Of particular interest for this paper is the juxtaposition of conflicting traits in Amanda's character. On the one hand, she is characterized by critics as the good mother and perpetuator. On the other hand, she is the terrible, cruel mother and perpetrator. These different characteristics seem to be directly connected to Amanda’s relationship to her children. For her daughter she is the good mother, trying everything to ensure her daughter’s security in the future. Her son experiences his mother’s treatment as suffocating and restricting for his dreams and ambitions. Yet, both of these different attitudes seem to be motivated by the same disposition in Amanda: the love and devotion of a mother for her children. Consequently, there must be other reasons that motivate Amanda’s behavior. This paper is going to consider the social and economical situation in the USA at the time of the play, Amanda’s glorification of her own past and the fact that the play is Tom’s memory for a combination of these three points seem to be the reason why Amanda is portrait as such an ambiguous character in the drama.
To begin with, the relevant social and economic circumstances in the USA during the time of the play are going to be analyzed. Amanda’s glorification of her past is then discussed followed by the analysis of the influence of Tom’s memory on the portrayal of Amanda in the play. Finally, the results of the analysis of the three factors are applied to the relationship of Amanda and her children.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Portrait of a Mother
- Situation in the USA at the Time of the Play
- Amanda's Glorified Past
- The Importance of Memory
- Relationship to Her Children
- Relationship to Her Daughter: Laura
- Relationship to Her Son: Tom
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to provide a closer interpretation of Amanda Wingfield's character in Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, focusing on the juxtaposition of her conflicting traits as both a good and a terrible mother. The analysis explores the interplay of several factors contributing to this ambiguity.
- The socio-economic context of the 1930s in the USA
- Amanda's idealized past and its impact on her present
- The role of memory and its influence on the play's narrative
- Amanda's complex relationships with her children, Laura and Tom
- The portrayal of Amanda as an ambiguous character within the drama
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the significance of Amanda Wingfield's character in Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie, highlighting existing critical perspectives that view her as central to the play's themes. It introduces the paper's focus on the conflicting aspects of Amanda's personality—the "good" and "terrible" mother—and their connection to her relationships with her children. The chapter outlines the paper's methodology, which will analyze the socio-economic context of the 1930s, Amanda's romanticized past, and Tom's memory as contributing factors to Amanda's character portrayal. This multifaceted approach aims to understand the complexities of Amanda's motivations and actions within the play's narrative.
Portrait of a Mother: This section delves into a comprehensive analysis of Amanda's character, exploring her role within the context of the 1930s and her idealized past. The chapter begins by examining the socio-economic climate of the Great Depression and its impact on the Wingfield family, illustrating their poverty and the constant struggle for survival. It then moves to an analysis of Amanda's romanticized recollection of her youth, her attempts to mask their poverty, and the ways in which this impacts her interactions with her children. This section lays the foundation for the detailed exploration of her relationship with Laura and Tom in subsequent subsections.
Keywords
The Glass Menagerie, Amanda Wingfield, Tennessee Williams, Great Depression, Mother-child relationships, Memory, Social Commentary, Ambiguity, Southern Gothic, Idealized Past, Poverty
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Amanda Wingfield in Tennessee Williams' *The Glass Menagerie*
What is the overall objective of this analysis?
This paper aims to offer a detailed interpretation of Amanda Wingfield's character in Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie. It focuses on the contradictory aspects of her personality, exploring how she functions as both a good and a terrible mother. The analysis examines various factors contributing to this complexity.
What key themes are explored in the analysis?
The analysis explores the socio-economic context of the 1930s in the USA, Amanda's idealized past and its impact on her present, the role of memory in shaping the play's narrative, Amanda's complex relationships with her children (Laura and Tom), and the portrayal of Amanda as an ambiguous character within the drama.
What is covered in the "Introduction" chapter?
The introduction establishes the importance of Amanda Wingfield's character in The Glass Menagerie, highlighting existing critical perspectives. It outlines the paper's focus on the conflicting aspects of Amanda's personality and their connection to her relationships with her children. The chapter details the methodology, which involves analyzing the socio-economic context of the 1930s, Amanda's romanticized past, and Tom's memory as contributing factors to Amanda's character portrayal. It aims to understand the complexities of Amanda's motivations and actions.
What does the "Portrait of a Mother" section analyze?
This section provides a comprehensive analysis of Amanda's character, exploring her role within the context of the 1930s and her idealized past. It examines the socio-economic climate of the Great Depression and its impact on the Wingfield family, analyzing Amanda's romanticized memories of her youth and how these impact her interactions with her children. It lays the groundwork for a detailed exploration of her relationships with Laura and Tom.
What are the key chapters and their content?
The analysis includes an introduction, a detailed "Portrait of a Mother" section examining Amanda's character in depth, and a conclusion. The "Portrait of a Mother" section is further divided into subsections analyzing the situation in the USA during the play's setting, Amanda's glorified past, the importance of memory, and her relationships with Laura and Tom.
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
The keywords associated with this analysis include: The Glass Menagerie, Amanda Wingfield, Tennessee Williams, Great Depression, Mother-child relationships, Memory, Social Commentary, Ambiguity, Southern Gothic, Idealized Past, and Poverty.
What is the structure of the Table of Contents?
The table of contents includes an introduction, a major section titled "Portrait of a Mother" (with subsections on the historical context, Amanda's past, the role of memory, and her relationships with Laura and Tom), and a conclusion.
- Quote paper
- Annett Gräfe (Author), 2007, Portrait of a mother in Tennessee Williams' memory play 'The Glass Menagerie', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/71873
