Tennessee Williams Born Thomas Lanier Williams III in Columbus, Mississippi

Tennessee-nickname from college because of southern accent Father- salesman; drinker Mother- clergyman’s daughter; hysterical attacksSiblings-Rose (older) extremely close; prefrontal lobotomy; Dakin (younger)Moved a lot; 16 times/1 yearWilliams-shy, fragile, taunted; worked in shoe factory (nervous breakdown); college, lived Bohemian life; scriptwriter1941 began work on The Glass Menagerie1943 Rose underwent prefrontal lobotomy in St. Louis 1944 December 26 Playhouse Theatre Chicago, IL; 1945 March 31 NYC1961 partner died1967 entered psychiatric hospital 1983 died from choking in a drug-related incident

The Glass Menagerie “…the saddest play I have ever written. It is full of pain. It’s painful for me to see it.”

-Tennessee Williams

REMINISCENES/PARALLELS of his own family: Lived in St. Louis Inhabited a rather modest apartment Tennessee (Tom) worked at shoe factory Rose (Laura) was extremely troubled Edwina Williams (Amanda)

DEVIATIONS Brother Dakin lived with them Father was present after working hours

Memory Play- “The scene is memory and is therefore non-realistic. Memory takes a lot of poetic license. It omits some details; others are exaggerated, according to the emotional value of the articles it touches, for memory is seated predominantly in the heart. The interior is therefore rather dim and poetic.”

PLASTIC THEATER- applies expressionistically and symbolically such theatrical techniques as special setting, lighting, costume, and sound, etc., to establish mood and externalize the inner world of his characters.

PRODUCTION NOTES

THE SCREEN DEVICE- Images and legends, projected from behind, cast on a section of wall between the front room and the dining room to give ACCENT to certain VALUES in each scene. Primary point is made SIMPLY and LIGHTLY.

THE MUSIC-“The Glass Menagerie” resembles CIRCUS MUSIC. Used to give EMOTIONAL EMPHASIS to suitable passages. LIGHT, DELICATE, SAD. Serves as a thread of connection and allusion between the narrator With his separate time and space an the subject of his story.Primarily Laura’s music (and the fragility of glass-her image).

THE LIGHTING-DIM, not realistic, keeping with atmosphere of memory. Focus is on LAURA, pristine clarity, like early religious portraits of female saints or madonnas.

Themes 1. Memory vs. Reality2. Impossibility of True Escape3. Unrelenting Power of Memory4. Abandonment

LEITMOTIF: an associated melodic phrase or figure that accompanies the reappearance of an idea, person, or situation“structures the play; every character seeks flight,

if not literally, then through the imagination.”Motifs1. Words/Images on Screen2. Music

Symbols1. The Glass Menagerie2. Unicorn3. Fire Escape 4. Jim

Characters

Tom- Narrator of the play; recollects and actsObjective truth and memory’s distortion of the truthReads literature, writes poetry, dreams of escape and adventure BUT bound to the Wingfield houseLoves Amanda and Laura BUT indifferent and cruel to them

Amanda- Tom and Laura’s momProud, vicious, clings to memories of vanished, genteel pastAdmirable, charming, pitiable, laughableFaded Southern belleSuffered reversal of economic and social fortuneDefends values of the pastFLAWS-tragic, comic, grotesque, extroverted, theatricalConstant nag of Tom; refusal of Laura’s true self BUT willingness to sacrifice for loved ones

Laura-Selfless; AxisSYMBOLS- blue roses, glass unicorn, Entire glass menagerie Rare, delicate, peculiarFOIL CHARACTER for Amanda

LITERARY DEVICESAnnotations

1. Themes2. Motifs3. Symbols4. Setting5. Characterization6. Irony7. Mood/tone 8. Diction9. Metaphors10.Similes11.Comparisons/contrasts