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Arts Humanities

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Oct 30, 2023

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Tennessee William was an American playwright known for many of his works. He is considered 1/3 of the three foremost playwrights of 20th-century American drama between Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller. One of Tensessess's most known and recognized plays is The Memory Play: "The Glass Menagerie. It is a play based around a lower-class family with similar undertones to his childhood. The characters in the story mimic Williams's immediate family. Williams used this play to re-live some of his experiences and let his experiences play out on stage. This play acts as a release for Tennesse Williams, almost like a release of trauma and pain, allowing him to live his life through other people. The play revolves around a family of 3 living in 1930s St Louis. We are introduced to the three main characters, Amanda Wingfield, Laura Wingfield, and Tom Wingfield, and the supporting character, Jim O'Connor, as well as a character that is just as important but not present in the play, Mr. Wingfield. The play gives us extra details and background about the family. 1. We are told the father of the home(Mr Wingfield) walked out on his family. 2. Amanda is seen as a former "Southern Bell Primadonna" who used to do it all until she became "washed up" and no longer had that it factor. 3. Laura is timid and socially awkward. During her adolescence, she became ill, and the sickness's effects followed her into adulthood. More specifically, a limp. 4. Tom works at a shoe warehouse and has dreams of escaping his current life. He is hungry for adventure and exploration but has to look after his obsessive mother and disabled sister. These characters' personalities clash constantly throughout the play, which is very evident. It is just a dysfunctional family dynamic. However, as stated early on, these characters are based on those in Willam's life. Cornelius Coffin is the father of Tennessee Williams and the inspiration for Mr. Wingfield. Cornelius was said to have been addicted to alcohol and gambling and abusive towards his family. He said to have been remarkably absent from the home and very neglectful. This ties in with Mr. Wingfield's character, as he abandons his family without thought and seems as vigilant as his real-life counterpart.

Amanda Whitfield is based on Williams's mother, Edwina Williams. Edwina was described as a "quintessential "Southern belle" . She is said to have pretty much peaked in her early late teens and well into her 20s. She wore the badge of honor of being a "polite, beautiful and, mature woman" who was marriage material. She met her husband(Cornelius), and the couple welcomed three children. The marriage seemed to dissolve over time, and abuse also ensued. The characters Amanda and Edwina have very similar energies. Both peaked in their younger adult years, having a monster of a spouse and having to be a single mother. Laura Wingfield is inspired by the sister of Williams, Rose Williams. Rose Williams is said to have been lobotomized with consent from their mother, Edwina. Rose was later diagnosed with Schizophrenia and spent the rest of her life in a mental institute until her demise due to cardiac arrest in 1996. Rose and Laura are both faced with mental and physical issues. Rose has Schizophrenia and had a lobotomy done on her, while Laura has lingering effects of a childhood illness that still affects her today and has caused her to become disabled. Tom Wingfield is inspired by the Playwriter himself, Tennessee Williams. Tennessee was also stated to have been a heavy drinker, especially throughout the later parts of his life, even leading up to his death in 1983. Another reason was how eager Tennessee Williams was to escape and become a writer. Tennesse Williams had to work hard to support his family because he had to be the "Man Of The House," which he did not want to do. He dreamed of leaving and becoming a writer to escape the toxicity that followed him his whole life. This is strikingly similar to Tom because both men had to work to support their families and aspired to become writers. Overall, Tennessee William's The Glass Menagerie is a piece I recommend to anyone. I could relate to parts of the story, such as having a controlling mother and an unstable home life. The aura review said it best:" The Glass Menagerie is a timeless masterpiece that has remained relevant due to its intelligent script, modern set direction, and focus on the small yet heartbreaking misfortunes of life. " The story shows the reader that "life is not fair" and times can get tricky for anybody. Nothing is easy mode for anybody, but all you can do is navigate the best way you can.

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