The Glass Menagerie FJU《玻璃动物园》辅大.pptVIP

Outline Tennessee Williams, Historical and Social Background Starting Questions Act I The Glass Menagerie: Themes, Plot: Tom recollects the family past, when the mother tries to get a gentleman caller to visit his sister, Laura (crippled and withdrawn). (See p. 1440) A Memory Play, uses a lot of screen devices to suggest the working of Tom’s mind. Issues: Self-Deception, Illusion, Dream vs. Reality; Agricultural and Aristocratic Old South vs. Industrial Society Women’s Position in a Modern City The Glass Menagerie: Background and Setting Setting: Present: a cramped apartment in a lower-class part of St. Louis in the year 1937, the time of Depression. Amanda’s Past: The Old South Plantation (where belles are courted by beaux and served by “darkies”) Tennessee Williams (1914-83) His Plays: Expressionist in style (e.g. A Streetcar Named Desire ) –use of symbols and symbolic setting Common Themes: the degradation of the Old South, modern life in an industrial city, sympathy for and criticism of the Southern tradition. Similarities between GM and Williams’s Life Williams father, a traveling salesman, was transferred to the home office in St. Louis Williams also work in a shoe factory before going to a university and starting to write Mother -- lives in the old glory of Southern belle Sister – suffers from mental problems Differences: The father does not leave them behind. William takes care of his sister off and on; There are two brothers; the family situation is not that bad. General Questions “Nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands.” ~ e. e. cummings – Whose small hands? Of women? Of fate? Women’s Positions: The long traditions Courting the ladies “Angel in the House” vs. Men on the road Are no longer prevalent today. How are we to understand and sympathize with women who are constrained in such traditions? To what extent is our dream a motivating force, but not a means of self-deception or constraint on the others? Scenes 1-