche's actions in a streetcar named desire are tragic and bloody.
- Analyzes how cornelius and his father, tennessee williams, resent the masculine intrusion into the domestic scene and are jealous of the creature with which they must now share their wives' devotion.
- Analyzes how williams softens his father's emotional depravity by having stanley commit the crime of incestuous rape in a streetcar named desire.
- Analyzes how williams destroys his father on stage when he has stanley rape blanche.
- Analyzes how williams drew on the incident for the rape scene in a streetcar named desire.
4710 wordsRead More - Comparing A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roofanalytical essayStanton, Stephen. "Introduction." Tennessee Williams: A Collection of Critical Essays. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey : Prentice-Hall, 1977. 1-16.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how brick is cool and nonchalant in "cat on a hot tin roof." he refuses to make decisions, but accepts meekly.
- Analyzes how williams' characters unwittingly create their own misfortunes. blanche and maggie are conscious of time slowly etching away their beauty, the source of monetary security.
- Analyzes how the female protagonists view sex in a different light. both desperately need to feel desired and secure.
- Analyzes how the characters in tennessee williams' plays "a streetcar named desire" and "cat on a hot tin roof" seal their fates with actions motivated by self-interest.
- Describes cohn's "the farrulous grotesques of tennessee williams."
- Analyzes how tennessee williams examines the link between past and present created by man's choices in "a streetcar named desire."
- Analyzes how the characters are neither saintly nor villainous, but rather a combination of both.
- Introduces tennessee williams: a collection of critical essays. englewood cliffs, new jersey : prentice-hall, 1977.
1771 wordsRead More - Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerieanalytical essayAn inability to accept one’s reality and the idea of telling a story through the memory and emotions of someone involve come into play in Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. The Glass Menagerie is narrated by Tom Wingfield and tells the story of how he came to leave his mother, Amanda, and his sister, Laura. Amanda is an overbearing Southern women, stuck in the ways of the past and obsessed with finding her daughter the perfect “gentleman caller.” However, Laura is entirely anti-social and unable to cope with societal pressures, making her a tough candidate for a husband. Amanda’s overbearing and controlling nature creates tension between herself and Tom, who seeks adventure and freedom, but most provide for his family. Eventually, when a man from Laura’s past, Jim O'Connor, shows up for dinner, he turns out to not be the “gentleman caller” they all expected and ends up acting as the tipping point for Tom, who leaves the family behind. The story deeply delves into the idea of who people really are, what their lives have become, and the complexity of human nature.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how tennessee williams' the glass menagerie delves into the idea of who people really are, what their lives have become, and the complexity of human nature.
- Analyzes how amanda, the antagonist of the glass menagerie, is a pushy mother who wants her children to get the best out of life.
- Analyzes how the fire escape in the glass menagerie symbolizes tom's deep desire to escape from the confines of the wingfield apartment.
- Analyzes how the unicorn symbolizes laura's journey throughout the play, from peculiar to normal to heartbroken.
- Opines that the glass menagerie is an actor's play and would be more exciting to perform in than to read it or watch it.
905 wordsRead More - The Normality of ‘Normal’ Throughout various mediums, queer and gender portrayals are not shown in the best light. Majority of media show clear negative connotations of homosexuals and queens while constantly being a target of discrimination and ridicule. Though as time went on many writers decided to speak up and gain awareness for queer and gender biases by incorporating messages of societal discrimination in their plays. Much of their ideals were that of how sexual/gender identity portrayal, lifestyle stigma, and preconceived notions of the homosexual community.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how tennessee williams' "and tell sad stories of the death of queens" shows queer and gender stereotypes, such as heteronormativity, discrimination, and aggression.
- Analyzes how williams blatantly shows the problems and unfairness of queer and gender roles without sugar coating it.
- Analyzes how candy portrays queer and gender stereotypes in a negative way during the play.
- Analyzes how karl's heteronormative views are trickled throughout the play as he believes the queens are crazy and unnatural.
- Analyzes how discrimination plays a big role in "and tell sad stories of the deaths of queens" as it reflects how society treats queer and gender differences as second-rate citizens.
- Analyzes how karl's verbal and physical violence on candy shows how little he does not see him as a person of equal value.
1875 wordsRead More - Analysis: The Glass Menagerieanalytical essayIn Williams, Tennessee’s play The Glass Menagerie, Amanda’s image of the southern lady is a very impressive. Facing the cruel reality, she depends on ever memories of the past as a powerful spiritual to look forward to the future, although her glory and beautiful time had become the past, she was the victim of the social change and the Great Depression, but she was a faithful of wife and a great mother’s image cannot be denied.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how amanda's image of the southern lady in williams' play the glass menagerie is impressive. facing the cruel reality, she relies on memories of past as a powerful spiritual to look forward to the future.
- Analyzes how amanda lived in a world of fantasy and reality. joy and pain coexisted in her life.
- Analyzes how amanda was abandoned by her husband and raising two children, and she was no professional due to times was not to give her a chance, it did not provide the possibility of her survival.
- Opines that amanda is a faithful wife and great mother. as winfield's wife, she is worthy of love and respect.
- Analyzes how amanda was the victim of the times change and the great depression. she belongs only to the old age woman, facing the new era has nothing.
- Opines that amanda's life is like a beautiful and fragile daffodil, but live in the wrong time, so she needs us to give sympathy and compassion.
