The glass menagerie critical analysis. Tennessee Williams’ Glass Menagerie: Summary & Analysis 2022-10-20

The glass menagerie critical analysis Rating: 7,2/10 1885 reviews

The Glass Menagerie, a play by Tennessee Williams, is a poignant portrayal of the Wingfield family and their struggles with poverty, disappointment, and the past. The play is narrated by Tom, the son, who serves as both a character and a commentator on the events that unfold. Through Tom's recollections and the dialogue of the other characters, Williams presents a critical analysis of themes such as the escape from reality, the impact of societal expectations, and the search for identity.

One of the central themes of The Glass Menagerie is the escape from reality. The Wingfield family, especially Tom and his sister Laura, use various methods to escape their difficult circumstances. Tom, who works at a warehouse, frequently goes to the movies to escape the mundane and frustrating aspects of his job and family life. Laura, who is physically disabled and suffers from low self-esteem, turns to her collection of glass animals as a form of solace and retreat from the outside world.

However, Williams also highlights the consequences of such escapism. Tom's constant need to escape leads him to abandon his responsibilities and family, ultimately causing more pain and turmoil. Laura's reliance on her glass menagerie and her fantasies of a life with a prince also prevent her from facing reality and finding fulfillment in the present. Williams' portrayal of the characters' escape from reality serves as a commentary on the dangers of avoidance and the importance of facing and accepting one's circumstances.

Another theme that Williams explores in The Glass Menagerie is the impact of societal expectations. The Wingfield family, particularly Laura, are constantly struggling to meet the expectations of their society. Laura is expected to marry and become a homemaker, but her disability and lack of self-confidence make it difficult for her to fulfill this role. Similarly, Tom is expected to provide for his family and adhere to traditional gender roles, but his desire for adventure and independence conflict with these expectations.

Through the characters' struggles, Williams critiques the constricting nature of societal expectations and the ways in which they can limit one's potential and happiness. He also suggests that the pressure to conform can lead to frustration, resentment, and ultimately, a lack of fulfillment.

In addition to the themes of escape from reality and societal expectations, Williams also examines the search for identity in The Glass Menagerie. Tom, in particular, is struggling to find his place in the world and to figure out who he is and what he wants. He is torn between his love for his family and his desire for freedom and adventure. His conflict is further complicated by his role as the provider for his family, which forces him to compromise his own dreams and desires.

Williams' portrayal of Tom's search for identity highlights the difficulties and complexities of trying to find one's place in the world. It also serves as a commentary on the conflicts that can arise when one's personal goals and desires conflict with societal expectations and responsibilities.

In conclusion, The Glass Menagerie is a thought-provoking play that offers a critical analysis of themes such as the escape from reality, the impact of societal expectations, and the search for identity. Williams' portrayal of the Wingfield family and their struggles highlights the ways in which these themes can shape and influence an individual's life and relationships.

Analysis "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams

the glass menagerie critical analysis

Neither Laura nor Amanda smoke, leaving this pleasure to only Tom. Be-er Main Character Approach Laura approaches problems by internalizing them. Remnants of the 'Old South' were slowly being replaced by a new America, which included the rise of industrialism. This is symbolic of him breaking the grip that the surreal has on Laura. As are all great works of art, it is not limited by time and space but manages to transcend both by touching on matters shared and universal.

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The Glass Menagerie and For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls

the glass menagerie critical analysis

He chastises himself for his hasty action and informs Laura that he is engaged. He stays on a shelf with some horses that don't have horns and all of them seem to get along nicely together. But who in hell ever got himself out of one without removing one nail? Even after Jim informs her of his impending marriage and permanent departure, Laura maintains her fantasy more securely than before. Works cited Williams, Tennessee. The magician does a trick with a wooden coffin, in which he escapes from the coffin without disturbing any of the nails in the wood.

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Critical Analysis of "The Glass Menagerie", Sample of Essays

the glass menagerie critical analysis

Just as the unicorn is broken, so is her dream to live a normal life in the world with Jim. When Laura is enrolled at the Business School she becomes very shy and embarrassed, hence causing her to become ill in the classroom. There is also the on stage screen which acts as a link between the abstract thoughts of the characters, and the thoughts of the audience. A key feature id that the characters deal with problems and situation which affects them. Amanda keeps priding herself and telling her children about all of her gentleman callers. It is clear that, unlike the character in Durang's play, the characters in The Glass Menagerie "handle their problems in a reasonably serious manner" Gussow.

