Essay About Gentlemen Callers And Glass Menagerie

The Glass Menagerie
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“THE GLASS MENAGERIE”
Steven E. Milburn Jr.
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“THE GLASS MENAGERIE”:
Ingredients of a Tragic Drama and a Modern Tragic Heroine
Tennessee Williams wrote and created the play, “The Glass Menagerie,” with the
concept of tragedy in mind. Random Houses denotative meaning of the word tragedy is
as follows: a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber
theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict
with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to down fall or destruction. The play
takes place within a small dingy apartment in St. Louis during the late 1930s, a time of
enjoying a waltz, listening to phonograph records, and experiencing social or economical
misfortune. The action of the play revolves around three characters that are all
Wingfields: Amanda (the mother,) Tom (the son,) and Laura (the daughter). Each
character endures some type of adversity throughout the play, which can possibly be
attributed to the fact that Mr. Wingfield (husband / father) abandoned them years earlier.
“The Glass Menagerie” contains several attributes relevant to a tragedy play such as the
serious struggle between Amanda (protagonist) and Tom (antagonist). In order for us to
justifiably label “The Glass Menagerie” as a tragic drama we must thoroughly examine
the play and prove that it contains the proper ingredients to make a tragic drama;
furthermore, we need to focus on how the character of Amanda fits the characteristics of
a modern tragic heroine.
“The Glass Menagerie” can be classified as a tragic drama by analyzing and revealing
the tragic events that happened in Amandas life. Tragedy is foreshadowed from the
beginning: Tom opens up the play with tragic news of his absent father, a “fifth character
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in the play who doesnt appear except in this larger-than-life photograph over the mantel”
(643). To have a thoughtless husband abandon you during the years in which you needed
him the most is just absolutely dreadful, especially when you did not deserve it! Mr.
Wingfields selfish and cruel actions result in the aging Amanda being charged with all
of the parental responsibilities: a task that can potentially drive a sane person mad.
Amanda is a faded tragic remnant of Southern gentility who once received seventeen
gentlemen callers of the most prominent type (644,) but tragically married a drunkard
who deserted her. Though her methods were ineffective and sometimes irritating, she
continually fights an uphill battle as she strives to give meaning to the lives of her
children. For example, Amanda wishes to increase Lauras chances of finding a husband
and strongly believes that a well kept, attractive apartment will help Laura catch a man.
Amanda subjects herself to monotonous rejection throughout her subscription sales in
order to boost Lauras chance of marriage without expressing one single word of
complaint:
Ida Scott? This is Amanda Wingfield!–Well, this is a book that critics
compare to Gone with the Wind.–What–Burning?–Oh, honey, dont
let them burn–Heavens–I think shes hung up!
With the persistence of Amanda and the assistance of Tom, Laura is finally set up with a
gentleman caller named Jim; not only is this gentleman caller Toms friend from work,
but Jim is also coincidentally Lauras high school crush. Amanda is so anxious to
entertain Jim that she works around-the-clock making preparations to include investing in
new clothes and furniture. When Amanda discovers that Lauras would-be husband is
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already engaged, she becomes infuriated and blames poor Tom for the tragic mishap:
Thats right, now that youve had us make such fools of ourselves. The
efforts, the preparations, all the expense! The new floor lamp, the rug,
clothes for Laura! All for what! To entertain some other girls fiancй (681)!
In addition to the failed attempt at securing a husband for her daughter, Amandas second