Analysis of the glass menagerie

By: Tennessee Williams

Marlo S. Paulo

M.T. 31401418

Author`s Biography

NAME: Tennessee WilliamOCCUPATION: playwrightBIRTH DATE: March 26, 1911DEATH DATE: february 25, 1983EDUCATION: University of missouri, university of iowa, soldan high School, University City High SchoolPLACE OF BIRTH: Columbus, MississippiPLACE OF DEATH: New York, New YorkFULL NAME: Thomas Lanier Williams III

ELEMENTS

SETTING

The entire play takes place in the wingfiels meager apartment, located

next to an alley in St. Louis. When Tom begins narrating he draws the

audience back to the 1930s.

charactersAmanda Wingfield

A faded southern belle, abandoned by her husbund, who is trying to raise her two children under harsh financial condition.

Tom wingfield Amanda`s son and laura`s younger brother. Tom works at a shoe ware house to support his family but is frustrated by his job and aspires to be a poet.

Laura wingfield Amanda`s daughter and tom`s older sister. A childhood illness has left her with a limp, and she has a mental fragility and an inferiority complex that have isolated her from outside.

Mr. wingfield amanda`s husband and laura`s and tom`s father. He was

hansome man full of charm.

Jim o`connor An old high school acquaintance of tom and laura. Jim was a popular athlete and actor during his days at soldan high school.

parts of the story

ExpositionAmanda wingfield and her family were abandoned by her husband who

works for a telephone company. Amanda worries about her daughter who had a limp.

ComplicationAmanda was disappointed that laura is very shy and does not attract any suitors which she calls gentle callers. She enrolls laura in a business college hoping that she can meet any suitors there. But weeks later, amanda discovered that laura`s shyness has led her drop out of her class secretly and spend her time wandering the city alone and with her collection of little glass animals.

Crisis amanda then decides that laura`s last hope in marriage is to begin selling magazines to earn extra money that she believes will help to attract suitors for laura.

Climaxluara shows him her favorite glass animal, a unicorn. Then they

shared a quiet dance together. He accidentally brushes against the glass menagerie, knocking he quickly draws back and apoligized,

explaining that he was carried away and he already has a fiancee.

EndingTom gets fired from his job and leaves amanda and laura

behind because he gets tired of doing everything for laura and his mother does not appreciate his efforts at all. Years later, he travels far and he finds that he is unable to leave

behind guilty memories of laura.

Denoumentlaura, who was left broken hearted, offers him the broken unicorn as

a souvenir. Jim explains to amanda and tom that he must leave because of an appoinment with his fiancee. After he was gone

amanda turns on to tom who had not known that jim was engaged. She accuses tom of being inattentive and selfish and she comforts

laura.

Theme

The difficulty of accepting the reality

Literary approach

biographical approach

Type of drama

Tragedy