The play Cat on a hot tin roof by Tennessee Williams is one of the most popular plays in the history of the American theatre. “That play comes closest to being both a work of art and a work of craft,” Williams wrote in his Memoirs. It is fact that Tennessee Williams liked “Cat on a hot tin roof” a little bit more than his other plays. He liked it even more than “A streetcar named desire” which is often referred to as his best and most famous play. You can argue about statement, Cat on a hot tin roof being his best work, but you will not be able to argue the success, the play had, away. First played on March 24, 1955 Cat on a hot tin roof won the Pulitzer Price as well as the New York Drama Critics Circle Award as the best American play of the season. It furthermore became Williams’s longest running show ever with 692 performances. What I will be dealing with subsequently is the most interesting aspect of the plays Broadway version. To be more precisely my topic will be the third act of the play, which is different compared to the original version.
First I will give a brief summary of the original version of the third act. This will be followed by the naming of the similarities and the biggest differences between the two versions. Then, it is very important in my opinion to close, answering some upcoming questions about the two versions of act three. “Who had the idea to change the third act for the performance on Broadway?” and “Why did the changes take place and what were the ideas behind them?” I think with the help of my described approach I can cope with the task to compare the original and the Broadway version of Tennessee Williams Cat on a hot tin roof.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Summary – Original 3rd Act
III. Comparison and Analysis
IV. Background Information
V. Work Cited
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to analyze the significant differences between the original third act of Tennessee Williams' play "Cat on a hot tin roof" and the version adapted for the Broadway production. The study investigates the rationale behind these dramaturgical changes and examines their impact on character development and the overall narrative resolution.
- The evolution of the third act from the original manuscript to the Broadway performance.
- Character dynamics and the behavioral shifts in Brick and Margaret.
- The influence of director Elia Kazan on the artistic outcome of the play.
- Symbolism and structural alterations within the third act.
Excerpt from the Book
III. Comparison and Analysis
The action taking place in the Broadway version differs a lot from the summarised original version of act three.
In fact the only real similarity is the part where Big Mama is told about the serious health condition of Big Daddy (OV3: p. 134 – 146; BV4: p. 179 – 184) and the following part where Gooper is say that he is the one, who has to be the next owner Big Daddy’s business.
Of course roughly you can say that the topic of the play or, to be more precisely, of the third act stays the same, but in fact there are some really big differences when it comes to how the story is told.
To sum it all up there are three major alterations in the Broadway version compared to the original version.
The first and probably most conspicuous change is the re-appearance of Big Daddy5 after the argument between Gooper and Margaret and Big Mama. Another big changing takes place in Brick’s behaviour during the whole third act6. And the final major alteration involves the way how Margaret is presented to the audience7.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This chapter introduces the significance of Tennessee Williams' play and outlines the author's intent to compare the original third act with the Broadway production version.
II. Summary – Original 3rd Act: This section provides a detailed plot summary of the original third act, focusing on the family conflict surrounding Big Daddy’s illness and Gooper’s inheritance schemes.
III. Comparison and Analysis: This chapter identifies the three primary alterations in the Broadway version, specifically focusing on Big Daddy's return and the shift in the relationship between Brick and Margaret.
IV. Background Information: This chapter explores the historical context and the editorial decisions made by director Elia Kazan, which led to the drastic modifications of the play's ending.
V. Work Cited: A list of the academic sources and texts referenced throughout the analysis.
Keywords
Tennessee Williams, Cat on a hot tin roof, Broadway, Elia Kazan, Third Act, Drama, Playwriting, Character development, Adaptation, Big Daddy, Brick, Margaret, Theatre history, Narrative change, Inheritance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this analysis?
This work examines the creative and structural differences between the original third act of "Cat on a hot tin roof" and the version adapted for the Broadway stage.
What are the central thematic fields covered in the text?
The text focuses on dramatic adaptation, character evolution, the director's influence on a script, and the shift in emotional tone between the original and Broadway versions.
What is the core research question of this study?
The research explores why the third act was altered for Broadway, who initiated these changes, and how these modifications transformed the play's final message.
Which methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a comparative textual analysis, contrasting the original manuscript with the Broadway production script to identify specific alterations and their narrative impact.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body details the specific plot differences, such as Big Daddy's re-appearance, and analyzes the shift in the relationship between Brick and Margaret.
Which keywords best characterize this analysis?
Key terms include Tennessee Williams, Broadway adaptation, Elia Kazan, character arcs, and dramatic structure.
Why was it considered risky to remove Big Daddy from the third act?
The analysis suggests that because Big Daddy is such a strong and essential character, removing him would have deprived the audience of his reaction to the unfolding drama, potentially weakening the play's impact.
How does the Broadway version change the depiction of Margaret?
The Broadway version makes modifications intended to make Margaret appear more sympathetic to the audience, particularly through her relationship and interactions with Brick.
What was Elia Kazan's primary goal in altering the third act?
Kazan aimed to ensure the play would appeal to popular audiences, which involved creating a more traditional, optimistic resolution and strengthening the character arcs.
- Citar trabajo
- Julian Hatzig (Autor), 2010, Comparison of the original and the “Broadway version” of act three of Tennessee William’s Cat on a hot tin roof , Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/211693
