Tennessee Williams is one of America's greatest playwrights whose talents of creating tension and atmosphere went beyond the métier of theatre and were convincing in the field of motion pictures, too. Elia Kazan, the successful theatre and film director, particularly admired the artist’s gift of evoking emotions.
In this thesis, however, I shall not attempt at evaluating Williams’s total works. Rather, my object is a comparative analysis of select plays by Tennessee Williams and of their film adaptations: A Streetcar Named Desire (1947, 1951), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955, 1958), and Sweet Bird of Youth (1959, 1962). Special attention has been given to examining the social differences in the plays and films. By focussing on the methods of characterisation employed I shall investigate more or less typical class representations in the two different media. I shall work out the social politics of the playwright, theatre and film directors, and – as far as possible – the actors’ and actresses’ contributions to the dramatic contents. The multitude of interpretations and variations usually gives proof to the value of artistic works.
The methods applied in this thesis are literary research and film studies. As a matter of course, I analysed the plays on their written basis, which raises the general question to what extent the perceptions by the audience and the reader differ. ‘The readers of a play must use their imagination to flesh out the characters, and to place them in an appropriate setting’ (Sambrook, 6). Williams gives very precise and evocative stage directions, which help the reader to imagine the situations in many details. Meaning is often conveyed by poetic images. By employing figurative language he tries to ‘paint a word picture or convey in words the quality of a sound’ (Sambrook, 48). The critic also notes that in Streetcar, these stage directions contrast and ‘serve to underline the uneducated speech’ (Sambrook, 14) of most characters, except for the DuBois sisters. The audience of a play or film, on the other hand, cannot perceive these aspects; rather, the spectators are confronted with a particular setting and with concrete actors and actresses. ...
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 The Concept of Class
1.2 Film Theories
2 Tennessee Williams – Some Biographical Notes
3 The Plays
3.1 A Streetcar Named Desire
3.2 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
3.3 Sweet Bird of Youth
3.4 Aspects of Class in the Plays
4 The Film Adaptations
4.1 Tennessee Williams and Hollywood
4.2 A Streetcar Named Desire
4.3 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
4.4 Sweet Bird of Youth
4.5 Aspects of Class in the Film Adaptations
5 Conclusion
Objectives & Research Topics
This thesis examines the comparative analysis of select plays by Tennessee Williams and their respective film adaptations, specifically A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Sweet Bird of Youth. The research focuses on the representation of social differences and class structures, investigating how these themes are portrayed and altered across the mediums of literature and cinema.
- Comparative analysis of stage plays and their film adaptations
- Investigation of social class and class representations
- Examination of social politics and characters’ social identities
- Critical analysis of film theory, spectatorship, and adaptation tropes
- Exploration of the influence of political and industrial censorship on creative output
Excerpt from the Book
The Concept of Class
When it comes to defining the term class, its manifold uses cause problems with summarising all its abstract meanings. In this thesis, class refers to the characteristic features of social differences, as regards birth, education, profession, possession, and standard of living. Karl Marx’s theory of class is generally confined to the dichotomy between oppressing and oppressed people, possessing and non-possessing people. Yet, it is necessary to differentiate this rather rigid concept of class, as social differences do not exclusively result from these dichotomous contrasts.
Society is not necessarily defined by head-on antagonisms of rival groups; rather, oppositions are manifold, mostly gradual, and only rarely polar. (Mayer, 110n. 2)
Social differences also operate on subtler levels, for instance, as to language use, value systems, outward appearance, and etiquette. I agree with Ronald Macaulay that ‘[b]oth speech and physical appearance provide advance information about an individual’s age, sex, prosperity, and meticulousness, among other things’ (Macaulay, 1). The question to which extent these factors affect social differences will also play a decisive role in my analysis.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the thesis's scope, identifying Williams as a master of evoking emotions and establishing the comparative methodology used to analyze his plays and their filmic counterparts.
1.1 The Concept of Class: This section defines class beyond simple dichotomies, emphasizing its manifestation in speech, manners, and societal perception within the context of the American South.
1.2 Film Theories: This section explores how film adaptation functions as a medium and how audience reception is shaped by economic and political factors in Hollywood.
2 Tennessee Williams – Some Biographical Notes: This chapter details the playwright’s formative years, focusing on his family history and personal experiences that informed the themes of his works.
3 The Plays: This chapter provides an in-depth reading of Williams's dramatic texts, analyzing their recurring themes of violence, family breakdown, and societal decay.
3.1 A Streetcar Named Desire: This section discusses the clash between the aristocratic values of the plantation South and the industrial reality of the new American order.
3.2 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: This section examines mendacity, truth, and the desperation for social and familial inheritance within a wealthy plantation family.
3.3 Sweet Bird of Youth: This section investigates the obsession with youth, the reality of aging, and the social dynamics of power in St Cloud.
3.4 Aspects of Class in the Plays: This section synthesizes how class is encoded in characters' language, behavior, and social positioning.
4 The Film Adaptations: This chapter reviews the transition of Williams’s plays to screen, highlighting the impact of censorship and commercial demands on the final product.
4.1 Tennessee Williams and Hollywood: This section analyzes the complex relationship between the playwright and the mid-century film industry.
4.2 A Streetcar Named Desire: This section focuses on the 1951 film adaptation and its efforts to navigate moral codes while maintaining dramatic intensity.
4.3 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: This section analyzes the 1958 film, noting how it transformed the play's central themes to suit mainstream Hollywood audiences.
4.4 Sweet Bird of Youth: This section explores the 1962 film adaptation and its departures from the stage version regarding character development and thematic resolution.
4.5 Aspects of Class in the Film Adaptations: This section evaluates how cinematographic techniques, acting styles, and symbolic elements translate or obscure class themes from the source material.
5 Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes findings on the enduring social critique inherent in Williams’s work and his lasting impact on both stage and cinema.
Keywords
Tennessee Williams, American South, class conflict, film adaptation, social differences, dramatic literature, Hollywood censorship, American Dream, mendacity, psychoanalysis, spectatorship, cultural identity, symbolic realism.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The work primarily addresses the thematic treatment of social class in three plays by Tennessee Williams and how these themes are interpreted or recontextualized in their respective film adaptations.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
Central themes include the decline of the Antebellum South, the illusion of the American Dream, the destructive role of time, the impact of capitalism, and the social consequences of repressed homosexuality.
What is the primary objective of this study?
The objective is to compare how playwrights and film directors characterize class identity and how societal and industry pressures during the mid-20th century influenced the representation of these characters.
What methodology is employed throughout the research?
The research uses a dual approach of literary criticism and film studies, incorporating analysis of stage directions, screenplays, cultural history, and performance theory.
What aspects are covered in the main body?
The body covers biographical context, an analysis of the source plays, an examination of Hollywood studio politics and censorship, and detailed analyses of how the three specific films translate Williams’s dramatic vision.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Keywords include Tennessee Williams, social class, American South, film adaptation, cultural representation, and ideological critique.
How does the work address the impact of Hollywood censorship?
The work demonstrates how the Production Code Administration (PCA) and other institutions forced filmmakers to sanitize themes of sexual deviancy and overt social criticism, often shifting the narrative focus in the final screen products.
How is the transition from "Old South" to "New South" interpreted?
The author argues that Williams uses his characters to mirror the shift from a feudal, plantation-based society to an industrial, materialistic one, revealing the resulting moral emptiness and class friction in the process.
- Quote paper
- Sabine Rohrhofer (Author), 2002, Aspects of class in select plays by Tennessee Williams and their film adaptations: "A streetcar named desire", "Cat on a hot tin roof", "Sweet bird of youth", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/4764
