THE GLASS MENAGERIE BY TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
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Plot and Storyline
The Glass Menagerie is a play written by Tennessee Williams born Thomas Lanier Williams III and was first performed in 1944 in Chicago. It is based on the memory of a character, Tom, whose father had left his family which includes his sister, Laura and mother Amanda. Amanda is obsessed with the idea of her children making something of themselves. For her son she wants a prosperous job and for her daughter she wants a husband and the possibility of a family. In order to make this happen she asks Tom if he could bring home a friend for Laura. Much of Chicago loved the play because not only was it considered a brilliant work, but the people of Chcago could also relate to it. Its popularity would soon carry it to Broadway in New York. In the play Williams invokes themes of the failures of family ties and bonds to help one another. Eventually this would be made into a movie multiplie times both in 1950 and 1987 but never did make it to DVD or even VHS. The Glass Menagerie would end up being one of Williams' first plays to make it big time and went on a long run on broadway in New York, it won many seasonal awards. By the end of his career, Williams had become a distinguished writer and was considered by many to be a great playwright. Some of his other plays that made their way to Broadway included "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", and "Night of the Iguana".
"Tennessee Williams - About Tennessee Williams | American Masters | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.
Cash, Eric. "MWP: Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)." The University of Mississippi. 19 Nov. 2007. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/williams_tennessee/index.html>.
"Tennessee Williams - About Tennessee Williams | American Masters | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/tennessee-williams/about-tennessee-williams/737/>.
Cash, Eric. "MWP: Tennessee Williams (1911-1983)." The University of Mississippi. 19 Nov. 2007. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/williams_tennessee/index.html>.
Tennessee Williams (Below)
Historical Context
Set Design
Connections
We
think that “The Glass Menagerie” can be closely related
to the text of “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Both of the women characters,
Amanda and Janie, have southern characteristics. Both of them were also found
beautiful in the eyes of other men. Amanda and Janie both have the difficulty
of accepting reality. Amanda tries to live in her youth years while Janie has
to accept the fact that men have more rights than women do. Laura and Janie
have symbols that represent who they are. Laura’s glass menagerie set
symbolizes her shyness and independence while Janie’s hair symbolizes her
strength and individuality.
To view Double Bubble Map click play at the bottom then zoom in
Literary Analysis
In her review of “The Glass Menagerie” by
Tennesse Williams,
Ada Calhoun contends that the play is one of the great representations of the defeated South.
Specifically, Calhoun argues that the Southern traditions in life have gone the drain. Williams writes “Well, in the South we had so many servants. Gone, gone, gone. All vestige of gracious living! Gone completely! I wasn’t prepared for what the future brought.” Obviously, many traditions have expired, for example, slavery, and how the South has been defeated.
I disagree with this review. In my view, this play is not one of the great representations of the defeated south, but instead is about how boys tend to follow in the footsteps of their father and that even though you can try to relive your childhood through your daughters, your going to have to let them make their own choices. For instance, in the play we notice that Tom keeps leaving at night for hours on end and eventually leaves and never comes back. “More and more you remind me of your father! He was out all hours with out explanation! –Then left! Goodbye!” Amanda’s constant nagging was the reason that her husband eventually left her and that is what eventually led Tom to leave the family as well. Some readers might disagree on the grounds that Tom left because he was tired of having to pay all of the families bills and wanted to journey the world. Yet, I would argue that Tom left because he was tired of Amanda’s nagging and that he always had to take care of his sister Laura. Overall, then, I believe Amanda is trying to force her lifestyle onto those who live around her (her husband, Tom, Laura) but ends up pushing them away because of it.
Ada Calhoun contends that the play is one of the great representations of the defeated South.
Specifically, Calhoun argues that the Southern traditions in life have gone the drain. Williams writes “Well, in the South we had so many servants. Gone, gone, gone. All vestige of gracious living! Gone completely! I wasn’t prepared for what the future brought.” Obviously, many traditions have expired, for example, slavery, and how the South has been defeated.
I disagree with this review. In my view, this play is not one of the great representations of the defeated south, but instead is about how boys tend to follow in the footsteps of their father and that even though you can try to relive your childhood through your daughters, your going to have to let them make their own choices. For instance, in the play we notice that Tom keeps leaving at night for hours on end and eventually leaves and never comes back. “More and more you remind me of your father! He was out all hours with out explanation! –Then left! Goodbye!” Amanda’s constant nagging was the reason that her husband eventually left her and that is what eventually led Tom to leave the family as well. Some readers might disagree on the grounds that Tom left because he was tired of having to pay all of the families bills and wanted to journey the world. Yet, I would argue that Tom left because he was tired of Amanda’s nagging and that he always had to take care of his sister Laura. Overall, then, I believe Amanda is trying to force her lifestyle onto those who live around her (her husband, Tom, Laura) but ends up pushing them away because of it.