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Glass Menagerie by William Tennessee Literature Analysis

the glass menagerie critical analysis

She endlessly repeats exaggerated tales of the south, and her numerous "gentlemen callers. Accessed 21 December, 2017. He eventually stumbles and breaks the glass unicorn. He has genuine affection for her and does manage to draw her out, but the relationship cannot go further, because he is engaged to someone else. I'm a girl, and yet I could identify with the character of Laura as much as I could identify with Tom on an individual dimension. His setting is in St.

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The Glass Menagerie

the glass menagerie critical analysis

The ultimate scene in the play used to be very touching, and ordinary the play made me sense that my time invested in listening to this story used to be emotionally rewarding. I felt the play should have answered some of these questions and that each could have been effectively expounded upon. A major reason which fuels this criticism is the lack of acts. We nailed him into a coffin and he got out of the coffin without removing one nail. Her anxiousness leads to a foremost plot development, the rising action in the play: Laura used to be being despatched to the Rubicam Business College to analyze secretarial skills.

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The Glass Menagerie Critical Essays

the glass menagerie critical analysis

Staying out late—and—well, you had been drinking the night you were in that—terrifying condition! Scene 5 On the fire escape, the exterior of the Wingfield apartment, Amanda suggests that Tom be more mindful of his appearance. However, his mother does not like her lifestyle. She began to take logical steps in the planned direction. This is the central theme of The Glass Menagerie. The relevance of the narrative is deeply engraved in the use of the symbolism of the unicorn whose horn was later broken to resemble a normal horse due to its association with the conversion of the disillusioned Laura into a normal minded woman. Settling down on the floor beside Laura, Jim asks her why she is so shy, and Laura asks whether Jim remembers her. Tom¹s use of cigarette smoking is a symbol of his constant strive for individualism.

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Tennessee Williams’ Glass Menagerie: Summary & Analysis

the glass menagerie critical analysis

Williams clearly wants us to associate Laura with the qualities of a delicate ornament that is not of this world. It was called 'the memory play' because the story is told through the reflections and memories of its main character, Tom. Her persona has two flaws, and I thought the actress portrayed her convincingly. But man proposes—and woman accepts the proposal! Learn More However, his mother does not appear the least grateful; she describes him as a self-centered and selfish person despite his efforts to do all that he is requested at home. Jim talks about how he was constantly surrounded by women and he feels a bit disappointed that his future did not turn out like his high school days. This symbol can be likened to the usage of an actual fire-escape. This often paralyzes her—keeping her from being able to do ANYTHING.

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Amanda Wingfield Character Analysis in The Glass Menagerie

the glass menagerie critical analysis

As a result, he leaves home, abandoning Amanda and Laura to their own resources. The reader is able to see that Tom does not manage to free himself from the confinement of his life. Laura tries to play it off as if being a horse will make him feel 'less freakish', and Jim comments on how she is special and that someone should kiss her. In fact, he dreams to quit his tiring job at a shoe warehouse and become a poet, but being unable to do it, he starts… Comparing Glaspell's Trifles And The Glass Menagerie Motifs are abundant throughout the world of literature. As she is left by both Jim and her brother Tom, Laura will spend her days like her glass figurines, never to really experience life but rather to be shelved in the tiny apartment with her mother.

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The Glass Menagerie: Summary and Analysis

the glass menagerie critical analysis

Jim notices this and takes advantage of it by dancing with her, and, eventually, kissing her. In any case, when I was in secondary school and inhabited home, she would dependably be after me about my grades. Many of the characters in the two plays struggle with important issues such as anxiety, loneliness, and the need to be understood. In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams wrote about the struggles of an American family during the Depression-Era. Tom then informs her that Jim is into self-improvement. She does not refer to it as a handicap, but rather as a ³little defect,² that is hardly noticeable. In this play the main characters were Tom Wingfield and Laura Wingfield, who belonged to Amanda Wingfield and her Husband.

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