Tennessee Williams has often been called the American national poet of the perverse and a dirty writer because a recurrent theme in his work is sexual deviation, such as nymphomania, promiscuity, rape, impotence, homosexuality, profligacy, frigidity, cannibalism, and castration (Bauer-Briski 11).
This statement clearly suggests the controversy with which Tennessee Williams’ dramas were perceived by the public and the critics. It is well known that conflicts on these issues can be found in many of his plays. This raises the question as to what extent these conflicts are related to specific gender roles and their subordinate themes. Williams once said that he has never written about anything he has not experienced first hand, thus most of the conflict issues can be considered to be autobiographical to a certain extent. As Williams’ childhood was restricted to a rather reclusive life due to diphtheria, which forced him to spend almost his entire childhood at home with his family, the experiences with his mother, father and sister shaped not only his character, but also the themes in his plays. His upbringing was characterised by Puritanism which was of vital importance in his family. His mother later became the model for his antiquated Southern Belles and overprotective mothers in the plays. His boisterous father was perceived as a frightening and alien male presence by him, his sister and his mother. He later became the model for the same type of harsh, brutal characters in his plays, such as Big Daddy and Stanley Kowalski (Falk 155 f). Yet, not only his Puritan upbringing shaped his life, but also the fact that he grew up in the South of the United States, in the Mississippi Delta, and the region’s heat, its storms, floods, the division into social classes, the colourful imagery and rhythms of the language were to shape his setting and dialogue (Tischler 2).The uniqueness of the South along with its cultural and social characteristics is embodied in many of his plays, and the social roles appointed to the people living there offers an extensive basis of analysis for not only gender roles, but also the related conflicts. In addition to this, Williams was known as being homosexual and leading a very promiscuous life, especially with men much younger than him (Bauer-Briski 11).
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Theories on Gender
3 Theories on Conflict
4 Gender Conflicts
5 The Cultural Background of the Plays – The United States South
5.1 Historical Background of the United States South
5.2 Southern Culture and Identity
5.3 Gender Roles in the South
6 Southern Culture in the Dramas of Tennessee Williams
6.1 Southern Culture and Identity as a Source of Gender Conflicts in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
6.2 Southern Culture and Identity as a Source of Gender Conflicts in A Streetcar Named Desire
7 Sexuality in the Dramas of Tennessee Williams
7.1 Sexuality as a Source of Gender Conflicts in A Streetcar Named Desire
7.1.1 Blanche
7.1.2 Stella and Stanley
7.2 Sexuality as a Source of Gender Conflicts in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
7.2.1 Big Daddy
7.2.2 Mae and Gooper
7.2.3 Brick and Maggie
8 Homosexuality in the Dramas of Tennessee Williams
8.1 Gender Conflicts Related to Homosexuality in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
8.1.1 Brick’s and Skipper’s Relationship a Source of Conflict for Maggie and Brick
8.1.2 Brick’s and Skipper’s Relationship as Source of Conflict for Big Daddy and Brick
8.2 Gender Conflicts related to Homosexuality in A Streetcar Named Desire
9 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This thesis examines the representation of gender conflicts within the dramatic works of Tennessee Williams, specifically focusing on "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". The central research question investigates how Southern culture, sexuality, and heteronormative societal pressures create and exacerbate conflicts related to gender roles and identity within these plays.
- Analysis of gender and conflict theories in a socio-cultural context.
- Examination of the historical and cultural background of the United States South.
- Investigation of gender roles as cultural constructs in Williams' dramas.
- Study of sexuality and homosexuality as primary drivers of interpersonal conflict.
Excerpt from the Book
Southern Culture and Identity as a Source of Gender Conflicts in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is undoubtedly a very Southern drama. The setting of the play is a large plantation in the Mississippi Delta and the language displayed is very close to the linguistically distinctive Southern dialect.
Particularly interesting are the relations between the individual family members in terms of Southern values. Big Daddy clearly represents the patriarchal head of the family. He inherits all the money and power in the family, and even though his wife took care of the entire plantation while he was in the hospital, he remains in charge of it after all.
In Act II of the play, Big Daddy actually accuses his wife of trying to take over the plantation: I put up with a whole lot of crap around here because I thought I was dying. And you thought I was dying and you started taking over, well, you can stop taking over now, Ida, because I’m not gonna die, you can just stop now this business of taking over because you’re not taking over because I’m not dying….. Didn’t you have an idea I was dying of cancer and now you could take control of this place and everything on it? (Cat 80f).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of Tennessee Williams' background, the autobiographical elements in his work, and the rationale for selecting the two primary plays for analysis.
2 Theories on Gender: Discusses the theoretical distinction between biological sex and socially constructed gender, referencing scholars like Judith Butler and Teresa de Lauretis.
3 Theories on Conflict: Defines conflict in both sociological and literary terms, emphasizing the role of power dynamics and societal expectations in patriarchal settings.
4 Gender Conflicts: Establishes a framework for analyzing gender conflicts as interpersonal and intrapersonal tensions regarding societal roles and expectations.
5 The Cultural Background of the Plays – The United States South: Explores the historical, economic, and social characteristics of the American South that define its unique identity.
6 Southern Culture in the Dramas of Tennessee Williams: Analyzes how specific Southern values, stereotypes, and social hierarchies are manifested in the characters and settings of the plays.
7 Sexuality in the Dramas of Tennessee Williams: Examines how sexuality functions as a source of gender conflict and how it relates to societal notions of duty, fertility, and morality.
8 Homosexuality in the Dramas of Tennessee Williams: Investigates the subtle but critical presence of homosexuality and the tragic consequences of societal rejection for characters in both plays.
9 Conclusion: Summarizes how gender differences and cultural upbringing drive the conflicts in the plays and reflects on Williams' critique of restrictive social standards.
Keywords
Tennessee Williams, Gender Conflicts, Southern Culture, Sexuality, Homosexuality, Patriarchy, Identity, Gender Roles, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire, Social Construction, Biological Determinism, Southern Belle, Masculinity, Fertility
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis explores how gender conflicts are depicted in the works of Tennessee Williams, specifically within the cultural context of the American South.
Which plays are analyzed in this work?
The analysis focuses on "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof".
What is the central research goal?
The aim is to investigate how cultural norms, sexuality, and rigid gender roles create conflicts between characters and influence their personal identities.
Which scientific method is applied?
The work employs a literary and sociocultural analysis, utilizing gender theories and sociological concepts to interpret the dramatic conflicts.
What are the key themes addressed in the main part?
The main sections cover the definition of gender and conflict, the influence of Southern cultural history, the role of sexuality as a source of tension, and the impact of homosexuality on character relationships.
Which keywords define this research?
Key terms include gender conflicts, Southern culture, sexuality, homosexuality, patriarchy, identity, and the specific works of Tennessee Williams.
How does the author characterize Big Daddy in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"?
Big Daddy is analyzed as a typical, vulgar patriarch who is driven by economic and status-based motivations rather than traditional aristocratic manners.
What significance is attributed to the "Southern Lady" myth in the plays?
The "Southern Lady" is presented as a complex, often stifling cultural ideal that characters like Blanche Dubois struggle to uphold, leading to identity distortion and conflict.
- Quote paper
- Kerstin Müller (Author), 2003, Gender Conflicts in the Dramas of Tennessee Williams, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/29989