1125 wordsRead More - Essay on The Glass Menagerie and the Life of Tennessee Williamsanalytical essayThe Glass Menagerie and the Life of Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie closely parallels the life of the author. From the very job Tennessee held early in his life to the apartment he and his family lived in. Each of the characters presented, their actions taken and even the setting have been based on the past of Thomas Lanier Williams, better known as Tennessee Williams. Donald Spoto described the new apartment building that Williams and his family relocated to in St. Louis, Missouri as having only two small windows, one window in the front of the apartment and another in the rear.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the glass menagerie closely parallels the life of , from the job tennessee held early in his life to the apartment he and his family lived in.
- Analyzes how tom wingfield, the narrator of the glass menagerie, is representative of tennessee williams, down to them sharing the same first name.
- Analyzes how tennessee williams's mother, edwina, and amanda wingfield were closely paralleled. they were both women who had out-lived their time.
- Analyzes how tom wingfield and tennessee williams could be one and the same person. both were trapped working in a shoe factory when they longed to be out on their own writing and experiencing adventure.
- Cites sharon cook's "permission to quote me." e-mail to .
945 wordsRead More - The Destruction of Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire A Streetcar Named Desire is an intricate web of complex themes and conflicted characters. Set in the pivotal years immediately following World War II, Tennessee Williams infuses Blanche and Stanley with the symbols of opposing class and differing attitudes towards sex and love, then steps back as the power struggle between them ensues. Yet there are no clear cut lines of good vs. evil, no character is neither completely good nor bad, because the main characters, (especially Blanche), are so torn by conflicting and contradictory desires and needs. As such, the play has no clear victor, everyone loses something, and this fact is what gives the play its tragic cast.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how tennessee williams infuses blanche and stanley with symbols of opposing class and differing attitudes towards sex and love, then steps back as the power struggle ensues.
- Analyzes how stanley's relationship with blanche is more a function of power relations than of sexual attraction.
- Analyzes how stanley is on the verge of regaining his dominant stance. his victory over her influence is sealed when he gives her a bus ticket back to mississippi and insists that she use it.
- Analyzes the complex character of blanche, who values literature and the creativity of the human imagination, but is emotionally traumatized and repressed.
- Analyzes how blanche dislikes stanley, but is drawn to him as a heterosexual man who is strong enough to protect her from an increasingly harsh world.
- Analyzes how neither blanche nor stanley seem to consider stella as scene ten reaches a climax. they both recognize that somehow they are drawn together and repelled by forces that are directly between them.
- Analyzes how blanche cannot grow and survive in a world she is unsuited to, yet stanley and stella are only able to do so at the expense of part of their better nature.
- Describes donahue, francis, hirsch, foster, a portrait of the artist-the plays of tennessee williams.
1696 wordsRead More - The Importance Of Tennessee Williams And Cat On A Hot Tin Roofanalytical essayJeury Nunez Reyes Prof. Jay Walitalo ENG 101-FY01 30 Nov 2015 The Importance of Tennessee Williams “I don 't want realism. I want magic! Yes, yes, magic!
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how tennessee williams, the pen name for thomas lanier williams was influenced by his troubled childhood and his drug addiction.
- Analyzes how william's triumphant play the glass menagerie mirrors his life, and his mother edwina williams plays amanda wingfield in the play.
- Analyzes how the glass menagerie depicts conflicts that families were facing during the post-war era and how many individuals wanted to escape their life.
- Analyzes how the play a streetcar named desire depicts a world where women began to want to be free and not be always house wives and letting their husbands/ spouses dictate what to do.
- Explains that tennessee williams' life can be mirrored with these plays. he kept to himself that he was gay for quite some time until revealing it.
- Analyzes how tennessee william's cat on a hot tin roof explored the real life problems that were occurring at the time.
- Explains that tennessee william was a playwright who depicted his life through his literary works. he was recognized for his impact on society and his personal experiences.
- Cites an analysis of cat on a hot tin roof.
- Analyzes truth and mendacity in tennessee williams' [cat on a hot tin roof].
2144 wordsRead More - Many different depictions of gender roles exist in all times throughout the history of American culture and society. Some are well received and some are not. When pitted against each other for all intents and purposes of opposition, the portrayal of the aspects and common traits of masculinity and femininity are separated in a normal manner. However, when one gender expects the other to do its part and they are not satisfied with the results and demand more, things can shift from normal to extreme fairly quickly. This demand is more commonly attributed by the men within literary works. Examples of this can be seen in Tennessee Williams' “A Streetcar Named Desire”, where Stella is constantly being pushed around and being abused by her drunken husband Stanley, and also in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's “The Yellow Wallpaper”, where the female narrator is claimed unfit by her husband as she suffers from a sort of depression, and is generally looked down on for other reasons.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how different depictions of gender roles exist in american culture and society. when one gender expects the other to do its part and demands more, things shift from normal to extreme.
- Analyzes how gilman has carefully crafted her sentences and metaphors to instill a picture of lurid and creepy male oppression.
- Analyzes how the theme of alcoholism and drunkenness in "a streetcar named desire" is connected to the destructive nature and behavior of the characters.
- Analyzes how gilman's "the yellow wallpaper" demonstrates the strength of a woman to overcome oppression and seek out an agenda for change by illustrating struggles of women finding equal opportunity.
- Analyzes how "a streetcar named desire" is similar to "the yellow wallpaper" in that it considers the premise of sending blanche away to be institutionalized.
- Cites gilman, charlotte perkins, williams, tennessee, and williams. "a streetcar named desire."
1527 wordsRead More